Skelton Sets Out National Ambition For Anxiety Attack

Plans are afoot for the Skelton steady success to extend into spring as both Panic Attack and Grey Dawning have heading ambitions, at Aintree and Cheltenham respectively.


Panic Attack rewarded the vibrant campaigning of Dan Skelton and owner Bryan Drew when taking both the Paddy Power Gold Cup and the Coral Gold Cup within 2 weeks, the latter of which proved her endurance over an extended three-mile-two-furlong journey for the very first time.


The Randox Grand National has actually for that reason come into focus for the mare, with preparations most likely to consist of a trip to Newbury and perhaps Kelso as she is readied for the world's biggest steeplechase in April.


Anxiety attack winning the Coral Gold Cup at Newbury (Steven Paston/PA)


"She's going to go to Newbury in January, there's a mares' race for her there," said Skelton.


"Then she will perhaps go to Kelso en path to the Grand National, that's our objective.


"If we fancy having a go at the mares' chase at the Cheltenham Festival then we might, however our sights are strongly set on the Grand National."


Another success story for the Skelton group this term up until now was Grey Dawning's Betfair Chase triumph, in which he reversed the kind with Royale Pagaille having finished the runner-up behind him 12 months prior.


Grey Dawning at Aintree last season (Mike Egerton/PA)


The Cheltenham Gold Cup now awaits the eight-year-old, who will get ready for the pinnacle of the National Hunt season with a run in the Cotswold Chase at the exact same track in January instead of a previously mooted journey to Ireland for the Savills Chase.


"I had the entry for him in Ireland and I was truly lured by it, but on balance we thought it was more sensible to keep him this side of the Irish Sea before his bid," stated Skelton.


"He's a horse who has stepped up to the mark, it was a terrific run at Haydock and we'll be intending to duplicate among those a couple of more times."