Skelton Sets Out National Ambition For Anxiety Attack

Plans are afoot for the Skelton stable success to extend into spring as both Anxiety attack and Grey Dawning have headline ambitions, at Aintree and Cheltenham respectively.


Anxiety attack rewarded the bold marketing 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 showed her stamina over an extended three-mile-two-furlong trip for the very first time.


The Randox Grand has actually therefore come into focus for the mare, with preparations 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 possibly go to Kelso en route to the Grand National, that's our objective.


"If we elegant attempting the mares' chase at the Cheltenham Festival then we might, but our sights are securely set on the Grand National."


Another success story for the Skelton team this term up until now was Grey Dawning's Betfair Chase victory, in which he reversed the type with Royale Pagaille having completed 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 prepare for the peak of the National Hunt season with a run in the Cotswold Chase at the 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 actually lured by it, however on balance we believed it was more sensible to keep him this side of the Irish Sea before his Gold Cup 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 hoping to replicate one of those a couple of more times."