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 ambitions, at Aintree and Cheltenham respectively.


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


The Randox Grand National has therefore entered focus for the mare, with preparations likely to include a trip to Newbury and possibly Kelso as she is prepared 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," stated Skelton.


"Then she will potentially 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, but our sights are strongly set on the Grand National."


Another success story for the Skelton group this term so far 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 waits for the eight-year-old, who will get ready for the peak of the National Hunt season with a run in the Cotswold Chase at the exact same track in January instead of a previously mooted trip to Ireland for the Savills Chase.


"I had the entry for him in Ireland and I was really tempted by it, however on balance we thought it was more practical to keep him this side of the Irish Sea before his Gold Cup bid," stated Skelton.


"He's a horse who has actually stepped up to the mark, it was a fantastic perform at Haydock and we'll be intending to duplicate one of those a few more times."