Skelton Sets Out National Ambition For Panic 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 vibrant 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 a prolonged three-mile-two-furlong journey for the very first time.


The Randox Grand National has for that reason entered into focus for the mare, with preparations most likely to include a trip to Newbury and potentially 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 having a go at the mares' chase at the Cheltenham Festival then we might, however our sights are firmly 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 form with Royale Pagaille having ended up 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 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 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 believed it was more sensible to keep him this side of the Irish Sea before his Gold Cup quote," stated Skelton.


"He's a horse who has stepped up to the mark, it was a great run at Haydock and we'll be wishing to reproduce among those a few more times."