Dan Skelton looks over big Festival hope The New Lion

Dan Skelton - high hopes of The New Lion

Cheltenham Saturday preview: Dan Skelton on The New Lion and Maestro Conti

By Graham Clark

Horse Racing

Sat January 24, 2026 · 3d ago

Dan Skelton believes the added emphasis on stamina can play into the hands of The New Lion as he bids to become the first horse to lower the colours of Sir Gino in the Unibet International Hurdle at Cheltenham.

The Kayf Tara gelding will bid to get his career back on the right path in what is a true heavyweight clash between two of the leading Unibet Champion Hurdle contenders in the Grade Two contest.

After signing off last season with victory in the Turners’ Novices’ Hurdle at the Festival, the seven-year-old took a tumble while still holding every chance on his return to action in the Grade One BetMGM Fighting Fifth Hurdle at Newcastle.

And although The New Lion, who is currently the second favourite for his next assignment, has that blemish to overcome, the Shelfield Green handler feels that soft conditions at the home of jump racing can help swing things in his favour.

"I’m very happy with our horse and the softer ground will put a little bit more emphasis on stamina, which is a positive for us. I think the track is a positive for us. He is a relaxed horse and he showed plenty of boot at Newcastle when unfortunately he came down two out, which wasn’t ideal," the trainer said.

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“I’ve got my opinion of how that race would have turned out, but I will keep that to myself as it didn’t turn out the way I thought it was going to. I don’t think the fact we are going into the race off the back of a fall makes a great deal of difference as we have done loads of jumping since.

“I think it might have perhaps changed the betting had he not fallen as they would have been closer in the market, but I’m not convinced it makes the absolute difference to us as I feel like he is in great form.

“We have trained him to get through this the best we can. I’m sure it will be a good match up. We are taking on an odds-on favourite who won the Christmas Hurdle last time. We have never taken on a horse this good, but maybe Sir Gino has never taken on a horse as good as us before.”

With only the four runners set to tackle the two mile one furlong contest, there is the prospect of the race becoming a tactical affair. However, the trainer doesn't believe it will have any bearing on the result.

He added: “I think for the first mile it could be tactical, but to be honest with you, good horses, when they turn down that hill they will get rolling. There will be at least six furlongs of proper racing, if not a bit more. The hill will come into play as it is a long stretch from turning in there. It will be a good race. It won’t be overly tactical as you have got three furlongs from the back of two out so you will have to be racing.”

And while this will be a proper test of The New Lion’s ability, Skelton, who is yet to add the £125,000 contest to his CV, is keen to embrace the challenge rather than swerve it.

He added: “Do I wish I was going in there at 1/8 on, well yeah as you are more likely to win, and I love winning, but I’m not one of those trainers that wants everything in their favour all of the time as for a sport to thrive you have got to have competition. I think if he beat Sir Gino tensions would rise as he is favourite for the Champion Hurdle. I wouldn’t be surprised if he won on Saturday, having said that I wouldn’t be surprised if we didn’t win as we are taking on a very good horse.

“I don’t go there with any apprehension thinking what if we lose? I ain’t interested in that. I’m going there thinking we can win and hoping that we do. If we don’t we just dress ourselves and go again. There is still only one way he is going after this and that is the Champion Hurdle. It would be ideal to win, but we are not nervous if we get beat.”

Conti ready for his big test

Before watching The New Lion attempt to enhance his Unibet Champion Hurdle claims Skelton will step the exciting Maestro Conti up in class for the Grade Two JCB Triumph Trial Juvenile Hurdle.

The Prince Gibraltar gelding hit the ground running on his first start for the yard when running out an impressive winner on his British debut last month, to propel him close to the head of the JCB Triumph Hurdle betting.

However, the trainer accepts the four-year-old will have to take another step forward if he is to maintain his unbeaten record.

Maestro Conti makes an impressive start for the Skeltons

He said: “He is very exciting, but in terms of competition this is chalk and cheese compared to his Kempton Park race. He has to give away a small penalty, but that doesn’t concern me, and it will be different ground, but these are questions to be answered, rather than questions that can’t be.

“Sometimes you go with horse with experience, and you know them inside out, and you go, well can’t give weight away to that and the ground is against us, but I don’t feel like that at all. I feel like we can give the weight away and I feel like we will handle the ground.

“I feel like he is the correct favourite and I feel like he has got loads of ability. I wouldn’t say I expect him to win, but I do feel like he is a very good horse. I think the track will suit him as I think he is a stamina horse. There are a lot of horses that won’t have the stamina he has, but it still remains to be seen. I’ve a lot of respect for the opposition as they are a better bunch than those at Kempton Park. He has got to up his game, but I think he can do that.”