Coral Gold Cup report and replay: Panic Attack completes big double

After the mare had won the Paddy Power Gold Cup at Cheltenham two weeks ago, Dan Skelton was initially minded to aim her at a Listed mares’ race at Doncaster.

Instead he switched sights to the heritage handicap and over six furlongs further than at Prestbury Park, and the 16/1 winner became the first horse to complete the double since Celestial Gold back in 2004.

Tristan Durrell was always travelling sweetly aboard the winner who was clear when producing a bold leap at the last.

And from there she was home and hosed, dispelling any stamina doubts as he thundered to the line to score by six-and-a-half lengths from Three Card Brag.

Speaking from Newcastle, Skelton told ITV Racing: "She's brilliant, absolutely fantastic and a credit to herself. 14 days later. I said to Bryan (Drew) who owns her, look if she was seven I probably wouldn't do this but she's nine.

"I'm not saying she won't be around next year, of course she will, but when they're getting on a bit you have to race them when they're in form and she's clearly in the form of her life. Harry said to me earlier in the week 'go on, get on and run her'.

"I entered her because at the entry stage I thought 'what if she is a mare now who wants a longer trip?' and it's worked out. Tristan gave her a phenomenal ride. He's the most improved rider I've ever had anything to do with in a short space of time. He deserves it. He's riding fantastically and if you work hard you get your chances, especially with us."

A jubilant Durrell said: “It is unbelievable. I’ve been at Dan’s for eight years now and I’ve put a lot of graft in. It is really nice that they are giving me the opportunities now and it is so nice to repay them.

“Harry is a massive inspiration of mine. To step into his shoes and get the job done on a big day like this is very special. He did the Skelicopter and I’ll leave that to him, as that is his one, but this meant an awful lot to me.

“I always used to watch this race as a kid. To be honest with you I felt a lot of pressure walking out after what happened at Newcastle with The New Lion. It was awful to see and I just wanted to go make it a better day really.

“I just never looked behind me and I wanted to keep driving to the line as it was a long way. I was going so well turning in I just had to keep going forward. I didn’t know how far I won by, and I still don’t know. Everyone is telling me she won easily, but it is good to just win it.

“I jumped the cross fence and she was going so well I thought if she was good enough, and she jumps well from here, she should win. It was a massive performance from her, and very brave of Dan to run her. It is just so nice that it has paid off.

“It is amazing they are always putting the graft in at home. I get as much satisfaction as the yard having a winner as I do myself. That one felt very good though.

“I suspect I will have plenty of beer tonight as I’m not riding tomorrow so we will give it a kick.”

'It's pinch yourself stuff'

Jubilant winning owner Bryan Drew said: “She is brilliant. To do that two weeks after winning the Paddy Power Gold Cup is amazing. I’m struggling to speak.

“He said she has come out of it so well so shall we leave her in Monday so I said leave her in. I was coming back from Australia on Wednesday and Dan rang me when I was sitting in Perth Airport and he said I don’t have a strong feeling either way, but there are no negatives.

“He said ‘What do you want to do?’ and I said ‘Let’s have a go.’ She was just phenomenal. She won the Paddy Power with loads in hand, but that was a jumping exhibition as she was on springs. She travelled so well and the jump at the last was phenomenal.

“The extra trip was no bother. She is some mare. This is much better than the cricket! There is a nice mares’ race at Doncaster next month, but we will see how she is. She has been phenomenal. She is the first horse to do the double since Celestial Gold and she is the first mare to do it ever.

“It was a funny start, but we wanted to stay handy as we didn’t want to pass a load of horses coming in. Tristan got her off nicely in the first half-dozen and she just travelled into the top three. Thank God she managed to steer around the faller coming in.

“When she got to the cross fence I thought the batteries haven’t come out yet and she still had some stamina there. She just jumped the last three so well, she just killed them. It is pinch yourself stuff.”

Reaction from placed connections

Max McNeill, part-owner of Three Card Brag, said: “Fair play to Dan’s horse who has won two big handicaps on the bounce. If you look at the fifth last, we just made a mistake. Jordan (Gainford) said he saw a shadow there and he stood off it a bit and I think that might have cost us in hindsight. He has run a belter.

“I think we have got to look at the Grand National, but I will speak to Gordon (Elliott). My view is we go back over hurdles and we go straight to the Grand National given the way he was staying on there. He is a different horse to last season.”

Joe Tizzard said of The Changing Man in third: “He turns up every time, on the biggest stages, and he performs. We can’t fault him, it is as simple as that. I was just hoping they (the cheekpieces) made a difference, but I’m not sure they made a difference and Brendan (Powell) never mentioned it afterwards.

“He might not get into the Grand National so I can’t be too careful about it. I might just take him to Doncaster again in January and then then Ultima. He is rated 143 so I can’t save the whole season and get balloted out of the Grand National. He will have an entry at Aintree and we will see how we get on."

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