Dan Skelton admits he has no negatives ahead of Kabral Du Mathan putting his unbeaten record over fences on the line in the Paddy Power Arkle Challenge Trophy Trial Novices’ Chase at Cheltenham on Saturday.
In what promises to be an early season blockbuster, the gelded son of Pastorius will lock horns with last season’s Sky Bet Supreme Novices’ Hurdle winner Old Park Star in eagerly anticipated renewal of the Grade Two prize.
After signing off last season with a close up fourth in the Grade One Paddy Power Stayers’ Hurdle at the Cheltenham Festival, the Neil and Alfie Smith-owned six-year-old made a bloodless transition to fences with a decisive win at Perth last month.
And while Nicky Henderson has issued a word of caution about the ground for Old Park Star, plus starting the Well Chosen-gelding over fences at Cheltenham, Skelton has no such fears for Kabral Du Mathan.
Skelton said: “It will be a test, but forget opposition you are going around Cheltenham in a novice chase first and foremost, which is a new thing for all of them.
“Bring the opposition in, and it does look like a pretty good race. It doesn’t bother me who we take on, if we win, we win, but if we get beat we will go somewhere else and try and beat them back.
“He had a lovely first run over fences at Perth, and he has come out of the race well. I don’t have any negatives, we will be either good enough to win, or we won’t.
“I think having the run under a belt is a helpful scenario. I don’t have any fears over this trip on decent ground as two miles over fences is very different to two miles over hurdles.”
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