It's very straightforward for Kabral Du Mathan at Haydock

Stayers’ Hurdle at Cheltenham the ideal end-game for Kabral Du Mathan

By Graham Clark

Horse Racing

Sun December 14, 2025 · 7h ago

Dan Skelton believes the Dornan Engineering Relkeel Hurdle at Cheltenham represents the ideal stepping stone for Kabral Du Mathan.

The progressive five-year-old created a major impression on his stable debut for Skelton at Haydock last month when routing his rivals on his first start over two miles and three furlongs in a valuable handicap hurdle.

Following that success the Neil and Alfie Smith-owned gelding was hit with a 14lb hike in the weights by the handicapper, forcing Skelton to look at taking aim at graded races.

With Kabral Du Mathan having improved for his first outing beyond two miles in Britain, Skelton feels he can take the extra furlong in his stride on January 1 in the two-and-a-half-mile Grade Two.

Speaking from Cheltenham on Saturday, Skelton said: “Kabral Du Mathan is going to come here for the Relkeel Hurdle. I think two and a half miles is an acceptable distance for now.

“He won really well at Haydock Park, but he left handicaps behind after that obviously.

"Let’s hope he is now good enough for the next level now. We think, on what we have seen, he possibly is. We are going to incrementally rather than go all in and I think two and a half miles here is a good stepping-stone.”

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In light of Kabral Du Mathan’s last success, Skelton hinted that he could be a potential contender for the Stayers’ Hurdle at the Cheltenham Festival, for which he is already as short as 8/1. However, Skelton admits he will not try the former Paul Nicholls-trained gelding over three miles until the Grade One test on March 12.

He added: “The first time we will try three miles will hopefully be in the Stayers’ Hurdle. It is a hard division, but like any division you are always susceptible to a younger one if they have got that class.

“The younger ones put pressure on the older ones, but they know how to do it and we have to come up to their level, but we will get him as fresh, and as well as we can, for the Stayers’ Hurdle."

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