Skelton Sets Out National Ambition For Anxiety Attack
Plans are afoot for the Skelton stable success to extend into spring as both Anxiety attack and Grey Dawning have heading aspirations, at Aintree and Cheltenham respectively.
Panic 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 2 weeks, the latter of which showed her endurance over a prolonged three-mile-two-furlong trip for the very first time.
The Randox Grand National has for that reason come into focus for the mare, with preparations most likely to consist of a journey to Newbury and potentially Kelso as she is prepared 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," stated Skelton.
"Then she will potentially go to Kelso en path to the Grand National, that's our objective.
"If we fancy having a go at the mares' chase at the Cheltenham Festival then we might, however our sights are securely set on the Grand National."
Another success story for the Skelton team this term up until now was Grey Dawning's Betfair Chase success, 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 waits for the eight-year-old, who will get ready for the pinnacle of the National Hunt season with a run in the Cotswold Chase at the very 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 actually lured by it, however on balance we thought it was more to keep him this side of the Irish Sea before his Gold Cup quote," stated Skelton.
"He's a horse who has actually stepped up to the mark, it was a fantastic run at Haydock and we'll be wanting to replicate among those a couple of more times."