The New Lion Wins Unibet Hurdle, But Cheltenham Feature Marred By

Dan Skelton's The New Lion won the Unibet Hurdle at Cheltenham but the race was spoiled by an injury to .


Billed as a match between potentially the 2 best two-mile hurdlers in Britain, both were biding their time in the four-runner race when Sir Gino appeared to land awkwardly at the flight at the top of the hill and Nico de Boinville pulled him up.


Harry Skelton was content to take a lead for as long as possible on The New Lion, a winner over two miles and five furlongs at the Festival in March, before he asked him to speed up approaching the last.


Nemean Lion and Brentford Hope proved difficult enemies, before The New Lion (9-4) ultimately got on leading to win by a length and a half.


Skelton said: "I'm a huge fan of this sport and Sir Gino might be the very best horse in training and we simply didn't require that. We're all believing it and we just hope he is OK, it is necessary.


"The group at Seven Barrows have been through hell and back to get him back on track and hopefully he is OK."


The New Lion ridden by Harry Skelton (ideal) passes Brentford Hope ridden by Paul O ´ Brien en route to winning the Unibet Hurdle throughout Festival Trials Day at Cheltenham Racecourse. Picture date: Saturday January 24, 2026.


Of his winner he added: "We needed to get a clear round after Newcastle and Harry did exactly what I wanted him to do and held him into the bottom of all the jumps. He was a lot more respectful today and even down to the last Harry is wrestling him getting him into the bottom of them as he'll need those jumps in a Champion Hurdle.


"The unanswered concern with this horse is the speed angle and I believed he showed a lot of speed at Newcastle regardless of us winding up on the flooring. He showed a great deal of speed there too from turning in to the last and after that from the last to the line.


"It will be an absolutely various race in the Champion Hurdle and they've gone round there at a crawl and I'm not saying I could have layed up together with them but there is some who could."


Harry Skelton said: "I didn't even understand what took place to Sir Gino and the 3 of us said at the top of the hill 'where is Nico?' and you do not want that to occur. Hopefully they are both OK.


"We just wanted to get a lead and Nico wanted a lead as well and it just reveals you, that leading up to the Festival you desire these horses coming through these trials well and I'm simply happy he's got a clear round.


"We hacked round and ran and he's not except a gear and it simply put a few good manners on him a bit today. He's only young, does not have much experience and did what I desired him to do and it will do his self-confidence good. Hopefully he will come back now in March.


"I have actually ridden in a Champion Hurdle and haven't won one, but I wish to."