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 ruined by an injury to Sir Gino.


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 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 quicken approaching the last.


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


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


"The team at Seven Barrows have actually 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 on the way to winning the Unibet Hurdle during Festival Trials Day at Cheltenham Racecourse. Picture date: Saturday January 24, 2026.


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


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


"It will be a totally various race in the Champion Hurdle and they've gone round there at a crawl and I'm not stating I might have layed up along with them however there is some who could."


Harry Skelton said: "I didn't even understand what happened to Sir Gino and the three people said at the top of the hill 'where is Nico?' and you don't desire that to occur. Hopefully they are both OK.


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


"We hacked round and sprinted and he's not short of an equipment and it just put a couple of good manners on him a bit today. He's only young, doesn't have much experience and did what I wanted him to do and it will do his confidence great. Hopefully he will return now in March.


"I've ridden in a Champ Hurdle and have not won one, but I would like to."