Skelton Sets Out National Ambition For Anxiety Attack

Plans are afoot for the Skelton steady success to extend into spring as both Anxiety attack and Grey Dawning have heading aspirations, at Aintree and Cheltenham respectively.


Anxiety attack rewarded the bold marketing of Dan Skelton and owner Bryan Drew when taking both the Paddy Power Gold Cup and the Coral Gold Cup within two weeks, the latter of which proved her endurance over a prolonged three-mile-two-furlong journey for the very first time.


The Randox Grand National has therefore entered into focus for the mare, with preparations likely to consist of a trip to Newbury and perhaps Kelso as she is readied for the world's biggest steeplechase in April.


Panic 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 possibly go to Kelso en path to the Grand National, that's our goal.


"If we elegant having a go at the mares' chase at the Cheltenham Festival then we might, however our sights are firmly set on the Grand National."


Another success story for the Skelton group this term so far was Grey Dawning's Betfair Chase success, in which he reversed the kind with Royale Pagaille having completed the runner-up behind him 12 months prior.


Grey Dawning at Aintree last season (Mike Egerton/PA)


The Cheltenham Gold Cup now awaits 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 same track in January rather of a previously mooted journey to Ireland for the Savills Chase.


"I had the entry for him in Ireland and I was really lured by it, but on balance we believed it was more practical to keep him this side of the Irish Sea before his Gold Cup quote," stated Skelton.


"He's a horse who has stepped up to the mark, it was a fantastic run at Haydock and we'll be to duplicate among those a couple of more times."