Skelton Sets Out National Ambition For Anxiety Attack

Plans are afoot for the Skelton stable success to extend into spring as both Panic Attack and Grey Dawning have heading ambitions, at Aintree and Cheltenham respectively.


Anxiety attack rewarded the strong 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 an trip for the very first time.


The Randox Grand National has actually for that reason entered focus for the mare, with preparations likely to consist of a journey to Newbury and possibly Kelso as she is readied for the world's greatest 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," said Skelton.


"Then she will perhaps go to Kelso en route to the Grand National, that's our goal.


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


Another success story for the Skelton group this term up until now was Grey Dawning's Betfair Chase success, in which he reversed the kind 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 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 instead of a formerly 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 reasonable 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 great perform at Haydock and we'll be hoping to replicate one of those a few more times."