Dan Skelton is happy to let Protektorat again take on Cheltenham Gold Cup hero A Plus Tard in the Betfair Chase at Haydock Park on November 19.
Skelton's seven-year-old finished third, more than 17 lengths adrift of Henry de Bromhead's Gold star in the Cheltenham Festival feature in March, before he disappointed when only fourth in the Betway Bowl at the Randox Grand National Festival at Aintree Racecourse the following month.
Skelton knows it will be tough to turn around that deficit with A Plus Tard in the Grade One feature on Merseyside two weeks on Saturday. But he believes his rising staying chaser is fit and ready to get his season going – and is not afraid of the challenge that awaits.
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Speaking at his stable in Warwickshire at a media event organised by The Jockey Club today, Skelton said: “In the Gold Cup, to be fair to him, it would have been very easy to give up. You probably saw at Aintree just how hard he tried to maintain that place (at Cheltenham), he was tired and if I had my time again I probably wouldn’t have run him but he told us at home that he was happy and healthy so we got on with it. He just wasn’t able to run anything like his best, but he’s a tough customer.
“One reason to be hopeful is that he hasn’t been over-raced around three miles. And he’s still a young horse so should be improving this year. Now, if that gap was three lengths, then I’d be saying I might have a chance, but it’s more than that so I’m realistic.
“We also re-did his palate, he had his wind done properly some time ago (before winning at Aintree in April 2021), but we’ve done his palate again during the summer. You’d rather have them done, these horses go to an extremely high level of output when they race and you need everything in your favour.
“We’re bullish about our chances and we know we’re going to go there and run a big race, but we know we’re not going to start favourite. And if A Plus Tard beats us we can’t hardly claim it was a surprise. If we’re beaten we’ll dust ourselves down and go again.
“I’d love to run him in the Cotswold Chase, three miles and one around there on testing ground would be perfect.”
Protektorat is the highest-rated horse in Skelton’s stable and won the Grade One Manifesto Novices' Chase at Aintree in April 2021. The seven-year-old, who is owned by a syndicate which includes former Manchester United manager Sir Alex Ferguson and Grand National-winning owner John Hales, also took the Grade Two Many Clouds Chase back at Aintree last season. Skelton believes he has thrived over his summer break and will be come back an improving horse ahead of the re-match with A Plus Tard and the current four other entries for the Betfair.
Skelton added: “He came back in during July and – touch would – he hasn’t missed anything, and just over the last couple of weeks he’s gone like a bull in a China shop, which is him and what you want to see. He can be a bit of a handful on the gallops, he walks up to the gallops with his head on the floor as if nothing’s going on, but as soon as you strike up he’s off. You know when he starts to feel fit, and he’s fit.”
Protektorat will be Skelton's first-ever runner in the Betfair Chase since he began training in 2013. But he was assistant trainer to the Paul Nicholls when the Ditcheat handler sent the legendary Kauto Star to land four victories in the Haydock showpiece between 2006 and 2014. Skelton knows that he is not under the same pressure over Protektorat’s chances of victory as there was for dual Cheltenham Gold Cup hero Kauto Star.
He said: “It was totally different preparing a horse like Kauto Star, who was the reigning champ and had been at the top of the mountain for so long. When you’re involved in preparing a horse like that you almost feel like ‘just don’t get it wrong’ as if you don’t get it wrong, he’ll win.
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“There’s a slightly different dynamic to it all when you’re in that position as opposed to being the underdog. We’ve got to go and put ourselves in the ring and do our best.
“I probably could have gone to the Many Clouds Chase again (at Aintree), been odds-on favourite and pocketed another one of those, but this race has been the aim all along and it’s one of the biggies of the year isn’t it? I'm not frightened to go and give it a go.
“There are only four Grade Ones at three miles (in Britain) through the year and they’re all very important. I can’t see him taking in a King George this year so that’s one less to worry about, he won’t go to Aintree I wouldn’t have thought as it’s so close to Cheltenham so that’s another less to worry about. When you look at it, he’s got two big shots in the year and this is one of them.
“I’m really looking forward to it. You want to be in these races for one, but secondly you want to be winning these races. It’d be brilliant.”
Entries for the Betfair Chase (Grade One) 3m1f125y, Haydock Park Racecourse, Saturday, November 19 2022
A Plus Tard (FR) 8 Cheveley Park Stud Henry de Bromhead Ireland
Bristol de Mai (FR) 11 Mr Simon Munir & Mr Isaac Souede Nigel Twiston-Davies
Eldorado Allen (FR) 8 J P Romans & Terry Warner Joe Tizzard
Frodon (FR) 10 Mr P. J. Vogt Paul Nicholls
Protektorat (FR) 7 Sir A Ferguson G Mason J Hales & L Hales Dan Skelton
Royale Pagaille (FR) 8 Mrs S. Ricci Venetia Williams
6 entries (1 Irish-trained)
