Dan Skelton's title hopes for the jump racing season have taken a significant boost with his horse Panic Attack's impressive victory in the Paddy Power Gold Cup at Cheltenham. The nine-year-old mare, who was considered a long shot at 6-1, outpaced her rivals to cross the finish line four lengths ahead of the favorite Vicenzo.
Skelton's win has not only added £91,000 to his total earnings for the season but also propelled him within sight of his goal of reaching £1.2 million in winnings. If this is Panic Attack's only major contribution to Skelton's campaign, it will still make her one of his top-10 earners for the season.
The victory has put Skelton firmly at the top of the leaderboard, with Olly Murphy trailing behind him by a significant margin. However, questions remain about whether Skelton's lead can withstand the challenge posed by Willie Mullins' stable when they send out their most experienced riders in March and April next year.
Skelton expressed his joy at the win, saying it was "brilliant" after years of coming close but falling short. He praised Panic Attack as a remarkable horse who has been a highlight for his team, particularly given her fragile health.
The trainer, Dan Skelton, is now favorite to take home the title with odds of 2-5, and his confidence in his team's form is growing. "It's weird how it happens," he said. "I feel like they're about to turn." His string of horses has only recently hit peak form, according to Skelton.
However, Henry de Bromhead, trainer of July Flower, who won the Grade Two Arkle Trial Novice Chase earlier in the day, is not concerned about Skelton's lead. "We'll take it one step at a time," he said. But De Bromhead did acknowledge that his mare Put The Kettle On, who also ran well in this year's event, has shown a different temperament to July Flower.
Meanwhile, Darragh O'Keeffe, the winning jockey on Panic Attack, has taken over as De Bromhead's number one rider after Rachael Blackmore retired at the end of last season. De Bromhead praised O'Keeffe for his exceptional ability and hunger to succeed, saying he has "all the attributes" that made Blackmore so successful.
As Skelton's team continues to ride high, it remains to be seen whether their momentum will sustain them throughout the rest of the season.
Skelton's win has not only added £91,000 to his total earnings for the season but also propelled him within sight of his goal of reaching £1.2 million in winnings. If this is Panic Attack's only major contribution to Skelton's campaign, it will still make her one of his top-10 earners for the season.
The victory has put Skelton firmly at the top of the leaderboard, with Olly Murphy trailing behind him by a significant margin. However, questions remain about whether Skelton's lead can withstand the challenge posed by Willie Mullins' stable when they send out their most experienced riders in March and April next year.
Skelton expressed his joy at the win, saying it was "brilliant" after years of coming close but falling short. He praised Panic Attack as a remarkable horse who has been a highlight for his team, particularly given her fragile health.
The trainer, Dan Skelton, is now favorite to take home the title with odds of 2-5, and his confidence in his team's form is growing. "It's weird how it happens," he said. "I feel like they're about to turn." His string of horses has only recently hit peak form, according to Skelton.
However, Henry de Bromhead, trainer of July Flower, who won the Grade Two Arkle Trial Novice Chase earlier in the day, is not concerned about Skelton's lead. "We'll take it one step at a time," he said. But De Bromhead did acknowledge that his mare Put The Kettle On, who also ran well in this year's event, has shown a different temperament to July Flower.
Meanwhile, Darragh O'Keeffe, the winning jockey on Panic Attack, has taken over as De Bromhead's number one rider after Rachael Blackmore retired at the end of last season. De Bromhead praised O'Keeffe for his exceptional ability and hunger to succeed, saying he has "all the attributes" that made Blackmore so successful.
As Skelton's team continues to ride high, it remains to be seen whether their momentum will sustain them throughout the rest of the season.
! Dan Skelton must be so proud, and his team's form is looking better than a plate of freshly baked cookies 
. But let's be real, Willie Mullins' stable is like the cool kids on the block, they're gonna come for that title and take it by storm 
️! Still, Skelton's odds of 2-5 are looking pretty sweet, almost as smooth as a pint of Guinness 
. And hey, if Panic Attack's only major contribution to Skelton's campaign is this win, she'll still be one of his top earners – talk about earning her keep 
!
this is crazy skelton's horse panic attack just came out of nowhere and won the paddy power gold cup 
i mean we all know dan skelton has a good team but 6-1 was a massive long shot for them to win by four lengths. the fact that he's now at 2-5 is wild 
does anyone think he's got what it takes to take home the title? 
! i mean panic attack is an absolute star, she's been through so much but still manages to deliver those wins 
. dan skelton's confidence is growing big time, and it's awesome to see him feeling like they're about to turn the tables 
. the competition is definitely going to be fierce though, especially with willie mullins' team stepping up their game in march & april 
. but for now, let's just bask in the glory of panic attack's win 
!
They're killing it on the track and it's amazing to see Panic Attack come out on top like that! The mare was a long shot at 6-1, so I thought she had no chance lol. But it just goes to show you never count anyone out in racing. Skelton's confidence is totally justified now - he's got the top spot and his team's form is looking solid. Fingers crossed they can keep it up until the end of the season! 
! Dan Skelton's horse Panic Attack totally nailed it at Cheltenham - I mean who saw that coming? 
anyway skelton's horse is so cool and i love how she's a long shot but still wins it's like that one time when my friend's cat won a bet at the bar 
His horse Panic Attack just smashed it in the Paddy Power Gold Cup at Cheltenham and he's suddenly on top of the leaderboard. It's amazing to see how far his team has come, especially with Panic Attack being a fragile health-wise horse 
! He's been closin' in on that £1.2 million mark and now he's basically in the lead 
. Skelton's confidence is growin', but I'm not countin' him out yet 
.
. You can tell he's excited, and that energy's rubbin' off on everyone around him 
. Plus, Willie Mullins' stable is definitely a force to be reckoned with, and if they start firing on all cylinders in March and April, it could get pretty interesting 
. Skelton says she's "remarkable" but I need to see more before I start jumping up and down 
. Maybe this is the year he'll finally make it to that magic number? 
. Skelton's been around for a while, so he knows how to stay focused 
. Still, this is a sick win for him, and I'm rooting for Skelton and Panic Attack all the way! 
not sure what magic skelton has cooking in his stables but he's def got a good thing going right now 
Panic Attack's win in the Paddy Power Gold Cup was insane, and I'm glad to see Skelton's confidence growing 
. With odds of 2-5, it's looking good for the champ 
. I mean, people were saying he was a long shot and all, but Panic Attack proved them wrong!