The Lion's Den Remains Unfazed as Skelton Fights On.
For 36-year-old Harry Skelton, Saturday's fall in Newcastle can't dampen his spirits. Despite losing control of Constitution Hill, a horse with which he has a storied partnership, the champion jockey remained optimistic about The New Lion's chances at the upcoming Champion Hurdle. Skelton believes that all eyes are still on the prize for this enigmatic stallion.
"I'm happier than I was on Saturday," Skelton said in an interview on Unbridled, a podcast hosted by Matt Chapman and Paddy Brennan. "But I'm afraid in this game you don't walk out with your cheeks puffed out for too long. The wheels keep turning and the clocks keep ticking - it's all go."
Skelton attributed his loss to Constitution Hill to Newcastle's emphasis on speed, which caused both horses to lose their footing at the same hurdle a circuit apart. "It started off how I wanted it to," Skelton explained. "I wanted to be down the middle on my own getting that lead. It all changed after the second when Constitution Hill fell."
The fall was attributed to the fact that the horse wasn't prepared for the fast pace of the track, which caught him off guard. However, Skelton remains confident in The New Lion's abilities and attributes his opponent's performance at Cheltenham to nerves.
"I felt I had a lot in my hands," he said. "When I turned into the straight, I squeezed him along into the bridle a bit because I thought if I put a little bit of pressure on, that would keep his mind a bit concentrated."
Despite the setbacks, Skelton remains undeterred and is keen to take on the challenge at the Champion Hurdle. "I promise you now, the one thing this horse isn't is slow," he said. "He's got the gears to play over two miles, he stays strong, and our minds are still set on having a crack at the Champion Hurdle."
The Skelton brothers have already shown their prowess in last term's Turners Novices' Hurdle, with The New Lion emerging as the winner. As they look towards next year's festival, the stakes will be higher than ever.
Skelton also highlighted his confidence in Be Aware at Sandown's Betfair Henry VIII Novices' Chase on Saturday, stating that fences give this horse a chance to relax and breathe better.
"I think it was a hell of a run the last day giving the mare the weight," he said. "He can definitely win it."
With The New Lion back in focus, the Skelton team will be watching closely as their star stallion prepares for his next challenge at the Champion Hurdle.
For 36-year-old Harry Skelton, Saturday's fall in Newcastle can't dampen his spirits. Despite losing control of Constitution Hill, a horse with which he has a storied partnership, the champion jockey remained optimistic about The New Lion's chances at the upcoming Champion Hurdle. Skelton believes that all eyes are still on the prize for this enigmatic stallion.
"I'm happier than I was on Saturday," Skelton said in an interview on Unbridled, a podcast hosted by Matt Chapman and Paddy Brennan. "But I'm afraid in this game you don't walk out with your cheeks puffed out for too long. The wheels keep turning and the clocks keep ticking - it's all go."
Skelton attributed his loss to Constitution Hill to Newcastle's emphasis on speed, which caused both horses to lose their footing at the same hurdle a circuit apart. "It started off how I wanted it to," Skelton explained. "I wanted to be down the middle on my own getting that lead. It all changed after the second when Constitution Hill fell."
The fall was attributed to the fact that the horse wasn't prepared for the fast pace of the track, which caught him off guard. However, Skelton remains confident in The New Lion's abilities and attributes his opponent's performance at Cheltenham to nerves.
"I felt I had a lot in my hands," he said. "When I turned into the straight, I squeezed him along into the bridle a bit because I thought if I put a little bit of pressure on, that would keep his mind a bit concentrated."
Despite the setbacks, Skelton remains undeterred and is keen to take on the challenge at the Champion Hurdle. "I promise you now, the one thing this horse isn't is slow," he said. "He's got the gears to play over two miles, he stays strong, and our minds are still set on having a crack at the Champion Hurdle."
The Skelton brothers have already shown their prowess in last term's Turners Novices' Hurdle, with The New Lion emerging as the winner. As they look towards next year's festival, the stakes will be higher than ever.
Skelton also highlighted his confidence in Be Aware at Sandown's Betfair Henry VIII Novices' Chase on Saturday, stating that fences give this horse a chance to relax and breathe better.
"I think it was a hell of a run the last day giving the mare the weight," he said. "He can definitely win it."
With The New Lion back in focus, the Skelton team will be watching closely as their star stallion prepares for his next challenge at the Champion Hurdle.
. Can't they just behave themselves? First, it's this horse Constitution Hill and its owner is all shook up because it fell off 
. Then there's The New Lion, which is supposed to be the star of the show 
, but Skelton is so focused on winning he can barely keep his emotions in check 
.
. And don't even get me started on how those horses are just running around like maniacs, almost crashing into each other 
.
Where everyone gets along and nobody falls off their horse... or has a nervous breakdown 
?
skelton dude is on a roll, i love how he's not letting that one loss get him down though 
he's still all about The New Lion and I got to admit, sounds like a solid plan for the champion hurdle 
what i dont get is why const hill fell off, wasnt he supposed to be in shape? 
It's all about bouncing back from setbacks and that's exactly what The New Lion is doing - staying focused and determined 
. He also mentioned The New Lion won't be slow, but what if the pace is too fast for them? 
. The guy's confidence in The New Lion is super inspiring! I mean, who wouldn't want to ride that horse? 
His strategy of squeezing the lead out just for a sec and then taking it easy sounds like a solid plan to me 
. The Skelton brothers are def on top of their game right now 
it's like he's not letting anything get him down, you know? 
even when they lost, he was already thinking ahead to the next challenge 
and i gotta say, his strategies make sense 
especially with be aware looking strong in the novices' chase 
can't wait to see what these guys have in store for us at cheltenham 
. The guy's optimism about The New Lion's chances at the Champion Hurdle is admirable 
, but let's be real, he needs to brush up on his racing skills 
. That second hurdle change was crucial, and if Skelton had just kept it together, they might've won 
️ i'm rooting for the new lion to take on the champion hurdle its gonna be epic if they can pull off that win 
for me, it's all about perspective - seeing the fast pace of life as a challenge rather than a threat. Skelton believes The New Lion has "the gears to play over two miles", which reminds me that sometimes you need to slow down and appreciate the journey rather than just focusing on the destination. 
Constitution Hill got outpaced and lost control on a fast track 
. That's what happens when you're not prepared, right? 
! Skelton's positivity is infectious, and I love how he's focusing on the positive aspects of his horse's performance. The way he attributes the loss to Constitution Hill being caught off guard by the track's speed is so true 
. And now he's back on track (pun intended) with Be Aware, who seems like a dark horse for that Chase! Interesting 
What do you think about the horses that are considered underdogs in these competitions - how do they stay motivated and focused?