Protektorat unlikely to take King George chance

Dan Skelton looking to Cotswold Chase at Cheltenham.

Dan Skelton’s Betfair Chase hero Protektorat is unlikely to be seen in the Ladbrokes King George VI Chase as Cheltenham targets take precedence.

The seven-year-old, who was third in the Gold Cup last season, began his term with a hugely impressive 11-length success in the Betfair Chase at Haydock

Though Henry de Bromhead’s reigning Gold Cup champion A Plus Tard disappointed, Skelton’s gelding still jumped and travelled with eye-catching fluency and has placed himself in the Cheltenham picture as a result.

The King George VI Chase is the next stop-off for many horses of Protektorat’s ilk and while he does hold an entry, Skelton explained it is only an insurance policy to cover all bases should the fixture be postponed or moved to another track.

Speaking on TalkSport, he said: “I put him in the King George because I thought if we end up getting a ridiculously cold spell or snow and Kempton was off and they rearranged the fixture for Cheltenham on New Year’s Day and I didn’t have him in, then I’d have been disappointed.

Protektorat after winning the Betfair Chase
Protektorat after winning the Betfair Chase (Nigel French/PA)

“I’ve entered in him as a precaution but the chance of it happening that way is very, very small. That’s why I put him in, I don’t want to run him right-handed in a decent ground King George.

“Whilst he’d have a chance, of course he’d have a chance, you might unpick a bit of what we’ve put together and I want to have a smooth run between now and the Gold Cup if I can.

“Whilst I’m not frightened to run him in the King George, I don’t think it’s the right thing for him.”

The Cotswold Chase at Cheltenham’s Festival Trials Day is next on agenda for Protektorat, with the Gold Cup the ultimate target come March.

“We want to go for the Cotswold Chase and if that goes well, fantastic,” said Skelton.

“He’s entitled to improve, he’s one of the youngest doing it and one of the least experienced doing it. Why couldn’t he improve? I don’t think we’ve seen the best of him yet.”

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