Protektorat primed for Cheltenham clash with Noble Yeats

Cracking Cotswold Chase on the agenda at Cheltenham.

Dan Skelton feels the Paddy Power Cotswold Chase at Cheltenham will answer a lot of questions regarding Protektorat’s Gold Cup claims.

Hugely impressive in the Betfair Chase at Haydock on his seasonal reappearance, in which last season’s Gold Cup winner A Plus Tard disappointed, Skelton immediately nominated a trip to Prestbury Park as a prep for the Festival.

Rather than scare away the opposition this coming Saturday, though, the spate of recent abandonments and other issues mean he will face a keen test of his credentials against the likes of Grand National winner Noble Yeats, a previous King George winner in Frodon and Sounds Russian.

“I’m not saying Protektorat is an absolute certainty as if your man turns up (Noble Yeats) he is a shorter price in the Gold Cup, rightly or wrongly, whatever your opinion is. It is going to be enlightening to see them lining up against each other,” said Skelton.

“Noble Yeats was very good in the Many Clouds Chase which you would expect a Grand National winner to be able to do.

“You can’t deny Noble Yeats’ ability and stamina and I don’t think he will be inconvenienced by his lack of experience at the track. However, Protektorat has just turned into a real good stayer and that is very important around Cheltenham.”

Protektorat oozed class at Haydock and Skelton, who has his horses firing on all cylinders after a quiet Christmas, said: “I think the win at Haydock suggested that he had improved from last season which we had seen at home but he still had to confirm that on the track.

“We’ve not changed anything in his training regime just as they get that bit older and stronger you can do that bit more with them that is the truth.

“He went through the race very well and picked up very well. I was surprised how he scampered clear after the last, which I thought was very good.

“All in all it was just good to see him come out and win like that.”

Assessing his Gold Cup rivals, Skelton is well aware of the task ahead.

“I thought Bravemansgame was very good at Kempton and I think he put to bed any doubts about really seeing that trip out,” he said.

“He has now won a King George which is probably the second biggest chase on the calendar in the UK. Any doubts people could have about him have been dispelled and it enhanced him for a Gold Cup even more.

“Galopin Des Champs is yet to take race beyond an extended two-miles-five-furlongs over fences but that appears to be the only answered question about him as there is no question about his class and ability.

“The Dublin Racing Festival will tell you a little bit about what chances a lot of the Irish guys have and what form they are in.

“We also haven’t seen last year’s Gold Cup winner A Plus Tard since his no show in the Betfair Chase but you would be foolish to write him off as well.”

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