Dan Skelton has identified the exciting Mydaddypaddy as the one horse he enjoys riding over the festive period.
With Champion Hurdle hopes The New Lion and Betfair Chase hero Gray Dawning will keep their powder dry until Cheltenham Festival Trials day at the end of January, all eyes will be on the current Supreme Novices’ Hurdle favorite as he heads to Aintree for the William Hill Formby Novices’ Hurdle.
When asked to name the horse he is looking forward to seeing during the busy Christmas programme, Skelton said: “Mydaddypaddy. It will be great to go to a Grade One with such a great opportunity.”
“We’re not putting any more weight on his shoulders than he already is, he’s ante-post favorite for the opening game at Cheltenham and the pressure doesn’t really get any bigger than that.
“He’s looked really good and he’s had a good preparation at home and everything is going well so hopefully it stays that way and I think it will take a good one to beat him (at Aintree). He could get beaten but if he does it will be a really good one.”
Unbeaten in his two outings across wood, Mydaddypaddy is already 4-1 ahead of the first race of the Cheltenham Festival in March and his appearance on Boxing Day on Merseyside could be the last sighting before the showpiece meeting at Prestbury Park in the spring.
“I believe this will be his last run for the Supreme – with no guarantees of that,” Skelton added.
“It’s what we did with The New Lion last year: we went from the Challow straight to the festival, so we’ll probably do the same. But I reserve the right to change my mind.”
#Skelton #excited #ahead #Mydaddypaddys #date #Aintree #Races