Protektorat stars with comfortable Betfair Chase verdict

Protektorat put himself in the Cheltenham Gold Cup picture with a commanding victory in the Betfair Chase at Haydock.

Third behind A Plus Tard at the Festival in March, Dan Skelton’s charge reversed that form in style as Henry de Bromhead’s 1-2 favourite failed to fire and was pulled up three out.

Bristol De Mai led the quintet along as he sought a fourth victory in the race, but as they went down the back for the second time, Harry Skelton was moving his mount closer to the pace and alongside Nigel Twiston-Davies’ gallant grey.

Skelton remained motionless as the field turned for home and simply had to bide his time to catch up with the game Bristol De Mai before cruising into the lead and coming home at a canter.

It was just the winner’s fourth attempt at a distance of three miles and above and the sponsors responded by making Protektorat 10-1 from 25sfor the Cheltenham Gold Cup and 5s from 12-1 for the King George VI Chase at Kempton on Boxing Day.

Paddy Power pushed out A Plus Tard to 10-1 from 4-1 for the Gold Cup, with Galopin Des Champs the 11-4 favourite.

“We didn’t have a plan for beyond this, we are looking at the Gold Cup in the spring because we ran in the race last year,” said Dan Skelton.

“But I always felt this horse could improve. He’s not an old horse, he has had three goes at the trip – once it didn’t count it was an afterthought, once was the Gold Cup, and once was at Aintree.

“This today was his fourth go and he is allowed to improve for a lot of reasons. I’m chuffed to bits, it’s absolutely magic.”

On future plans he added: “I said in my Racing Post stable tour I may go to the Fleur De Lys Chase at Lingfield during the Winter Million weekend (January 22), or the Cotswolds Chase (at Cheltenham on January 28), but he won’t be going to the King George, no way.

“Today is a big stepping stone, but the favourite underperformed. We’re going to have to cross swords with them again when they’re on a better day. It’s always a strong division this and we’re proud to have one right up there.”

Harry Skelton added: “That was unbelievable, I’m not that old, but I’ve never had that feeling.

“He’s just progressing and getting better. The way he jumped down the back, that’s what really good horses can do. It was a magnificent training performance first time up. Make no mistake, we were ready today, we’re not going to make any hiding of that, we knew today might be our day and it was.

“This horse wasn’t easy when we got him from France, we ran him in a hood and he unseated me in at Cheltenham in a juvenile hurdle, he was a bit mad. But everyone has stuck by him and just let us produce him and that’s the dream.”