Dan Skelton Saturday runners blog: 'We have kept him as fresh as we can for this and I think he’s got a mighty chance'

Dan Skelton has eight runners on Saturday, February 28, 2026 across meetings at Kelso, Doncaster and Newbury. The Ladbrokes ambassador previews the races and gives thoughts on the Champion Hurdle at Cheltenham in his latest blog.

• Protektorat - Kelso - 1.40 race odds

• Le Beau Madrik - Kelso - 2.15 race odds

• Quaviste - Kelso - 2.55 race odds

• Broomfield Aderra - Doncaster - 1.25 race odds

• Theformismighty - Doncaster - 2.30 race odds

• Yummy - Doncaster - 3.40 race odds

• Heltenham - Newbury - 3.45 race odds

• Lady Boujee - Newbury - 4.58 race odds

On The New Lion…

It is very exciting to have a real contender in the Champion Hurdle. We have had runners in the race before, but never one as short a price as The New Lion. I think he comes into the race in great form and we have been really happy with his prep. Of course the season started a little bit negatively when we ended up on the floor at Newcastle, but even there he showed great speed. He showed great speed again in the closing stages on Trials Day at Cheltenham and I was very happy. At the end of the day, this is the Champion Hurdle, and we are so honoured to have a horse with such a chance.

I wouldn’t swap mine at all. I think the three mares all carry excellent form and an excellent chance. We have to give them 7lbs which certainly adds to the dynamic. However, The New Lion is peaking at the right time. It will be a great race and an even better race to win. It’s one of those ‘once in a lifetime’ races and to have a chance is absolutely fantastic. We will give it our everything.

Kelso

Protektorat – 1.40 Kelso

Harry [Skelton] is at Kelso for us and Protektorat runs in the Premier Chase, the race we won last year with Grey Dawning when he wasn’t going to Cheltenham. Protektorat has been to Cheltenham now a few times; he won the Ryanair and was third and fifth in a Gold Cup, but he is getting on a little now. We felt it was a good idea to come here and then go to Aintree a bit fresher. He’s been second at Aintree the last three years in the Grade 1 and we plan to give it a go again this season hopefully after this. Concentrating on this race first though and he is in great form, I actually think he is better than when he won at Windsor. He looks brilliant and should take a bit of beating.

Le Beau Madrik – 2.15 Kelso

Le Beau Madrik runs in a good Grade 2 novices’ hurdle. He is in great form. We have had this race in mind for him for some time. The trip is ideal and he looks brilliant. We have kept him as fresh as we can for this and I think he’s got a mighty chance. He’s a very nice horse and this trip is right up his street.

Quaviste – 2.55 Kelso

Quaviste runs in the Morebattle Hurdle. It’s a fast run race and he has no weight which I think will really suit him. I feel he is just coming to the boil now. There is a possibility he’s a little better over further as the ground improves, but this really fast run race will suit him, and he’s got a bit of experience now. I am really looking forward to getting him out there.

Doncaster

Broomfield Aderra – 1.25 Doncaster

Broomfield Aderra runs in a listed mares race over three miles. That trip is definitely her cup of tea these days. We have bided our time to get to three miles but we feel we are there now and we will have no excuses. She looks great and we are really happy with what we are seeing. There’s a couple in there with higher numbers than her, but I think she will go well.

Theformismighty – 2.30 Doncaster

If you said we would be here three runs ago, I wouldn’t have believed you because he’s not had the form for a race of this quality. He is in real good form now, he looks great, and he put up a win last time. That win was a massively improved performance from what we’d seen previously. It’s a £70k race and we think it is worth a pop. We are here with hope more so than expectation, but he seems to be in good form right now.

Yummy – 3.40 Doncaster

It’s his first time in a handicap and I think he will be more effective in a handicap. While this will be a better experience for him than novices, I do feel like perhaps he wants a little further distance in time and that will suit him better.

Newbury

Heltenham – 3.45 Newbury

Heltenham runs in a race he won two years ago, the Greatwood Gold Cup. He would have to be in with a squeak, although his recent form has not been there as he’s got older. He likes the track though and hopefully the ground has a bit of juice in it. He has a chance.

Lady Boujee – 4.58 Newbury

We run a nice mare in the bumper called Lady Boujee and I feel like she has a chance in this race. It is competitive as you would expect for Newbury. She ran very well on her debut before nearly getting brought down on the flat at Huntingdon when there were a couple of fallers in front of her, so that was a non-event. She is a beautiful mare, and she will definitely make a nice jumper. She has some sort of chance here I feel.

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