DAN Skelton was all smiles after Langer Dan finally gained a deserved first Cheltenham Festival victory on his fourth trip to the prestigious meeting as he landed the Coral Cup Handicap Hurdle.
In his previous visits to the Festival, Langer Dan had finished sixth in the 2020 Boodles Juvenile Handicap Hurdle, second in the 2021 Martin Pipe Conditional Jockeys’ Handicap Hurdle, before failing to complete in the latter 12 months ago following an early exit.
However, there was to be no denying the Colm Donlon-owned gelding on this occasion, who rallied valiantly under the Alcester based handler’s brother Harry to get up on the line and defeat An Epic Song by a head in the two miles five furlong contest.
Skelton said: “He is a little pocket rocket. In these handicap hurdles he can skip around and nip into gaps. I would think he is a lot of fun to ride.
“It is an amazing story Colm bought four foals and he was trotting around one day as a three year old and I rang Colm up saying we will have to get your money back as this horse is tiny and he will never be a racehorse.
“To be fair to Colm he said they all deserve a chance so let’s see how he gets on and he has just been mega.
“It is brilliant seeing him get his head in front here as he is a proper tough little nut. He has been an amazing little horse and he has now got his day in the sun.
“He is a great horse to train as he puts it all in when it matters. He comes alive in the spring as he probably loses a few kilos but that was magic.”
There was further success at the meeting 48 hours later for Skelton after Faivoir secured the McCoy Contractors County Handicap Hurdle to give jockey Bridget Andrews her biggest winner since returning from a broken neck following a fall at Warwick in April.
All eyes were on stablemate, and 9-2 favourite Pembroke, however it was Faivoir, who upstaged them all in the two miles one furlong prize when defying his 33-1 price tag to get the better of last year’s JCB Triumph Hurdle third Pied Piper.
It was a second victory in the race for Andrews and Skelton after landing the 2018 renewal with Mohaayed, while for the triumphant trainer it was a fourth win in the Premier Handicap having also saddled Superb Story (2016) and Ch’tibello (2019) to glory.
Skelton, who started training in 2013 and has now trained six Festival winners in total, added: “I was watching Pembroke the whole way around and for a novice in a field like that when he made the mistake two out that was it.
“He will have his day as he is a very good horse. Trusting a novice in a big field like this is hard but all power to Bridget.
“Once he went down to the last like that I just felt it was possible. I was watching Pembroke the whole way round and old Favoir nips in up the straight and pulls out one of them.
“It was a great bit of riding from Bridget. She doesn’t get many dances on the big stage because obviously Harry takes precedence but as you can see she is more than capable and I’m very proud of her.”
