'He's right up there with the best' - Dan Skelton identifies Grade 1 target for exciting novice hurdler

The core jumps season is still young, but we may have already seen Dan Skelton's best novice hurdler in the shape of runaway Chepstow scorer The New Lion, who the trainer said was "right up there" as he plots a route to the Grade 1 Coral Challow Novices' Hurdle.

The New Lion is a brother to the yard's talented mare Kateira and justified 10-11 favouritism with a four-and-three-quarter-length romp over highly touted Paul Nicholls newcomer Belliano last Tuesday.

The 2m3½f maiden hurdle had been won previously by the likes of Stage Star and Chianti Classico, and The New Lion completed it over three seconds quicker than the Nicholls-trained winner of the second division, Quebecois.

Quebecois: won the second division of the 2m3½f novice hurdle for Paul NichollsCredit: Edward Whitaker

If his next race goes smoothly, a tantalising clash with Quebecois is on the cards at Newbury on December 28, with Nicholls saying his horse would "improve a fair bit" and belongs in the same bracket as his two latest Challow winners, Stage Star and Hermes Allen.

"He was very good," said Skelton. "We hoped he'd do something like that, but you've got to go and see it. He was good in his bumper and he's improved a great deal over the summer."

When asked if he was the best of his novice hurdlers, the trainer replied: "He's right up there. We'll let the racecourse decide who's best, but we presumed he'd be right up there beforehand and he's cemented that he is."

Skelton looks to have an outstanding bunch of young horses, with Valgrand slamming his rivals by 17 lengths in a Grade 2 novice hurdle at Cheltenham's Showcase meeting and the likes of Royal Infantry and Let It Rain holding entries this week.

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