'I can’t wait for the Challow' - The New Lion's connections warm up for Grade 1 bid with Cherie D'Am's Listed win

Cherie D'Am provided Darren and Annaley Yates with their biggest win since Ashtown Lad’s 2022 Becher Chase victory when getting off the mark at the second attempt over fences in the Listed Lady Godiva Mares' Novices' Chase.

The Dan Skelton-trained six-year-old was third in the Sefton Novices' Hurdle last season and emulated the two geldings who beat her in that Aintree Grade 1, Dancing City and The Jukebox Man, by recording a first chasing success.

The owners had already enjoyed seeing Skycutter make all to justify 6-4 favouritism in the 2m handicap chase under Harry Skelton before that rider employed similarly positive tactics on Cherie D'Am, who scored by seven lengths from Telepathique.

Darren Yates said: “Today was a really big day to see if Cherie D'Am is going to be a Cheltenham or Aintree horse and she’s proved that.”

Skycutter: the first part of a treble for Dan and Harry SkeltonCredit: Alan Crowhurst (Getty Images)

You Wear It Well has already been there and done it at the Cheltenham Festival but last year’s Mares' Novices' Hurdle winner could manage only third in the feature 2m4f event when sent off the 4-5 favourite.

“She got struck into behind there,” said trainer Jamie Snowden. “She’s fine. We’re just better off going forward over a slightly shorter trip. It was a proper test and the winner’s won it through stamina.”

Cherie D'Am is likely to head to Huntingdon to contest the Listed Lady Protectress Mares' Chase on February 6, but before that the owners have The New Lion in the Challow Hurdle to look forward to. 

This month’s Grade 1 is shaping up to be a red-hot contest with fellow unbeaten novices Potters Charm, Regent’s Stroll and It's Hard To Know all expected to line up against The New Lion at Newbury.

“I can’t wait for the Challow,” said Darren Yates. “There’s going to be a lot of bubbles burst but we think we’re there with a great chance. We’ve won two, let’s see if they can beat us.

“It’d be easy for us to miss that race and look for a Grade 2. Dan said ‘we think he’s very, very, very good’. Let’s see how good he is.”

Yates, a joiner and builder who collected a cheque for £550,000 for a successful bet on Frankie Dettori’s seven winners at Ascot in 1996, hit the headlines in 2019 when spending more than £1.6 million to buy Blaklion, Don Poli, Carlos Felix and Interconnected.

“There’s no secrets that I used to be a big punter,” said Yates. “I’m not as big a punter as I was and I made the decision to invest some money with Dan and everything he’s told me to buy has been pretty good. It’s just an amazing team.”

Harry Skelton: reached 100 winners for the season at Warwick on ThursdayCredit: Alan Crowhurst (Getty Images)

Hope on song

Teamwork was also the overriding message from Harry Skelton after he rode his 100th winner of the season on Mr Hope Street in the 2m5f handicap hurdle.

“The horses have obviously been flying and they’ve done that from the start of the season,” said the jockey after completing a 28-1 treble for his brother Dan. 

“I get here in the afternoons and ride them but there’s a lot of work that goes on in the mornings. I’ve got a brilliant team behind me and I couldn’t be prouder of them all.

“Dan’s leading at the top and it takes a good man to drive the ship and he does that very well. We’ll keep the foot down.”

The Skeltons were denied a four-timer when Tormund Giantsbane was beaten a neck by Ben Pauling’s debutant Legal Weapon in the bumper.

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