Why The New Lion doesn't equal a new age for British jump racing
Dan Skelton's hurdler was rated the best novice hurdler in Britain and Ireland in the end-of-season jumps rankings
The New Lion achieved something only Altior in 2016 and Constitution Hill in 2022 have managed in the last decade when he was rated the best novice hurdler in Britain and Ireland in the end-of-season Anglo-Irish jumps classifications on Wednesday.
Hurdlers based in Ireland have been dominant in the novice and juvenile division in recent years, so credit where it is due to The New Lion for becoming only the third British-based novice to top the standings with a rating of 159.
However, one swallow does not make a summer, and anyone hoping this could mark the start of Britain's fightback at the top end of jump racing's pyramid is advised to take a broader view of Wednesday's classifications.
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