Quality and quantity: six horses who define Dan Skelton's landmark campaign

Dan Skelton's best season reached the landmark of 200 winners on Easter Sunday and, while quantity has evidently been vital, it is the trainer's best season in terms of quality too, with a first Grade 1 winner and his highest prize-money tally of more than £2.25 million. Skelton's brilliant campaign can be defined by both quantity and quality and here are six horses who have stood out this season

Quantity

Peppay Le Pugh
2018-19 race record:Six wins from 15 starts
2018-19 prize-money: £55,595

Before this season the eight-year-old had been with David Dennis, but Peppay Le Pugh made a fast start to life under Skelton, winning on his stable debut in a handicap chase at Stratford in August off a lowly mark of 93.

He followed up at Sedgefield the following week, and continued to be thoroughly consistent all the way to a mid-season break at the end of November, adding further wins at Worcester and Doncaster.

He returned in February off a mark of 127 and, after a brief stint in novice hurdles which yielded a further victory, he returned to handicap chase company at Ayr ten days ago, winning readily by six lengths. The eight-year-old is rated 135 over fences, 42lb above his starting point for Skelton.

Peppay Le Pugh (yellow) has improved significantly for Dan Skelton this seasonCredit: John Grossick (racingpost.com/photos)

Hatcher
2018-19 race record: six wins from nine starts
2018-19 prize-money: £35,155

The six-year-old has been the sort of summer horse Skelton has thrived with. He had not won over hurdles or fences before the start of the season but has now rectified that situation.

Stratford certainly suited as he picked up one maiden hurdle and three novice hurdle victories in July and August, two of which came by 30 and 31 lengths. Listed company proved a bridge too far, but he returned from a lengthy break to cruise home in small-field chases at Leicester and Southwell.

Hatcher's success has been hatched from some shrewd placing by his trainer and he may yet head to Punchestown where he holds an entry in the Grade 1 Ryanair Novice Steeplechase on May 2.

Ange Des Malberaux
2018-19 race record: five wins from eight starts
2018-19 prize-money: £31,495

He is another who did not start the season with Skelton, having previously been with James Ewart. The switch clearly sparked something, as he followed a handicap hurdle victory at Newton Abbot on his stable debut with success four days later over fences at Uttoxeter.

Chasing would prove to be his forte, with three further wins coming at Perth, Market Rasen and Warwick. The Eider on a chase mark of 127 was a step too far, although he ran respectably enough to finish eighth given he started the season from a hurdles mark of 94.

Quality

Roksana
2018-19 race record: one win from three starts
2018-19 prize-money: £111,972

It may have come in fortuitous circumstances after the last-flight fall of Benie Des Dieux, but Roksana's victory in the OLBG Mares' Hurdle was a significant one for the Skeltons as it provided both Dan and jockey brother Harry with their first Grade 1 win.

A smart mare as a novice, she had gone close to making her breakthrough at the highest level at Aintree last season, finishing second to Santini in the Sefton Novices' Hurdle.

Fast forward 12 months and one Cheltenham Festival victory later, Roksana went even closer to an Aintree Grade 1, going down by a head to If The Cap Fits in a thrilling finish to the Ryanair Stayers Hurdle.

Despite that near miss, Roksana will always prove to be a game-changer for the Skeltons, no matter what the pair go on to achieve.

Mohaayed (Harry Skelton) skips over the last to win the Betfair Exchange Trophy at AscotCredit: Mark Cranham

Mohaayed
2018-19 race record: one win from six starts
2018-19 prize-money: £92,822

Last year's surprise County Hurdle winner has been inconsistent in a season of tough races, but he still managed a big win when storming home to take the valuable Betfair Exchange Trophy at Ascot in December.

Unlike last year's County triumph, he was ridden by Harry Skelton at Ascot, but his Cheltenham success could not be replicated when he finished seventh in the same festival race behind stablemate Ch'tibello.

Harry Skelton celebrates on Ch'Tibello after victory in the County HurdleCredit: Michael Steele

Ch'Tibello
2018-19 race record: one win from six starts
2018-19 prize-money: £90,489

In a superbly executed bit of planning, which Skelton is becoming renowned for, Ch'Tibello returned fresh following a mid-season break to hand the stable a third win in the County Hurdle in four years.

His early season performances left a lot to be desired, although his second at Aintree in December saw the form franked by Midnight Shadow. A wind operation coincided with his break and the move worked a treat as he stormed home under a confident ride at Cheltenham to win by a length and a half.

The eight-year-old, owned by The Can't Say No Partnership, was sportingly aimed at the Grade 1 Aintree Hurdle and ran admirably there, finishing a good third behind Supasundae and Buveur D'Air.

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