'He can just do things that other horses can't' - Dan Skelton left purring after The New Lion roars home

At the first Cheltenham Festival held since Istabraq's death last summer, The New Lion evoked poignant memories of JP McManus's hurdling icon with a Turners Novices' Hurdle performance laced with the sort of panache and swagger that epitomised the triple Champion Hurdle legend in his pomp.

It would be foolish to get carried away at such an early remove, but many were compelled to draw comparisons with the last horse to carry the ubiquitous McManus silks to victory in the 2m5f Grade 1 back in 1997. Having also been the event that threw up McManus's first festival winner Mister Donovan in 1982, it is a race of some significance for the Limerick maestro.

For Dan and Harry Skelton, The New Lion was a breakthrough winner of the week and what a way to do it.

In fending off the persistent challenge of Gordon Elliott's The Yellow Clay by three parts of a length, with the Willie Mullins-trained favourite Final Demand left toiling nearly five lengths further behind in third, The New Lion confirmed his enormous potential in some style. He travels so easily and jumps with such precision, barely lifting his knees in the manner of a real two-miler, and has all the hallmarks of a Champion Hurdle contender.

"Our mouths probably ran away with us a bit early in the season, but he just looked so good," said a relieved Dan Skelton. "We always hoped he would come back as a Champion Hurdle horse but we will see about that in the future. He could do so much. I'm not new to this game anymore, but I am new to these horses so it's unusual territory. He can just do things that other horses can't.

"It was sublime. A great race, great novices. I haven’t had one who can do things like this one. His simplicity is his greatest asset.”

Dropped in by Harry Skelton, who is sporting a nasty black eye that is stitched around the socket after being kicked by a foal on Sunday, The New Lion cruised around in Final Demand's slipstream. Final Demand in turn was tracking The Yellow Clay, who was in the box seat behind the pacesetting Sixmilebridge.

When Paul Townend brought Final Demand wide to challenge The Yellow Clay and Potters Charm after two out, Skelton stuck to the inside. Eventually, as they made for the final flight, he switched wide again and unleashed the precocious six-year-old.

It took him a few strides to pick up but, when The New Lion got motoring, he roared home. There was a fleeting moment of deja vu after Tuesday when the winner reached for the last flight as Skelton encouraged him to go by The Yellow Clay, but he never missed a beat on landing.

It was a performance of such authority that he was cut to 5-1 for next year's Champion Hurdle by Ladbrokes.

Having been bought by McManus – who was celebrating his 80th festival win – from Darren Yates for a sum reckoned to be in the seven-figure region after a deeply impressive Challow Hurdle success, this was another of the owner's punts yielding an immediate dividend.

The New Lion defied a market drift to return at 3-1, but both Elliott and Mullins were magnanimous in acknowledging they had run into something quite special.

“Harry gave him an outstanding ride, so patient, and the horse was phenomenal," Dan Skelton said. "I just trusted him, and going to the last with them coming there, I believed he would win. I always believed he would win in my heart. It just felt like it would take a very good one to get past this horse."

We've done it: a brotherly hug between Dan and Harry Skelton following The New Lion's victoryCredit: Patrick McCann

He added: "We found him as an unbroken three-year-old in an indoor school, actually where I was born at Sandall House Farm, and it just felt like it was meant to be all the way through. He’s brilliant, very, very special."

Since The New One in 2013, only one other horse, Willoughby Court (2017), had won this race for British trainers so it was a welcome win for the locals.

"We always had belief in him," Harry Skelton reiterated. "We knew there was something a bit different about him when we got him. He needed to mature, and he’s come here and done it in the one that really matters. That’s a big thing.

"I’ve always said he’s not slow – I think he could drop back to two miles one day. The Champion Hurdle is a potential [route]. I suppose this race puts horses on that path, but that’s a long way away. We’ll enjoy today."

'I think we've just seen next year' Champion Hurdle winner' - our experts have their say

Tom Segal, tipster

Dan Skelton summed it up perfectly after the race, The New Lion is so good because he's so simple.

Of course ability is his main attribute but he does absolutely everything right in that he settles and jumps perfectly.

The Champion Hurdle has been in dire need of new blood and in Kopek Des Bordes and The New Lion they have some.

Certainly don't give up on Final Demand, though, because he went through the race sweetly too. Don't be surprised if he wins the Brown Advisory next season.

Graeme Rodway, tipster

Wow, what a race and make no mistake we witnessed two top-class horses battle it out. The Yellow Clay was oh so slick at his hurdles and did remarkably well to fight off Final Demand, but had no answer to The New Lion’s finish.

The New Lion travelled like the speed horse that we know he is and he showed us something that we hadn’t seen before, namely the ability to dig deep and come up best in a battle from the last. He promises to be even better at shorter and will be hugely exciting over two miles.

I think we’ve just seen next year’s Champion Hurdle winner.

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