'I’ll celebrate this with plenty of beer' - now for the party as Panic Attack completes Paddy Power Gold Cup-Coral Gold Cup double

Dan Skelton’s dominance of the jumps season was emphatically restored after the shock of The New Lion’s Fighting Fifth fall as Panic Attack got hearts racing with a mighty display in the £250,000 Coral Gold Cup.

Victory came just a fortnight on from her Paddy Power Gold Cup win, making her the first mare to double up in Britain’s two richest handicap chases before Christmas, and the first horse since Celestial Gold in 2004.

Panic Attack's first success witnessed the return of Harry Skelton’s iconic aeroplane-like celebration, while Saturday’s replacement rider Tristan Durrell accompanied a roar with a power-packed punch as he crossed the line after the pair surged clear in the straight to defeat Three Card Brag and The Changing Man.

Plenty of his emotions stemmed from the pressure felt after events an hour earlier at Newcastle and the urgency to provide a much-needed boost to the Skelton team he has been a part of for eight years.

This race was not short of its own drama, with The Doyen Chief among those heavily impeded by a muddling start and the well-backed favourite Myretown departing with a crunching fall on the first circuit. 

It left Three Card Brag in front with The Changing Man as Panic Attack stalked, the trio maintaining their positions throughout. Stamina was the doubt for Panic Attack, who was sent off 16-1, but she readily dismissed concerns with three brilliant jumps to simply waltz clear and deliver a six-and-a-half-length thumping.

It means Skelton is once again smiling on a Saturday, with weekends lit up by Panic Attack sandwiching Grey Dawning's Betfair Chase win.

Durrell said: “To be honest, I felt a lot of pressure walking out because of what happened at Newcastle with The New Lion, which was awful to see. I just wanted to go out and make it a better day.

“Dan and the team give me lots of opportunities, so it’s nice to repay them. Harry inspires me a lot and to step into his shoes and get the job done on a big like this is very special. It meant an awful lot to me. This is a massive race and I always used to watch it as a kid. 

“I never looked behind, I just kept driving to the line. I was going so well turning in, so I just had to keep going forward. I didn’t even know how far I’d won by. I’ll celebrate this with plenty of beer I expect, I’m not riding on Sunday.”

Panic Attack stretches clear of her rivals at NewburyCredit: Edward Whitaker

It also meant the sporting week for owner Bryan Drew finished far better than it started. He returned from Perth on Wednesday after witnessing England’s devastating defeat in the first Ashes Test.

“It’s amazing to go and do that two weeks after the Paddy Power,” Drew said. “Dan rang me when I was sitting in Perth Airport and asked what should we do, and I said we have to have a go and she’s just been phenomenal. 

“This has been much better than the cricket!”

Panic Attack was cut to 10-1 (from 16) for the Mares’ Chase at the Cheltenham Festival with Paddy Power, who make Dan Skelton 1-5 to land the trainers’ championship.

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