Skeltons successful in appeal against controversial Protektorat demotion

Dan and Harry Skelton were on Thursday successful in their appeal against the demotion of first-past-the-post Protektorat at Cheltenham on New Year’s Day after arguing original runner-up Imperial Alcazar did not lose momentum when switched by jockey Paddy Brennan.

In what was at times a testy appeal, the disciplinary panel agreed with the case put forward by the Skeltons' legal team that Brennan's mount had not suffered a significant loss of momentum, as had been said on the day, and in rallying to the line was matching similar efforts he had produced on his two previous starts.

The new year at Cheltenham started controversially after the result of the Listed 2m4½f novices' hurdle was overturned on the day when stewards, who included the BHA's new head of stewarding Shaun Parker, concluded the actions of Harry Skelton moving his mount to the rail had caused sufficient interference to Imperial Alcazar that prevented him from otherwise winning.

Protektorat: awarded the win after an appealCredit: Edward Whitaker

Brennan stated regathering his mount on the climb up the Cheltenham hill after being hampered around a furlong out was similar to "trying to restart riding a bike after being stopped, it's a lot harder on the hill than before" and that he was convinced he would have won if being able to keep the stands' side rail.

Brennan subsequently clashed with Rory Mac Neice, representing the Skeltons, over Imperial Alcazar's running style, with the rider at one point saying "we don't have a phone to [the yard] but if we did you could ask him yourself", to which the solicitor told him not to be "silly".

Mac Neice questioned Brennan's statement to Cheltenham stewards that he went "from 20-25mph to around 5-10mph" due to the interference and added the rider's legs never stopped moving in time with the horse, which a visibly irritated Brennan disagreed with.

The Cheltenham Gold Cup-winning rider added: "I would have ended up on the floor [if I hadn't switched]. It's the hill, it's the hill – momentum, momentum."

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Mac Neice further outlined the race had been won when Protektorat quickened away from the final hurdle, outpacing Imperial Alcazar before he stayed on in a similar style to his previous performances, although Skelton, who did not appeal against his four-day ban for using his whip above the permitted level, conceded he had not been as far clear of his rival as he thought when crossing over to the rail, but that he had always been holding his opponent.

Explaining the three-man panel’s decision, chair Brian Barker QC said: "We have given very careful and anxious decision to what is clearly a very difficult case. We find the appeal should be allowed. Full reasons will follow."

Harry Skelton expressed particular pleasure that the result was overturned for owners John Hales, Lisa Hales, Sir Alex Ferguson and Ged Mason, and said: "For the owners it will be a massive relief. We feel justice has been done and I felt I was clear in the race on the day, but we're most pleased for the owners as they are very good supporters."

Fergal O'Brien, who trains Imperial Alcazar for the Imperial Racing Partnership, accepted the findings of the panel, and said: "Like I said on the day it's like penalties – you get some, you lose some. We had a very fair hearing.

"I was a little surprised myself we got it on the day, but when I got here and saw the extra views I thought we'd keep it. But we have no complaints."

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