The New Lion Wins Unibet Hurdle, But Cheltenham Feature Marred By

Dan Skelton's The New Lion won the Unibet Hurdle at Cheltenham however the race was marred by an injury to Sir Gino.


Billed as a match in between possibly the two finest two-mile hurdlers in Britain, both were biding their time in the four-runner race when Sir Gino appeared to land awkwardly at the flight at the top of the hill and Nico de Boinville pulled him up.


Harry Skelton was content to take a lead for as long as possible on The New Lion, a winner over 2 miles and five furlongs at the Festival in March, before he asked him to speed up approaching the last.


Nemean Lion and Brentford Hope proved difficult adversaries, before The New Lion (9-4) eventually got on leading to win by a length and a half.


Skelton stated: "I'm a big fan of this sport and Sir Gino might be the best horse in training and we simply didn't need that. We're all thinking it and we just hope he is OK, it is necessary.


"The team at Seven Barrows have actually been through hell and back to get him back on track and hopefully he is OK."


The New Lion ridden by Harry Skelton (right) passes Brentford Hope ridden by Paul O ´ Brien on the way to winning the Unibet Hurdle during Festival Trials Day at Cheltenham Racecourse. Picture date: Saturday January 24, 2026.


Of his winner he included: "We needed to get a clear round after Newcastle and Harry did precisely what I desired him to do and held him into the bottom of all the dives. He was a lot more considerate today and even down to the last Harry is battling him getting him into the bottom of them as he'll need those jumps in a .


"The unanswered question with this horse is the speed angle and I thought he revealed a lot of speed at Newcastle in spite of us winding up on the flooring. He showed a lot of speed there as well from turning in to the last and after that from the last to the line.


"It will be a completely various race in the Champion Hurdle and they've gone round there at a crawl and I'm not stating I could have layed up together with them however there is some who could."


Harry Skelton stated: "I didn't even understand what took place to Sir Gino and the three people stated at the top of the hill 'where is Nico?' and you don't want that to occur. Hopefully they are both OK.


"We simply wanted to get a lead and Nico desired a lead as well and it just reveals you, that leading up to the Festival you desire these horses coming through these trials well and I'm simply delighted he's got a clear round.


"We hacked round and sprinted and he's not except a gear and it just put a few manners on him a bit today. He's just young, doesn't have much experience and did what I desired him to do and it will do his confidence good. Hopefully he will come back now in March.


"I have actually ridden in a Champ Hurdle and haven't won one, but I would like to."