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

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


Billed as a match in between potentially the 2 best 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 accelerate approaching the last.


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


Skelton said: "I'm a big fan of this sport and Sir Gino could be the finest horse in training and we just didn't require that. We're all thinking it and we simply hope he is OK, it is very important.


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


The New Lion ridden by Harry Skelton (ideal) passes Brentford Hope ridden by Paul O ´ Brien on the method to winning the Unibet Hurdle throughout 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 wanted him to do and held him into the bottom of all the dives. He was a lot more respectful today and even down to the last Harry is battling him getting him into the bottom of them as he'll require those dives in a Champion Hurdle.


"The unanswered question with this horse is the speed angle and I believed he revealed a great deal of speed at Newcastle in spite of us ending up on the floor. He revealed a lot of speed there as well from kipping down to the last and then from the last to the line.


"It will be a completely different race in the Champion Hurdle and they've gone round there at a crawl and I'm not saying I might have layed up along with them but there is some who could."


Harry Skelton said: "I didn't even understand what took place to Sir Gino and the 3 of us stated at the top of the hill 'where is Nico?' and you do not desire that to take place. Hopefully they are both OK.


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


"We hacked round and ran and he's not brief of an equipment and it simply put a couple of good manners on him a bit today. He's only young, does not have much experience and did what I wanted him to do and it will do his confidence excellent. Hopefully he will come back now in March.


"I've ridden in a Champion Hurdle and have not won one, however I would like to."