VALGRAND
(5yo b g - Bathyrhon ex Valaway)
The Grand Syndicate
Number of horses: 1
Cost per horse: £70,000
Number of shares: 20
Initial price: £6,900 + VAT* Due on signing agreement (VAT recoverable)
Second year cost for three-year-old career: £3,950 + VAT*
Trainer: Dan Skelton
*all VAT recoverable
Dan Skelton
Location: Nr. Alcester, Warwickshire. If ever there was a trainer who was destined for greatness, then Dan Skelton would be odds on favourite. Born into a family deeply rooted in equestrian pursuits, his father, Nick Skelton, an Olympic gold medallist in show jumping, while his younger brother, Harry Skelton, is a champion jockey.
An equine-immersed upbringing combined with a 9-year association with Paul Nicholls, were key ingredients to a recipe of success when deciding to set-up his own training establishment in 2013.
Dan quickly gained recognition due to his consistent success on the racecourse. He has saddled numerous winners, 10 at the Cheltenham Festival, with other notable victories inclduing: Allmankind in the (2020) Henry VIII Novices' Chase and the (2019) Finale Juvenile Hurdle. Shan Blue (2020) in the Kauto Star Novices’ Chase, My Drogo in the (2021) Mersey Novices’ Hurdle, Protektorat in the 2021 Manifesto Novices’ Chase and 2022 Betfair Chase.
Skelton has hit the century mark in number of winners in all bar his first two seasons and is on track to do so for his 10th consecutive season. Amassing 7 figures in prizemoney in each of those years. Most notably the 2018/2019 season saw unprecedented levels of success with over 200 winners and £2,301,457 in prize money, a feat achieved before only by Martin Pipe during the 1990’s.
In the shape of Grey Dawning, Protektorat, Langer Dan, and Highclere’s own Grade 2 winning hurdler Valgrand, Dan looks set for another brilliant season. We are thrilled to have Dan on our book of trainers for the National Hunt horses and look forward to seeing where the 2024/25 season will take us!