Champion trainer Dan Skelton reveals major Cheltenham plans for Mydaddypaddy ahead of new jumps season

CHAMPION trainer Dan Skelton has clarified his plans for promising hurdler Mydaddypaddy after talks that the five-year-old would go chasing. Skelton confirmed the gelding, who finished third in the Supreme last season, will stay over hurdles and aim for a run in the Champion Hurdle. Champion trainer Dan Skelton has revealed plans for promising hurdler Mydaddypaddy Credit: PA The five-year-old will stay over hurdles this season, with an aim of the Champion Hurdle Credit: PA After rumours of a switch to fences and an Arkle campaign, it’s been confirmed that Mydaddypaddy will stay over hurdles. When asked about a potential Champion Hurdle run, Skelton said: “That’s hopefully his plan anyway. Those novices from last year I think are a good bunch we sort of half flirted with the idea in our minds of whether or not we should go chasing. Sign up for the Sport newsletter Thank you! “But I think the way the category’s looking at the moment a lot of last year’s novices are going chasing and we felt at his tender age perhaps that’s the right thing to do just to go over hurdles for another year. “We can try and aim at a Champion Hurdle but he’ll gain a lot of experience along the way as well. I think if he was seven-years-old it would be a different discussion but he is only five you know. READ MORE IN HORSE RACING “We’re very very proud of what he’s done so far and I think there’s a good bit more to come.” With just five career runs under his belt Mydaddypaddy looked like he might have the make up of a future champion hurdler, as he burst onto the scene last term. His first appearance since winning a Huntingdon bumper in March 2025 came at Carlisle last November as he swept aside Class 4 company. Next he went to Haydock in a Class 2, winning comfortably as a very short priced favourite in a three runner race. Most read in Sport Dan Skelton was recently crowned Summer Champion Trainer after becoming Champion Trainer for the first time last season Credit: Shutterstock Editorial The greatest test of his career at that point then came on Boxing Day at Aintree as he finished second to Idaho Sun in the Grade 1 Formby Novices’ Hurdle. However, the dangerously low sun on the day saw two hurdles in the home straight omitted – completely changing the complexion of the race and not playing to Harry Skelton’s mount’s advantage. Following the race Dan stressed the unique circumstances of the race, saying: “There’ll be plenty of people knocking him, but I certainly won’t be.” He added: “We want the jumps back in and we’ll go to March and have another go.” And that’s exactly what they did as he contended the Supreme in just his fifth start. The Haydock winner ran into an impressive third after shaping well and being bumped half way up the run-in. Following the race Skelton said: “It looked like he was coming there to win, got knocked from pillar to post halfway up the run-in. It hasn’t cost us winning – fair play to the winner, he’s found a bit more. Maybe the bumping cost us second.” The Warwickshire trainer will be optimistic about targeting the Champion Hurdle in 2026/27 if all goes to plan in the months ahead. However, beating Willie Mullins‘ Lossiemouth, who is unbeaten at Cheltenham and surely will attempt to retain her crown, is quite a tall order. On the current ante-post markets, Lossiemouth is widely priced at even money, while Mydaddpaddy is second favourite at 7-1. Comment now