Horse Racing
The New Lion’s campaign is over, will start in the Fighting Fifth Hurdle next season says Dan Skelton
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Get to know Joe Lyons betterPublished22 Mar 2025
Cheltenham Festival hero The New Lion won’t run again this season and will reappear in the Fighting Fifth Hurdle at Newcastle in November.
Trainer Dan Skelton confirmed The New Lion will work backwards from the Champion Hurdle next season, for which he is a 6/1 shot with the best horse racing betting sites.
Despite running over trips between 2m 3½f and 2m 5f throughout his novice hurdling campaign, the dual Grade 1 winner is set to drop back to the two-mile division when he tackles open company in the autumn.
The classy six-year-old is renowned as a strong traveller with a high cruising speed while also packing a killer turn of foot so the decision makes sense.
Now rated 159, that figure puts The New Lion inside the top ten hurdlers in racing and the undefeated son of former European Champion Stayer Kayf Tara is undoubtedly an exciting talent.
After winning the Challow Novices’ Hurdle on the bridle at Newbury over Christmas, leading owner JP McManus quickly swooped in to acquire his services for a rumoured £1 million.
Skelton said: “The Fighting Fifth at Newcastle could be his starting point next season. We’ll try and go down that two-mile route for as long as we can.”
WATCH: The New Lion wins the Turners Novices’ Hurdle at Cheltenham
The last 20 Challow winners were all unsuccessful at Cheltenham before The New Lion came along
The New Lion made history earlier this month by becoming the first Challow victor to follow up and win at the Cheltenham Festival after 20 straight unsuccessful attempts.
His Turners form may not be the best guide in of how he’d fare in a Champion Hurdle as The Yellow Clay looks set to be a Stayers’ Hurdle type and Final Demand is viewed as a three-miler who needs soft ground.
On the eye though, especially focusing on the brilliant leap over the final flight, he’s slick and low over his hurdles which is everything you want in a two-miler.
The New Lion became the first British-trained horse to win the 2m 5f Grade 1 since Ben Pauling struck glory with Willoughby Court eight years ago.