Dan Skelton is keen to get Protektorat back on the racecourse “relatively quickly” following his disappointing defence of the Betfair Chase at Haydock on Saturday.

The eight-year-old was a brilliant winner of the Merseyside Grade One 12 months ago, but after travelling well on the front end for a long way in his bid for back-to-back victories, he weakened out of contention before the home turn and trailed home last of four runners behind Royale Pagaille.

Skelton reported his star chaser to have emerged relatively unscathed on Sunday morning and he plans to give him another run before the end of 2023, after which a tilt at the the £165,000 Fleur de Lys Chase at Lingfield on January 21 is on the agenda.

“He’s a bit stiff, but he’s fine. We’ll get him right and go again,” said the Alcester-based trainer.

“Yesterday wasn’t our day and take nothing away from the winner, it was a fabulous performance.

“We were happy with our horse going into it and I’m not making any excuses. Sometimes you get beat and you’ve just got to dust yourself down and go again.

“What I want to do is run him somewhere relatively quickly, between now and the new year, and then look at the Winter Million race for him. It’s worth an awful lot of money and will probably be run on ground that he’ll really enjoy.”

Protektorat’s options over the festive period include the King George VI Chase at Kempton on Boxing Day and the Savills Chase at Leopardstown two days later, with nothing off the table at this stage.

Skelton added: “I’ve got to talk to connections first, but there’s only a handful of races that he’s eligible for, so we’ll have to consider them all.”

Paul Nicholls made no excuses for Bravemansgame after his defeat in the Betfair Chase and is still planning to head to Kempton for the King George VI Chase.

The eight-year-old was the 8-11 favourite in the quartet of runners and jumped and travelled well under Daryl Jacob, but was ultimately outdone by Venetia Williams’ six-and-a-half-length winner Royale Pagaille.

Nicholls could not see an obvious reason for the defeat and will adhere to his plan of running in the King George at Kempton to bid to retain the Boxing Day crown he claimed last season.

He said: “He was not good enough on the day, it’s as simple as that.

“He jumped well, travelled well and Daryl said he thought he was going to win going to four out but he didn’t quite pick up. No excuses.

“It’s a different test at Kempton (King George), it probably suits him better there. Daryl gave him a super ride but the other one has just outstayed him from three out really.

“Kempton is his track, it won’t do him any harm to have a few runs.

“I’m not really worried about him having a hard race, he’s got a month really. To be honest with you, you can wrap them up too much in cotton wool, I’ll probably freshen him up more now rather than work him hard.

“I’ve won this race loads of times and then gone to the King George with Kauto (Star) and (Silviniaco) Conti, we’ll get him back there.

“He might want a few races to harden him up a bit. The winner is a real course specialist and we’ve no excuses, Daryl said he just got away from him three out, outstayed him.

“He’s run well and he’ll run well at Kempton.”

Jacob had taken the ride as Harry Cobden had gone to Ascot, where he rode four winners and justified the decision made on riding plans.

The trainer added: “It’s been a great day at Ascot anyway, we got the decision right about the jockey!”

Royale Pagaille shone brightest at his favourite track when upsetting Bravemansgame to land the Betfair Chase at Haydock.

The nine-year-old was second in this race in 2021 and returned to the Grade One contest at a price of 5-1 under Charlie Deutsch, having never been out of the first two in four previous trips to the Merseyside venue.

Dan Skelton’s Protektorat was occasionally erratic in his jumping and Lucinda Russell’s Corach Rambler, the reigning Grand National hero, found the race happening at too quick a pace.

https://x.com/ValueRacingPlus/status/1728431030707650948?s=20

It was left to Royale Pagaille and Paul Nicholls’ Bravemansgame, the 8-11 favourite, to share the lead in the battle for top honours.

And in the closing stages it was Venetia Williams’ charge who pushed on, jumping well over the final two fences to claim his biggest success to date by six and a half lengths. Corach Rambler was another nine lengths back in third.

Paul Nicholls’ Bravemansgame headlines a small but classy field for the Betfair Chase at Haydock on Saturday.

The eight-year-old was second in the Gold Cup last season and made his comeback this term in the Charlie Hall at Wetherby.

He was beaten by Mouse Morris’ Gentlemansgame in West Yorkshire but Nicholls considers him to have come on considerably for that run, as he begins to tread a path back to the Gold Cup via this contest and the King George.

“He took a large step forward for that run, he hadn’t been for a racecourse gallop or anything and I hadn’t drilled him or anything for that particular race because we knew there’d be bigger targets down the road,” Nicholls said.

“He has come on for that run enormously, he looks great and he’s feeling really good.

“He’s high class and should be the favourite really, it’s just that we were a bit negative and we weren’t sure we were going to go there.

“Bryan (Drew), who owns him, was quite keen for him to run – that’s one reason – and he has come out of that race very, very well.

“He will take a step forward for that race the other day. He’s that much older now, we’ve still got a month to Kempton and it’s a valuable race.”

The bay has been ridden in all 18 starts under rules so far by Harry Cobden, but the Ditcheat stable jockey is required to head to Ascot instead and Daryl Jacob steps in the for the ride at Haydock.

“Harry is going to Ascot to ride Pic D’Orhy, who had such a good season last year, from which I hope he’s improved further,” Nicholls said.

“The bottom line is that Harry can’t be in two places at the same time.

“When there is more than one big meeting on a Saturday, you have to plan, but you also need someone to be first reserve and Daryl has been riding out for us.”

Dan Skelton will be represented by Protektorat, the reigning Betfair Chase champion after landing the race by 11 lengths last season.

He was subsequently fourth in the Cotswold Chase and fifth in the Gold Cup and now returns for his seasonal debut with freshness on his side.

“It gives you great confidence when a horse has been there and done it because you can do what you did the year before,” the trainer said.

“We know the result we got and if he runs like he did last year, which was visually very impressive, whoever beats him will have a hard race to do so.

“OK, his form after wasn’t as sparkling but we can put that to one side at the moment because we are dealing with first time and we know what he did first time last year.

“Freshness is key with any horse. I know people want to see these horses run more but the truth of the matter is these horses have hard races in big races. It’s not the getting ready for the next race, it’s getting over the one they’ve just had.

“Of course, I’d love to run him more, like I would a lot of others, but you can’t waste runs when you think they might not be at their best. You also have to consider the idiosyncrasies of British courses.

“You want to run them on ones they will be at their best, unless you get a horse like Kauto Star who can do it on all of them and then it’s magical. We’d all love to run them more but it is hard to get them razor right.”

Lucinda Russell runs last season’s Grand National hero Corach Rambler, who makes his Grade One debut at Haydock.

After winning the Aintree marathon by two and a quarter lengths in the spring, the nine-year-old returned to action in Kelso’s Edinburgh Gin Chase in late October but was well beaten when fifth of six runners.

Russell reports her stable star to be in good form at home following the run, however, and hopes his performance in the Betfair Chase will prove instructive as to where he will head next.

The William Hill ambassador said: “Corach Rambler is in absolutely fantastic form at home and has been causing absolute mayhem around the place! He’s galloping around the farm in a very happy manner and upsetting the whole string, which is really encouraging ahead of Haydock on Saturday.

“I must admit that I do wake up in the middle of the night panicking about him because he really does mean that much to me. He’s very special and it’s a pleasure to be involved with him and be a part of his journey.

“The ground at Kelso was pretty bad and he obviously didn’t have a great run there, so the fact it will be better on Saturday is a real bonus.

“We’re under no illusions that it’s going to be a big challenge against some proper Gold Cup contenders, but I think he’s earned his chance to prove that he’s up to this sort of standard and we’re really looking forward to it.

“It will tell us where we stand with him and whether the Gold Cup is a realistic aim.”

Completing the field of four is Venetia Williams’ Royale Pagaille, second in the contest behind A Plus Tard in 2021.

The nine-year-old has a notably good Haydock record, as three further runs at the track have all ended in victory, though he was a faller in the Irish Grand National when last seen in April and looks to return to form at his favoured track.

Joe Chambers, racing manager to owners Rich and Susannah Ricci, said: “Royale Pagaille loves it at Haydock and with the ground in his favour and a small field, we thought it would be best to kick off his season there on Saturday, rather than going to Newbury the following week.

“He is three out of four at Haydock, with his only defeat coming when second in the Betfair Chase two years ago to A Plus Tard.

“I’d say this season it would be lovely to win a third Peter Marsh Chase at Haydock (in January) with him. What happens either side of that is still to be decided.”

Daryl Jacob has been handed the plum spare ride aboard Bravemansgame in the Betfair Chase, with Paul Nicholls confirming his Cheltenham Gold Cup runner-up is likely to line up at Haydock on Saturday.

Nicholls had indicated the Grade One contest was a possibility for his star stayer following his reappearance second in the Charlie Hall and if conditions are suitably dry throughout the week, it appears the eight-year-old will travel to Merseyside en route to the King George at Kempton.

With Bravemansgame’s usual rider Harry Cobden set to be in action at Ascot, it is an opportunity for Jacob to add to the three Betfair Chase victories he secured aboard Nigel Twiston-Davies’ Bristol De Mai.

It also represents a return to the fold at Ditcheat for the 40-year-old, with Jacob once stable jockey to the champion trainer, riding Cheltenham Festival winners aboard Zarkandar and Lac Fontana.

Speaking to Betfair, Nicholls said: “An update for everybody. He schooled this morning nicely. Daryl Jacob rode him. He runs on Saturday.

“Daryl’s going to ride him, you know. He’s got all the experience in the world. He rides out a little bit here, so he got on great with him this morning.

“We’ve confirmed him this morning, and we’re just going to monitor the ground during the week. If it was heavy, he definitely won’t run, but I’m encouraged by the weather forecast. Looks like it’s drying up.”

A Plus Tard is “odds against” to bid for a second win in the Betfair Chase at Haydock later this month, according to Cheveley Park Stud director Richard Thompson.

The nine-year-old was a brilliant winner of the Grade One contest in 2021 before going on to lift that season’s Cheltenham Gold Cup in spectacular fashion.

However, a disappointing defence of his Haydock crown set the tone for a lacklustre campaign last term, pulling up on his return to Cheltenham before finishing a well-beaten third at Aintree.

Trainer Henry de Bromhead has again entered A Plus Tard for the Betfair Chase on November 25, but Thompson feels that may be a big ask on his first run back.

He said: “I think it’s odds against he runs at Haydock, but he’ll be out soon I think. I’m told he’s in good form and we’re looking forward to seeing how he runs.

“He’s had a few issues, as everyone knows. I think those are sorted now, hopefully, and he’ll be out soon, but the Betfair Chase may be a bit of a stretch for him as it’s only two weeks away.”

When asked if A Plus Tard could make his comeback at a slightly lower level, Thompson added: “I would have thought that will be the plan more than the Betfair Chase. Henry will make the plan, but I get the flavour that he may go that route.

“There’s no pressure. He’s a Gold Cup winner and a Betfair Chase winner and has given us four Grade Ones – he’s given us some fantastic days.”

Paul Nicholls has indicated there is a possibility Bravemansgame could run in the Betfair Chase at Haydock later this month if conditions prove suitable.

The Cheltenham Gold Cup runner-up narrowly failed to defend his Charlie Hall Chase crown at Wetherby on Saturday when a mistake at the final fence allowed Mouse Morris’ race-fit Gentlemansgame to snatch victory.

It was thought that the eight-year-old would head straight to Kempton in search of back-to-back victories in the Ladbrokes King George VI Chase on Boxing Day, but Nicholls is refusing to rule out an appearance at Haydock on November 25 – a race which was originally slated for Bravemansgame’s seasonal return.

“He’s come out of the race really well, he’s actually had a canter today, and there is still a possibility of him running in the Betfair Chase,” Nicholls told Betfair in his Ditcheat Diary.

“It’s a fantastic race and I love supporting it and have done well in it. Plenty of horses I have had have used that as a stepping stone to the King George and in a lot of ways Saturday was a bit of a racecourse gallop for him.

“He had not been anywhere before Saturday and if we were happy with him and the ground was OK – that is key, I don’t want to give him a hard race, a slog in really testing ground before the King George – but if we had a dry week up to it and the ground was good to soft, then it could be tempting.”

Reflecting on his Wetherby defeat, Nicholls added: “He ran a super race and it was probably a better performance than a year ago.

“The ground was testing enough for him and you could probably run the race 100 times and get a different result each time, but if he hadn’t made that mistake at the last and had landing running, it could have been a whole heap different.

“He got beat by a good, improving, young, race-fit horse and we paid for a little mistake. It was his first run of the season and I was going to have him nowhere near his best first-time out. Obviously, we want him to step forward from that and he will do.”

Nicky Henderson has identified the Ladbrokes King George VI Chase as the primary objective for Shishkin, with the Betfair Chase at Haydock a potential port of call en-route to Kempton.

The former star two miler successfully stepped up to an extended three miles in the Aintree Bowl in the spring and looks set to be campaigned over staying trips this season.

Following a pleasing racecourse gallop at Windsor last week, Henderson feels the nine-year-old is right where he wants him ahead of a potential comeback at Haydock on November 25.

“The whole objective for Shishkin is one day after Christmas and that is the King George,” said the Seven Barrows handler.

“After that race, we will decide where we go from there. He has had a racecourse gallop and the plan is to go to the Betfair Chase first, then onto the King George. He was super in the racecourse gallop and I was thrilled with him. Nico (de Boinville) rode him and he was great.

“He is most definitely a stayer. We started last season at two miles, then we went up to two miles five furlongs at Ascot and he looked good.

“You would have to say we were a little bit disappointed at Cheltenham in the Ryanair Chase, but then we upped him to three miles one furlong at Aintree and that was a good, solid, staying jumping performance.

“His win at Aintree showed that he stays three miles, but now we have got to confirm that. The ground at Haydock does frighten you a little bit, but we have got to go there, as he is not entered in the Charlie Hall and you have either that or the Betfair Chase before the King George.”

Shishkin is one of 15 possible contenders for the Betfair Chase, with last year’s winner Protektorat and the 2021 victor and former Gold Cup hero A Plus Tard also in the mix.

Bravemansgame, Gerri Colombe and L’Homme Presse are other notable names among the hopefuls for the Merseyside feature.

A Plus Tard aside, all of the above are also on a list of 19 initial entries for the King George, along with the likes of Allaho, last season’s Gold Cup winner Galopin Des Champs and The Real Whacker.

Dan Skelton plans to have his stable star Protektorat “properly ready” for his defence of the Betfair Chase at Haydock next month.

The eight-year-old ran out an impressive winner of the Merseyside Grade One last season and was last seen finishing fifth in the Cheltenham Gold Cup, having placed third in the blue riband in 2022.

And while Skelton is not ruling out a third bid for Gold Cup glory in March, his main focus at this stage is ensuring Protektorat is fully tuned up for his comeback run on November 25.

He said: “We will be going to Haydock fresh and ready for the Betfair Chase. From what I’ve seen, he has not gone backwards in any way. The way we will have him ready for that race is that we will have him properly ready. I think it will take a good one on the day to beat him.

“He will have an entry in the King George at Kempton and we will look at that. We will have to look sensibly at the Gold Cup as we have had two goes at it and it hasn’t happened yet, but we will worry about the spring when we get to it.

“Anything is possible at this point and what happens before March will dictate whether he should be there or not.

“If all of a sudden he found 10lb of improvement then you would have to have another go at the Gold Cup, but if the opposition have perfect seasons you might think you are better doing something else. We will do what is right for the horse.”

My Drogo has not been seen in competitive action bolting up in a novice chase at Cheltenham in December 2021, having missed the entirety of last season through injury.

However, the eight-year-old is on the comeback trail, with Skelton eyeing up some major prizes.

“He is back now and I’m delighted with how he looks,” said the trainer.

“I’d like to try and start him off in the Old Roan (at Aintree). That would be the perfect scenario. It was a shame he missed last season as you don’t want to be missing one of your stars.

“Every time he has stood up over obstacles he is unbeaten. He was improving until his problems, and we would like to pick up from where he left off. If we can go to the Old Roan on really nice ground that will give him the opportunity to step forward.

“He will have an entry in the Paddy Power Gold Cup (at Cheltenham) and Richard and Lizzie Kelvin-Hughes who own him are mad keen to get him to the King George at Kempton on Boxing Day, so we are trying to work him towards that.

“He looks fantastic and is behaving beautifully. He has as much ability as any horse I’ve had, and you have to take that seriously.”

Skelton confirmed Nube Negra is likely to make his return in next month’s Shloer Chase at Cheltenham, which he won last season.