After breaking his own record for training a century of winners in the season earlier this month, the Lodge Hill Stables handler was at it again following the victory of Here Comes Georgie in the William Hill Best Odds Guaranteed Handicap Chase at Cheltenham. 

And Skelton wasted no time in his march towards the £2 million pound barrier after adding to his tally just 35 minutes later following the victory of North Shore in the Masterson Holdings Hurdle, which completed a double on the day for both himself, and brother Harry Skelton.

Skelton said: “It is brilliant. It is off the back of being very productive, and present, through the summer months. We have done that for an obvious reason, but at the same time it still all has to come true, despite all the best laid plans you make.

“It has happened, and we are very grateful for the opportunity to do that, and for the support of the owners, and the tireless work of the whole team to just make these things happen. It feels amazing that we can tick things off like this.”

And while Skelton, who is aiming to beat Martin Pipe’s total of 243 jump winners trained in a season, admits that it was great to reach the milestone during the second day of the Showcase Meeting at the home of jump racing. 

He added: “We are into the autumn now, and we are starting to get going with the serious National Hunt racing, so what better place to reach that figure.

“If one falls then another could fall, but we enjoy them all. If anything, I’ve been watching the number of winners rather than the prize money. Normally I’m watching the prize money with Willie (Mullins) snapping away, but I just kept an eye on the winners this season. 

“I’ve just tried to plot a graph to beat Martin’s record, and the million has turned up quicker than we expected.”

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