ALLMANKIND is done for the season as Dan Skelton was left deflated by a ‘flat run’ in Friday’s opening Grade 1 Triumph Hurdle at the Cheltenham Festival.
The eventful race was won by a fortunate Burning Victory after Goshen’s dramatic late blunder left the gates wide open.
But Skelton bemoaned his Grade 1 winner’s flat effort despite being well in contention to late in the day.
He told Sun Racing: “I was surprised he kept going as long as he did really as he was very flat. He was slow away from the posts which isn’t like him at all.
“He handled the preliminaries well like he always does but when the tape went back he was very flat.
“Even if we were at our best we wouldn’t have beaten Goshen though. He was head and shoulders above everyone there so it was such a shame for the Moore team.
It was a case of what could have been for the Tim Gredley-owned four-year-old who is 33-1 for next year’s Champion Hurdle.
Skelton added: “I don’t think our horse really ran his race, everyone could see that.
“He was just flat, one of those days and it was the worst day it could have happened but there we go.
“That’s him done for the season, a nice long summer off and we’ll have him back in the Autumn.
“We haven’t thought about what we do with him then but he’s hugely exciting and we’ll have him back.”
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