Panic Attack primed for Newbury double bid before National service

Panic Attack returns to the scene of one of her finest hours as she tests her Grand National credentials in the Alder Demain & Akers Mares’ Chase at Newbury.

Dan Skelton’s 10-year-old has proven a revelation this season, landing the Paddy Power Gold Cup at Cheltenham before marching on to become the first horse since Celestial Gold in 2004 to double up in Newbury’s Coral Gold Cup only two weeks later.

She now reverts to competing against her own sex in this Listed contest, with her connections thrilled to see her thriving at what could be deemed the latter stages of her career.

“Panic Attack is in great form at home and has been in the form of her life this season, so I’m looking forward to it,” said owner Bryan Drew.

“It’s great to see a horse who you could think is in the twilight of her career having such a good time and she was very good at Cheltenham and then magnificent at Newbury in the Coral Gold Cup.

“I’ve watched that replay numerous times, as you can imagine, and the jumping was 10 out of 10. They don’t hang about in that race and she just jumped and galloped, flew the cross fence and I thought ‘we’re in with a chance here’.

“Then when she came into the home straight she was perfect over the last four, winged the last and it was put to bed at that point. She was impeccable, long and accurate and it was a dream performance, not conceding any ground with her jumping.

“We’ve given her a decent break since the Coral Gold Cup, she’s had her flu jab and she’s now roaring up the Skelton hill so we’re looking forward to it.”

Although long odds-on to extend her winning sequence at Newbury on Wednesday, Panic Attack is as short as 20-1 for the Grand National in April, with Drew already having one eye on a trip to Aintree in the spring.

He added: “She will certainly get a Grand National entry and you would have to say she is probably the Skeltons’ Grand National hope at the moment.

“If we get her in there off something in the mid-to-high 140s I think she’s in with a great shout and she will love the fences.

“Whether she will stay, you never know until you try and you don’t get often get chance to practice that. But if she did I would have her down as a very exciting contender.

“She’s been at Dan’s 14 months and gone up more than 20lb and won around £270,000, which is remarkable. She’s had a good, clean run without any injury niggles and clearly likes the regime.”

Panic Attack’s four rivals on Wednesday are Molto Bene (Charlie Longsdon), Ilovethenightlife (Joe Tizzard), Presenting A Queen (Anthony Honeyball) and Mini Mildred (Neil Mulholland).