Dan Skelton: I'll encourage Harry to keep celebrating in own style
By Andy Stephens
Last Updated: Fri 14 Jul 2023
Watch what trainer Dan Skelton had to say to Racing TV viewers on Sunday about his brother's unusual mode of celebrating winners.
Dan Skelton told Racing TV viewers on Sunday that he loves the unusual winning celebration adopted by his brother, Harry, and will encourage him to keep using it despite fans and followers of the sport being divided.
Skelton Jr caused a stir when winning the Becher Chase on Ashtown Lad at Aintree in December when he took his hands off the horse going past the post and spread his arms.
He gave a repeat performance when landing a valuable handicap chase at Cheltenham on New Year’s Day aboard Midnight River but resisted further renditions when gaining big-race wins on Galia Des Liteaux and Grey Dawning at Warwick on Saturday.
His look-no-hands celebration has caused a buzz on social media. Some trust the rider’s instincts and skill, believing it can only help racing potentially appeal to the wider public, but others perceive it as an unnecessary risk that one day might end in tears.
Harry said on Twitter after the success of Midnight River: "Some will love it [the celebration] some will hate it, I love winning, I love racing and I love Midnight River. Happy and a healthy New Year to you all."
Dan told Luck On Sunday viewers that he has no issue with his brother’s behaviour, which is getting closer to having its own name.
He said suggestions have included “The Harryplane” and “The Skelecopter”, with Nick Luck’s notion of “The Seagull” already having been dismissed by both brothers.
Asked if the Harryplane or Skelecopter – call it what you will - had been source of amusement and around the yard, the trainer said: “Yeah, it has. It’s amusing. I really like it.
"There’s been a lot of positive and negative response to it. Harry has a responsibility as one of the leading jockeys and now we are winning some of these better races he's one of the higher-profile ones. If it’s a bit of a positive fun spin on what is otherwise a really serious sport, and people can associate with, then I think it's a positive.
“I don't think we should be looking at it at the way a few people have suggested that we should. I love it and I I'll encourage it.”
A video has gone viral this week of somebody attempting to mimic Harry at another yard, only to get unceremoniously bucked off. But Dan says that comparing the two is unfair.
He said: “I think it's different going past the post on a horse who has just done upwards of two miles, rather than doing it when you hop on a fresh three -year-old and think that it is going to go well.
“At the end of the day, people fall off horses every day. There will be fun riders falling off today left, right and centre around the country, when they never expected any danger of falling off. If you get on you, you can fall off.
"Harry takes a measured risk and he is a professional. And is it really much different to Frankie [Dettori] jumping off one?”
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