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Redknapp and Skelton teaming up for the first time with exciting new recruit
By Racing TV
Last Updated: Sun 26 Jul 2026
Harry Redknapp is relishing linking up with Dan Skelton as big-money signing Kaiser Ball becomes his first horse with the champion trainer.
The FA Cup-winning manager turned King George-winning owner has been bolstering his team ahead of the winter months and among the new recruits is £360,000 purchase Kaiser Ball, a wide-margin bumper winner when trained by Willie Mullins and third to the Cheltenham Festival-winning King Rasko Grey on his only hurdles outing for Tony Costello.
Dan Skelton was crowned champion trainer in April (David Davies for the Jockey Club/PA)
The six-year-old sees Redknapp becomes the latest footballing name to join the Skelton’s Lodge Hill fold, where former Manchester United boss Sir Alex Ferguson has been a steadfast supporter.
Redknapp told the Press Association: “It’s my first horse with Dan and I’m looking forward to it.
“I’m relying on Dan’s judgement really and he was keen on the horse and I’m hopeful we will have some fun. I can’t wait for the jumps season to start, I love it.
“Dan is from a fantastic racing family. You only have to look at the whole set-up there and Dan has done amazing, Harry (Skelton) is a fantastic jockey and their dad (Nick Skelton) knows a thing or two about horses!
“They had an amazing last year with Dan becoming champion trainer so hopefully there’s lots to look forward to.”
Harry Redknapp (left) with Ben Pauling (John Walton/PA)
Redknapp has also further cemented his association with Ben Pauling during racing’s transfer window.
The Naunton Downs handler has given Redknapp not only a Cheltenham Festival winner but his greatest day in racing thanks to The Jukebox Man’s memorable Boxing Day triumph in last year’s King George VI Chase at Kempton.
Dreams of Cheltenham Gold Cup glory would subsequently end in disappointment at the Festival in March, but the 79-year-old is hopeful his star performer can take another shot at the blue riband next spring.
Redknapp said: “I’ve bought another couple with Ben Pauling and one with DJ Jeffreys and hopefully there’s a lot to look forward to.
Harry Redknapp with his horse The Jukebox Man (Andrew Matthews/PA)
“I went down to Ben’s yard last week and The Jukebox Man has come back well.
“The Gold Cup would be the dream and he’s had a wind op. He had his problem before Cheltenham and we took the chance he would be OK, but he wasn’t right. There’s only one Cheltenham Gold Cup and we took a gamble we would get away with it, but we’ll hopefully go there again next year and give it another go.
“Kempton was an incredible day for me last season winning the King George, it was so special. I’ve been lucky and had a Cheltenham winner and a King George winner and who knows hopefully I’ll have another big winner somewhere when the winter comes around.”
While most talk of Redknapp’s squad for the new season will quite rightly focus on The Jukebox Man, Redknapp is also intrigued to see how the Grade Two-placed Taurus Bay fares having thrived during his off-season break.
Taurus Bay has Harry Redknapp’s backing for the new season (Joe Giddens/PA)
The former West Ham and Tottenham manager also gave a word for another of his summer signings, Mourne Crystal, an impressive nine-length winner of a Portrush point-to-point in March before making the switch to Pauling’s Gloucestershire base.
“The biggest surprise for me when visiting Ben’s was Taurus Bay, he looks amazing,” added Redknapp. “He’s grown and looks like a different horse, he’s big and strong and was looking fantastic.
“I send them down to Colin Tinkler in the summer and he always does a wonderful job looking after them on their holidays. Colin loved Taurus Bay and sure enough he was looking magnificent.
“We’ve also got a lovely horse called Mourne Crystal, who Ben thinks the world of. We’ve got big hopes for him this year.”
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