Ace Of Spades

The journey began at Warwick in April 2024 and the upward curve has been steep. A win at Cheltenham in November 2024 was followed by another at Aintree the following October, and then a Huntingdon success in January 2026 — a run through three of jump racing's most prestigious venues in the space of fourteen months. Dan Skelton has spoken about how the horse has responded to stepping up in distance, particularly to three miles, finding that extra stamina bringing out the best in him. After the Cheltenham win, Skelton noted how Ace Of Spades looked set to keep improving, and events since have backed that up.

Much of the credit for executing the tactics goes to Harry Skelton, Dan's brother, who has ridden Ace Of Spades in 11 of his 15 races. Together they have won 5 of those 11 — that is almost 1 in every 2 rides, a partnership that clearly works. The broader Skelton operation has sent out 194 winners this season alone, so there is no shortage of confidence or firepower behind this horse. Dan has suggested Ace Of Spades could be an each-way player at a big festival, which is trainer-speak for a horse they genuinely expect to run into the prize money on the biggest stage.

At seven years old and apparently still improving, Ace Of Spades sits in an interesting place — experienced enough to know the job, young enough to have more to give. His two most recent form figures include an eighth and a thirteenth, so it is not all plain sailing, but with two wins from his last six and a big-race profile that very few horses at this level can match, he is exactly the kind of horse worth keeping an eye on when the spring festivals come around.