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Equinties - Lanzarote Saturday
BGP Capital
January 10, 2026
Gm, Equinauts
With Warwick off, we have the 7 race Lanzarote meeting to focus on today. That’ll do. The conditions will be… cold, with the ground good, good to soft in places meaning you have to be on the quick ground horse.
We will preview every race to help you pick your horses for the Tote’s £100k placepot on offer today, which you can play here: Tote | Offers
Now let’s dive in!
HEADLINE ROUND UP
LANGER DAN
Jumps fans were saddened yesterday by the news of the premature death of Dan Skelton’s famous dual Cheltenham Festival winner LANGER DAN.
The 10-year-old gelding, owned by Colm Donlon, passed away due to the underlying heart condition that had forced his retirement in March 2025. Skelton announced the loss on social media, describing him as a "remarkable little horse" who was "his own character" and a true competitor that captured everyone's imagination.
After being diagnosed with the heart issue last February, LANGER DAN had enjoyed a well-deserved, spoilt retirement under the care of his groom, Amber Blythe, but his sudden passing came far too soon for a horse who brought so much joy to fans and connections alike.
LANGER DAN's career was defined by his incredible springtime performances, particularly at the Cheltenham Festival, where he became a cult punting hero as the first horse ever to win back-to-back editions of the Coral Cup Handicap Hurdle — triumphs in 2023 and 2024 that made history and earned him £281,000 in prize money across 27 starts (with six wins overall).
Ridden mostly by Harry Skelton, he was managed expertly in order to peak each March despite often far from modest form earlier in the season when, whether you believe Dan or not, LANGER DAN was simply not the same horse.
His Festival record included near-misses too: a brave second to future Gold Cup hero GDC in the 2021 Martin Pipe (when chasing a £50,000 bonus), and being brought down as favourite in the same race in 2022.
Beyond Cheltenham, career highlights included the Grade 3 Paddy Power Imperial Cup at Sandown in 2021 and a Grade 3 victory at Aintree in 2022. Skelton reflected that in another world, LANGER DAN might have claimed four Festival wins, underscoring just how special and tenacious this pocket rocket truly was. He will be greatly missed.
RIP LANGER DAN!
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