King George date on cards for Grey Dawning

Skelton had played down Boxing Day chatter after Grey Dawning finished second to Royale Pagaille last month, but now his mood appears to have softened.

“I was rather determined not to persuade myself otherwise, but I cannot believe how well he has come out of the race, and I really mean that – that’s not trainer hopefulness,” said Skelton, speaking after saddling Royal Infantry to victory at Haydock on Wednesday.

“I’m genuinely surprised how well he has come out of the race. There’s no pressure to run him from the owners, but he’s come out of the race so well – even the next day.

“He did two canters yesterday with Tom Messenger, who rides him every day – he’s staggered how well he’s come out of it. At the moment, he is going to Kempton until he’s not.

“Before, I was thinking about going to Kempton, now he is definitely going until he’s not.”

Doubts surround the strength of the challenge on the Kempton Park showpiece from Ireland, with a number of what would be leading challengers needing to be supplemented.

Skelton went on: “It has (an open look), he’s won around the track, OK it was a handicap hurdle so a slightly different test, but I thought he was excellent here in the Betfair, bar not getting home on the ground from the back of two out. On slightly better ground, I think you could have expected him to ping round and look very, very good.

“I take nothing away from the winner, because he is unbelievably tough and hard to beat in his conditions – and he had his conditions. Hopefully, we’ll get our conditions for the next race or race after. At some point in the season, we’ll get our conditions and you can see our horse at what can perhaps be his best.

“Whether he can win a Gold Cup, I don’t know, but looking at the King George field and looking at how much he improved in his first run in open company – and he did improve, even the handicapper agrees he’s improved – I’d have to think he’s a real player on Boxing Day.”