dan skelton is 99% correct.

​I like Dan Skelton. Yes, I have sat on the fence for a good while now, liking him one day and going off him the next. Yet after his appearance with Nick Luck yesterday, I now know for definite that not only do I personally like him but he is beneficial for the sport. Unlike me, Dan finds it difficult to sit on the fence on any matter of racing importance, to the point his wife had to text him on the way to the studio to suggest he do just that, in order to prevent himself from putting his foot where his foot ought not to go. He was even honest enough to admit the P.R.A.’s proposal to prevent its members talking to broadcasters, in an effort to bring trainers in line with jockeys who are already paid for interviews, was not thought-through and only succeeded in turning the debate to one of greed rather than the issues at the heart of the P.R.A.’s concern.
It takes a good man to admit a mistake and Dan is undoubtedly a good man.
In the interview with Nick Luck, Dan made a very good case for ending the National Hunt season at Aintree, with the National meeting held over to the end of April, or at least six-weeks after the Cheltenham Festival. He spoke so much sense on the subject, having already canvassed many British trainers, as well as two leading Irish trainers, that the B.H.A. must take his proposal seriously. Everyone Dan has spoken to believes the idea is sound and would encourage its adoption, as do I, which must be a great relief to Dan.
Dan did not mention the Irish Grand National at Fairyhouse, yet this race invariably clashes with Aintree to the detriment, I believe, of both races, especially now that the Aintree and Fairyhouse compete for the same grade of horse.
A six-week gap between Cheltenham and Aintree, as Dan made clear, would allow trainers to aim their best horses for both meetings and also, I believe, persuade trainers, as with Paul Nicholls, diverting some of their better horses away from Cheltenham to the slightly easier pickings of Aintree. This year, looking at the calendar, there are only 19-days between the two meetings, which, given how modern trainers like to give their best horses as much time between races, is too short for their comfort.
Of course, and this is why I suggest Dan is only 99% correct, there is also Punchestown to bring into the equation. Would the Irish authorities schedule the Punchestown Festival to fall exactly between the two big British Spring Festivals, as that would make the late running of the Aintree National more likely to prove successful?
Ending the British season at Aintree, with all the various championship trophies presented through the day, with the most famous race in the world on the final race of the season, makes rounded common-sense that I cannot see why anyone would find disfavour with the idea. Yes, as Nick Luck pointed out, Sandown would lose out, yet as Dan countered, the season used to end at Stratford, and it is not like Sandown will lose the old Whitbread or Celebration Chase. It is only the trophy celebration that will move to Aintree and that only originally came about as an exercise in providing the public the opportunity to honour the exploits of A.P. McCoy on the day of his retirement.
I have always advocated the Cheltenham Festival being a week earlier than its present place in the calendar, allowing Sandown and the Imperial Cup, along with the Midlands National at Uttoxeter to fill that void of ‘after the Lord Mayor’s show’ on the Saturday after the Cheltenham. Perhaps this might be affixed to Dan’s Plan when he presents it to the B.H.A.
This is the aspect of Dan Skelton I have come to respect; he is not scared to float his ideas on how to improve the sport and is happy to fend-off any criticism that comes his way. Do I believe the B.H.A. or Jockey Club Estates will talk with Dan on the matter? No. Did anyone listen to J.P. McManus when he made perfectly sensible proposals to improve competitiveness at the Cheltenham Festival in an article he wrote for the Racing Post? No, not really. Jockey Club Estates know best, you see. And they own Aintree. And Cheltenham.