Dan Skelton blog: 'Ayr is more important than ever'
Published:
In the latest Dan Skelton blog the Ladbrokes ambassador and leading trainer says that 'Ayr is more important than ever because of the trainers title', but states that everyone knows 'it's going to be hard.'
Dan Skelton blog
Pembroke – 1.15 Ayr - Saturday
I have kept him for this as I thought all those runners around Aintree would be enough of an ask. He is better off in a smaller field here. The ground should very much suit him and the track is ideal. He has had a good year, holding his form well, and I think he is a player.
Hitching Jacking runs in a valuable race here and we have been waiting for the ground to get a bit better and a bit of sun on his back. The ground will still be on the slow side but it will be as nice as he’s been on for some time. We have been training him for this time of year and that gives us lots of optimism.
We have always been coming here since the County Hurdle. He was unlucky to bump into Absurde that day. He beat the rest pretty well and that form has been maintained at home and from what I can see he has been pretty good. There are no issues with the ground. He is favourite for the race and we have our fingers crossed.
She has been aimed at this race and we are looking forward to running her. The trip and track are ideal. It is a competitive race and Willie Mullins has fired a load in which has made life a bit harder. She does look like she is progressive at least.
Ballygrifincottage runs in the Scottish Grand National which is worth a lot of money. I am very happy with him. He is not one of the shortest prices but his form recently has been good and progressive. Two runs now have sent him in the right direction, having had a pretty horrendous run of things for a year preceding. We have had to give him some time and that has helped significantly. He has been in good form at home and have trained him specially for this time of year.
He has won his last five and has been very progressive. The trip is no problem and soft ground is perfect. This is a big step up in grade but he looks progressive and we are positive about his chances.
Illico De Cotte – 1.05 Bangor-on-Dee
It is a competitive race, it’s the last chance to run in novice hurdles for a lot of these horses. Three miles on soft ground is what he wants. I am looking forward to going over fences with him next year. It is worth one more roll of the dice over hurdles I feel.
Vicki Vale – 2.15 Bangor-on-Dee
I think this track should suit her a lot more than it did at Plumpton the other day…she just never got into a rhythm there. This is a lot more like it and I hope she can put the benefit of a run over fences to good use.
Elle Est Beau - 4pm Bangor-on-Dee
She didn’t stay three miles the last day and I thought before that she had been quite progressive so on two and half miles on slow ground you can definitely make a case for her.
View the latest horse racing odds
All odds and markets are correct as of the date of publication.
