Dan Skelton blog: ‘I don’t see this track or trip being any problem’
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Now a week removed from Cheltenham Festival, the Dan Skelton blog is back to preview the leading trainer’s runners at Newbury, Ascot and Banger-on-Dee this weekend.
Dan Skelton blog
He has been such a good horse for us and I think he has a chance in this as the trip and track are perfect for him. He’s been running well but this suits better I feel.
Absolutely Fine hasn’t shown enough to date to be a threat here and Next Left is coming off a long lay-off, so we have to see how he gets on. I haven’t had him all that long so I don’t know a great deal about him. He had form in the past but as I said it’s been a long time since he was at track.
Kartoon And Co steps up in trip which is great. He has very little weight in this which is ideal so he would have to go well. He went really well at Sandown last time and I don’t see this track or trip being any problem.
Heltenham won at the track last time and comes back to try and repeat. We would love him to go and do that! He has been in great form since that win and for whatever reason he has just got himself into really good form. He has really come on since January when he wasn’t so good at Lingfield over hurdles.
Lindy Reilly has not got a lot of weight in this but she needs to step forward on what she has shown so far. She would have an outside chance but realistically others have achieved more so we are going into this with our eyes open.
Both run in the bumper and are owned by the same people. We haven’t had them for long either and both have worked nicely at home. I couldn’t tell you which is better or how they are going to go. Both are eligible for the race and it’s a longstanding entry race so we thought we would let them take their chance. They both look like they have a future.
Mount Tempest runs in a handicap chase on a bit better ground than he has been running on recently. I have taken the blinkers off because I don’t want to have him getting used to them all the time. He is in great form at home and is really fresh so hopefully that counts.
Ashtown Lad has had excuses, especially with the ground being horrendous last time, but we do need to see some form from him. His form just hasn’t been there at all.
Kourosh will be ridden by Harry [Skelton] and he would have a big chance on this better ground. He got bogged down last time at Chepstow and is a strong traveller so this type of race should suit well.
Vitano is down the bottom with no weight but I would say she is more likely to be more threatening in a lower grade.
Harry rides Frere D’Armes who ran at Cheltenham but the ground was way too soft for him. This ground will really suit him and I am really looking forward to running him. He went well in this race last year.
Sacre Coeur ran a bit disappointing the last day at Kelso but I think better ground will be a positive.
Walk In Clover has been a bit in and out but she can travel very well and two miles around here is a good thing for her.
I took a chance declaring her because she loves this good ground and she’s been in great form at home. I had been waiting for the spring for her so when the ground came up like this (a bit earlier than I thought) it looked the right thing to do. She’s going well at home
