Dan Skelton: She has good form and should run very nicely
Published:
Top trainer and Ladbrokes ambassador Dan Skelton has plenty of horses in action on Saturday and gave us the rundown on their chances of success at Ascot and Wetherby.
We have to keep an eye on the ground but he carries some good form forward from last year. He didn’t fire in his last run last season because things just conspired against him when we really did fancy him. He is a fresh horse who won on his first two starts last year.
Both have no issues with the ground. Knickerbockerglory absolutely loves bottomless ground, and he gets five pounds off with Tristan on board. I think he is a big player.
I am not convinced Faivoir is that well handicapped but at the same time he did win the County Hurdle so it will take time for the handicapper to relent. He is in good form and likes slow ground so that is a positive.
He is very effective right-handed. He had a productive year last year but didn’t quite win the Coral Trophy at Kempton in February when we thought we might so that was frustrating and he nearly got brought down at Punchestown last time out. He comes here fresh and well.
She is up against the boys and gets 7lbs. She won a bumper on very soft ground, but we think she will go well here.
He had a good run the other day at Newton Abbott, and I think he stepped forward for that. We struggled to find the perfect two-mile race for him, although I do think he stays two-and-a-half and this looks like a nice race for him.
She gets a few pounds off a couple of the others in here. There is no reason to think she won’t handle the ground. She is stoutly bred. She should be an improving mare this year. We didn’t over-race her last year and she ran in a Grade 1 at the back end of last year and finished second, so she has good form and should run very nicely.
There are only four runners in the Charlie Hall, but they are four good runners. I think he will run nicely but he has a little bit of improvement in him. He signed off last year with a win in a graded handicap at the Aintree Grand National meeting so he can compete at a high level. Whether he’s up to the standard of taking on Bravemansgame, we shall find out.
View the latest horse racing odds
