Dan Skelton Cheltenham Festival Blog: Day Two preview
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The Dan Skelton Cheltenham Festival Blog sees the leading trainer previews his runners for day two of the festival today.
Langer Dan won this race last year but he has been in bad form all winter. We gastro-scoped him, he had ulcers and bled on one occasion so he has been bang out of form. His work in the last three weeks has been a lot more like it but it is going to be very hard to win a second Coral Cup. The ground is no issue to him and things have been looking up for him at home.
We run three in the Grand Annual. Harry rides Unexpected Party who didn’t get into the race last year. This trip is ideal. He has actually won on soft ground before but recently his best form has been on better ground. That ground is a question mark rather than a problem. He is in very good form and since the turn of the year we trained him for this race.
Calico has an each-way chance for sure. He is a horse that has been giving weight away all year still be nice to get some here. He has some good course form but we don’t know how he will handle the ground. He has handled it in the past.
Frere D’Armes is in good form but the ground is a concern to be honest. He seems to be coming back to form at home. I could give him an e/w chance.
In the bumper I am not concerned about the ground for Royal Infantry. He is in very good form having won a listed race last time and goes through bad ground quite nicely and travels well. The part before the race won’t get the better of him, he’s got the mentality, and he is ready for this.
All odds and markets are correct as of the date of publication.
