Dan Skelton: Ground should suit The King of Ryhope at Carlisle
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Ladbrokes ambassador Dan Skelton has six runners in total at Ascot and Wetherby on Saturday and three at Carlisle on Sunday, and the Warwickshire-based trainer gave us the lowdown on the prospects of all nine.
Harry Skelton is up at Wetherby for us and it is a meeting we had a bit of luck at last year, as well as some bad luck! Two of the horses we ran that time are turning up again. It is frustrating that we can’t take Shan Blue due to the bruise in his foot for the Charlie Hall but he will get his chance later in the year.
William of York starts us off at Wetherby and he’s been off the track a while with some nightly problems. He’s very much a staying chaser in the making and whilst it’s frustrating he’s been off, he has grown significantly during that time. The trip and track are nice for him here. There is a lot of improvement to come and I’d like to think he’ll run well.
We run Molly Ollys Wishes in the Mares’ race. She won this race last year and took us by surprise in doing so if I am honest. She improved again after that and won a good race at Ascot. She stays very well, we can ride her prominently, and she has got a big chance in this.
Proschema runs in The West Yorkshire Hurdle, which he came second in last year. He has followed the same route as last year and had a run Chepstow and now he’s here. He is in great form, the ground is lovely for him, he stays three miles, hasn’t got any penalties and he would have to have some chance at least.
Rocky Man runs in the last and is a maiden from last year. I think the step up in trip will suit him.
Amoola Gold loves Ascot and won this race two years ago. He is in great form but I would have to say as he gets older, maybe he needs a little further. Two miles is the bare minimum, but he is so good around this track, we can’t rule him out.
Fancy Stuff won a bumper first time out last year for us. She starts her season in a novice hurdle here and whilst it’s quite a deep novice hurdle she loves jumping, and I think she will acquit herself well.
Sunday
We run King of Ryhope here, a horse who won an Irish point-to-point. He missed last season but is a lovely, strong, chasing type of horse. I think he will go well over this trip on ground that will suit him.
It’s his first time out over fences. He brings some good novice hurdle form from last season and won first time out last year. I would like to think he will go very close in this despite it being very competitive. He is a nice horse who has always been waiting for a fence.
He runs in the long distance chase. We are taking the trip on trust but it’s worth quite a lot of money so we thought we would start here. We can always lower our sights and come back in trip if it doesn’t work here but he is definitely a stayer in my opinion at the moment. I am happy to have a go for the money.
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