Dan Skelton Saturday runners blog: 'Her work at home has been good'

In his latest blog, leading trainer and Ladbrokes ambassador Dan Skelton gives his thoughts on his runners on Saturday at Aintree, Sandown and Chepstow.

We start with Honky Tonk Highway in a Listed Novices' Hurdle - the race has cut up a fraction and two miles around here on soft ground would be a minimum. But she did win a Listed Bumper at sandown, and we're looking forward to her having a good run again after last time out, where she bumped into a very smart mare of Nicky [Henderson]'s. Her work at home has been good, since.

We then run West To The Bridge in a Pertemps Qualifier - he's been around a lot, he's consistent, and he will go in soft ground, so you'd have him at an each-way chance here. 

L'Eau du Sud runs in the Grade 1 Novices' Chase - he's been very good so far this year, winning two from two. The trip is ideal around this track; softer ground is no issue for him, if it rains. Hopefully he can have a great year as a Novice Chaser, and I'm just looking forward to getting him back out there.

Knickerbockerglory starts his season in a £50,000 two-mile Handicap Hurdle, and the conditions are good for him here. His work has been good, so he'll have to have a chance. The fact he doesn't have a massive weight is ideal, too.

Unexpected Party runs in the big race [Tingle Creek Chase]; he's got a massive task at the weights, as we all know, but I feel like the Handicapper has got him way too high. He could pick up some prize money here. 

We run Ballygrifincottage in the last race of the day at Sandown, over an extended trip. He fell, uncharacteristically, last time at Cheltenham, but he's done a load of jumping since - he should have an each-way chance around here. It feels like he's coming back to a bit of form - whether the fall just takes a run to get over, sometimes it does with horses, but if it doesn't, he'll be an each-way player.

We've got Nube De Trueno in the Novices' Hurdle at Chepstow - he didn't show enough on his first start, and to me he looks like a three-mile chaser down the line.

We've got Big Cadillac in the Bumper - a nice horse who won a point-to-point earlier this year. A big, galloping horse, and Chepstow is definitely his track - he'll have an each-way chance.

We've got two in the first race at Aintree - Kenmya and Out Out - but to be honest, their form hasn't looked good enough to figure in a Novices' Hurdle. Kenmya probably wants a bit of spring ground now, the ground's probably getting soft for her, if we're honest. Out Out just didn't show enough after his long layoff, over hurdles, at Warwick last month. 

We've got two in the Handicap Chase; Real Stone, who I think will need the run a bit - this is probably far enough for him too. And Salamanca Bay who is having his first run for us. He's a very keen horse - he'll need to settle, and I'll need to see him at the track before I can make any massive predictions.

Then we run Santos Blue in a valuable Handicap Hurdle - Ben [Sutton] rides him, the owner's son. They've got a good record together, and hopefully they can extend it here. He'll definitely have a chance; the ground and the track are suitable for him.

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