Dan Skelton Friday runners blog: 'This is a warm contest'

In his latest blog, top trainer and Ladbrokes ambassador Dan Skelton gives his thoughts on his six runners on Friday at Newbury.

We start with Mon Kaplais in the Maiden Hurdle at Newbury on Friday. He had a run the other day at Chepstow and finished fourth - he ran OK, but it was a funny race which sort of split into two. But he's a nice horse, although he's probably going to want time, and this is a warm contest. 

Flowering runs in the Juvenile Listed Fillies Hurdle. She won - surprisingly, it must be said - at Warwick, earlier this month, and has a good attitude; jumps nicely, wants to do it, and will go on slower ground. I'm not expecting her to go off a short price here, so hopefully she'll have a little squeak each-way.

We then run Asta La Pasta in the Novices' Chase, and the soft ground will suit him round here. He won last time out - but in an uncompetitive race, it must be said. But he still put up a nice performance individually. I feel he's ready to take a step up in competition, and as long as the ground stay soft, this should be fine. I think he could be a progressive horse throughout the year.

Boombawn runs in the Grade 2 Novices' Chase - it's competitive, as you'd expect, and he carries a Class 1 penalty for winning the race at Wincanton last time out. That was a great performance; he set the track record that day. It's slower ground this time, and different opposition, that enjoy slower ground, and that's going to make life harder for us. But we've got experience in the books. 

Heltenham runs in the Handicap Chase, and he's very good around Newbury; I think he's actually unbeaten. 2m4f on soft ground is absolutely ideal for him. We've given him plenty of work, he's been away and he's in good form. He should be competitive.

Langer Dan then runs in the Long Distance Hurdle. It's disappointing that only four horses have turned up for this one, but that's a sign of the kind of horses that you need to compete at this level. There's a couple of 160 horses in here - Langer Dan is always better in the spring, in my opinion, but I've done as much work as I can with him, and we'll see how we get on. I maintain that he's a better horse in the spring, but he does love soft ground, and stepping up to three miles is no fear at all, so let's see how he gets on. 

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