Dan Skelton weekend runners blog: 'He's the one to beat'

In his latest blog, top trainer and Ladbrokes ambassador Dan Skelton gives his thoughts on his runners this weekend at Cheltenham.

He had a nice start to the season at Stratford and I feel like he’s stepped forward from that. It was lovely to get him out and we are looking forward to going here as it will tell us a lot. He leads on figures so hopefully he’s the one to beat.

Protektorat carries top weight in this. He won at the track last year when he landed the Grade 1 Ryanair and he brings that Grade 1 form here and we will see how he gets on under that big weight. I think he will run very well. He looks great at home and his training is well. It’s a pleasure to have him and great to get him out again.

Right down at the bottom of the weights is a new horse with us called Madara. Tristan Durrell rides him. To be honest, I don’t know too much about him. Look, he has course form and a high-level of handicap form so Let’s see how we get on here, this will tell us a lot.

Doyen Quest runs in the three-mile handicap. He was second in the Silver Trophy first time out this year and that was a great run. I think this trip is a positive for him and we are looking forward to running him.

He won over two miles last time out at Newton Abbott and it was nice to get a run under his belt. He goes up in trip this time and he has been progressive all the time, winning six of his last seven so he’s exciting.

In the bumper we run a nice filly called Settle Down Jill. She won a point-to-point quite well and the horse she beat was second in its first bumper so at least there’s a bit of substance to the form. It’s a highly competitive bumper but we are looking forward to it.

It’s a maiden hurdle with not that many runners, but a tight little race all the same. He’s got a couple of runs under his belt and the experience is there. It helps to have that experience before you send him around Cheltenham and he should be a player. I wouldn’t go as far as saying he should be favourite but he’s got a chance.

We run Calico in a handicap chase and there are only four runners in this. He won at the track last time. Obviously, he has to have a right chance. If he can back up that form he would be right up there and the one to beat. I can’t see why he wouldn’t back it up because he’s in really good form at home.

Ballygrifincottage runs in the long distance chase. He has a run under his belt, running quite nicely at Chepstow and I think he will improve a good bit for the run. I don’t see the trip being an issue, he ran around the track before which is a plus, so we are looking forward to him

We have had the Greatwood Hurdle in mind for a while, although we wouldn’t have minded a bit of rain. Apparenlty some is forecast on Saturday night which would be great. He looks great and has done loads of work. On his form last year, he definitely has a squeak.

We have Fortune De Mer in the bumper who was second here in the October meeting. I still can’t believe he got beat that day when he got there to win but I think he will improve a bit from that along with the experience. I think he will go very well here.

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