Dan Skelton rates Beakstown prospects at Cheltenham
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Dan Skelton runs the rule over Saturday’s prospects
Ladbrokes ambassador Dan Skelton has an extremely busy weekend ahead of him, with six runners at
Cheltenham Festival and two each at Doncaster and Hereford.
The trainer assesses the chances of all 10 horses at Saturday’s three meetings.
Cheltenham 12.05 – Message Personnel
It’s a busy old day for us at Cheltenham and we start off with Message Personnel, who won a race in France before joining us. He has done everything right at home and we have given him plenty of time. I would like to see the ground at least good to soft. He is a nice horse for the future for sure.
Cheltenham 12.40 – My Drogo
He tripped up at the back of two out last time out. There are only three other runners in the race and we will look for a clear round. With that, he should win basically. He has numbers above the others which we knew anyway. He’s jumped a lot at home since.
Cheltenham 1.15 – Amoola Gold
He ran nicely at Cheltenham festival without winning but he did run creditably. He is in great form currently so we just need to get back out there with him.
Cheltenham 1.50 – Beakstown
We have gone with Beakstown in this Gold Cup because I feel the ground is mostly in his favour. I think Alnadam will wait until New Year’s Day, and Knight In Dubai will wait until next week and hopefully it rains a lot.
Beakstown is a horse we have always held in high regard and he ran well in the Novices Handicap at the festival a couple of years ago and this is the same type of race. He’s definitely improved for his first run and I am really looking forward to running him.
Cheltenham 2.25 – Ballygrifincottage
It’s his first run for us over hurdles and obviously he is in the very deep end. However, he stays three miles well and he’s had four runs in point-to-points, so let’s get out there and see how we get on. We can always come down in grade.
Cheltenham 3.00 – Wilde About Oscar
I don’t think he stayed at Aintree the other day. I always felt that he was suited to that trip. He won a handicap over a medium trip, but visually he didn’t look like he stayed so we will come back down in trip and here we are in this race.
I wish it would have rained more for him to be honest. It will be safe ground and I am sure he will run well because he will see this trip out very well.
Doncaster 12.20 – Stepney Causeway
He got a good form boost last time when Edwardstown won a Grade One. It’s left-handed and decent ground so that will be perfect. He might have needed that run at Warwick last time out and I’d say he will improve a little bit for it.
Doncaster 2.40 – Too Friendly
It is a very competitive race but he I thought he won nicely the other day at Newcastle and I am looking forward to getting him back out there.
Hereford 12.12 – Global Harmony
She will love the trip, it is very important for her, and she has won around there before so I’d be hopeful of a good run.
Hereford 1.57- Ch’tibello
He runs in a decent handicap hurdle. I was absolutely delighted with his run at Newbury last time out. If he can build on that, he would have an each-way chance here. Whether the bounce factor comes into it or not, we will see.
Overall we have some very good chances this weekend and I am really looking forward to it.
