Stabletalk: “She will not stop running and will give her all. She is seriously tough.”
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Coral Racing Ambassador Dan Skelton talks us through his weekend runners and outlines his stable’s plans for Cheltenham…
SATURDAY
Venetia Williams’ horse Yalltari ran very well on debut and would be the major danger, but we have Sam [Davies-Thomas] riding and claiming 7lbs off our horse which means we are only giving Yalltari 5lbs. With that and any reproduction of his best form Aintree My Dream will be a strong favourite as it’s not the deepest race in the world. He’s won right-handed and would have won the other day but for tipping up at the last. That’s just one of those things and he came back fine from his fall. He was galloping down to the last, overjumped and just knuckled on landing; you could hardly see anything it was so foggy! He has a big chance.
This is a really hot bumper but Whatzdjazz is very tough. She’s by Yeats and is a really genuine mare and this will tell us where we stand with her. It’s a very good race; I wouldn’t know how good she is but one thing I do know is she will not stop running and will give her all. She is seriously tough.
SUNDAY
Predict A Riot was running alright at two and a half miles last time. He had looked like a slow horse before that but he showed plenty of pace that day. We have put some cheekpieces on him to make him concentrate more. It’s not the deepest race in the world but we need to find some more form with him than what he has shown. Hopefully he can find that.
It’s only a small field; Mon Parrain runs and it’s a trappy little race. Open Hearted is one of only two hunter chasers we have in the yard. He should run well and will run here and then go to Aintree.
This race has cut up. Get On The Yager won well at Kempton last time and was also very impressive around here earlier in the season when he somehow beat Willoughby Court. He has to give weight away but he can do that as he’s older and is physically capable of carrying the weight. He ground it out nicely last time. He’s a lovely horse, very genuine, and hopefully he can win again.
This is another race that has cut up. He stays well and should run well but the handicapper knows him as well as I do. I have a feeling he is better going right handed which he does here so he should still run a good race.
CHELTENHAM PLANS
All our plans for Cheltenham remain pretty much the same. Mohaayed runs in the Supreme, and I will be speaking to the owner of Knockgraffon but looking at the forecast I’d say he’s unlikely for the Arkle.
Ch‘tibello will definitely run in the Champion Hurdle. I’m really happy with him andHe’s perked right up. Giving him those few days for him to tell us if he was ready to run was the right thing to do as he’s now exactly where we want to be with him.
We have three in the last on Tuesday, the Close Brothers Novices’ Handicap Chase. I will leave jockey bookings until Monday but I think what will happen is that Harry will ride Value At Risk, Ian Popham will be on Its’afreebee and Davy Russell will ride Two Taffs.
On Wednesday we have Mister Miyagi in the Coral Cup, Fadas in the Fred Winter and Cause Toujours in the Bumper. I have nothing on Thursday and then on Friday we will have North Hill Harvey and Bertimont in the County, Tommy Rapper in the Albert Bartlett. In the Martin Pipe we will have Born Survivor and, if he gets in, Pain Au Chocolat. Then in the last the Grand Annual I have Yorkist and if Workbench gets in we’ll run him too.
I can’t wait for Cheltenham now. The whole team are excited and we just want to get on with it now.
Dan
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