Dan Skelton Aintree Day Two runners blog: 'I think he will run a massive race'

Leading trainer Dan Skelton has twelve runners on Day Two at Aintree. The Ladbrokes ambassador previews them all in his latest exclusive blog, including Grey Dawning and Dalston Lad.

• Emid'io Pepe & Faivoir - Aintree - 1.45 race odds

• Doyen Quest - Aintree - 2.20 race odds

• Sinnatra - Aintree - 2.55 race odds

• Grey Dawning & L'Eau du Sud - Aintree - 3.30 race odds

• Boombawn & Madara - Aintree - 4.05 race odds

• Dalston Lad - Aintree - 4.40 race odds

• Charlus, Harry Lowes & The Mighty Celt - Aintree - 5.15 race odds

Emid’io Pepe & Faivoir – 1.45 Aintree

Emid’io Pepe runs in the first race, a two-and-a-half-mile handicap hurdle. He is a lovely new French horse who won at Pau on his most recent start. He has loads of experience and we like what we see at home but it is his first dip into English racing so we have to see where we stand. I do like him; he has a good attitude and is probably next year’s chaser.

Faivoir runs in this race too and is used to running in all these big races. Heidi [Palin] gets on well with him and takes weight off which is handy. You can’t just go and say he is going to win this at his age but you know he will run a big race so we are looking forward to getting him back out there.

Doyen Quest – 2.20 Aintree

Doyen Quest runs in the three-mile novice chase. He has some good form this year. I kept him away from Cheltenham to have him super fresh for this. The track will really suit him and these horses who come fresh to this meeting do have an advantage and the possibility to outrun themselves. He fits into that category, and I think he has a great chance.

Sinnatra – 2.55 Aintree

He ran really well at Cheltenham in the County Hurdle. He is a novice so he can drop back into this. I am happy with how he has been since Cheltenham. The more racing he has been doing the better he is becoming so we are very happy to pitch him in here. We know we aren’t at the very top of the novice hurdlers, but he has loads of experience and he’s in great form.

Grey Dawning & L’Eau du Sud – 3.30 Aintree

Grey Dawning and L’Eau du Sud run in the Melling Chase. Grey Dawning drops back in trip. We couldn’t quite win a Gold Cup, but it was a great run. We drop back in trip because I feel we will start in the Betfair next year which is a great track for him and he’s won that race before, but after that I think we will look at a Ryanair for him, which we did with Protektorat. He dropped back and actually won a Ryanair, so we are thinking a similar plan. I think this race will really suit him, and he has come out of Cheltenham well.  Look, you never know how much of a mark Cheltenham has left on them. He ran very well that day, but he did put in a very big effort. He looks great though.

L'Eau du Sud steps up in trip and obviously has some very good form over two-miles and it's now time to go up to two-and-half. We haven't quite won a Grade 1 in open company as a two-miler so this trip is the way to go.  The flat track will suit and you never know, with the hold-up style over the trip, it might really suit us. He had a hard enough race at Cheltenham but he's in good form. 

Boombawn & Madara – 4.05 Aintree

Boombawn and Madara run in the Topham. Madara won the Plate at Cheltenham and won it handsomely, so we thought this was the most appropriate race to go for and hopefully he has some pounds in hand still. I am very happy with him and he’s had a pretty steady season by virtue of coming in a bit later due to an injury so he is pretty fresh and I think he will run very well. I think Boombawn will take to the fences and probably has the best chance of the year so far. The handicapper has dropped him a little and has given him a more realistic chance and the ground will be lovely for him, the track is ideal and he just has to get on with those fences but I don’t see that as too much of a negative for him at all. He has plenty of experience and I am looking forward to getting him out there. We have two nice chances in this.

Dalston Lad – 4.40 Aintree

Dalston Lad runs in the Sefton Novices Hurdle. He won a Grade 2 last time out over this trip and has cheekpieces on. He is fresh as we deliberately kept him away from Cheltenham for this. I think he will run a massive race. He is one of those with the freshness to his advantage.

Charlus, Harry Lowes & The Mighty Celt – 5.15 Aintree

Charlus ran in the conditional jockeys race at Cheltenham but two-and-a-half was too far and this is much more like it for him and a flat track wouldn’t do him any harm either. You can’t say he is suddenly well handicapped and going to pop in in a race like this because he was beat far enough the last day, but I do think two miles round here is much more like it.

Harry Lowes won last time out at Bangor and I think a fast run race will really suit him. It feels like he is going the right way. I am really happy with the season he has had, and I think he can get better. Two miles is probably sharp enough, but we will get out there and give it our best shot.

We also run The Mighty Celt who ran at Cheltenham. I think the flat track is better for him. He ran well first time up for us at Haydock and then ran ok second time out at Cheltenham. I think this type of race will suit him better and I am looking forward to getting him back out there.

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