Dan Skelton Friday runners blog: 'We're looking to get started at the best level we can'

Ladbrokes ambassador Dan Skelton has five runners at Cheltenham on Friday, November 14. He previews them all in his latest blog.

• A Pai De Nom - Cheltenham - 1.10 race odds

• L'Eau du Sud - Cheltenham - 2.55 race odds

• Moneygarrow & Great Fleet - Cheltenham - 3.30 race odds

• Fortune De Mer - Cheltenham - 4.00 race odds

1.10 - Lycetts Insurance Brokers Conditional Jockeys' Handicap Hurdle - A Pai De Nom

We start with A Pai De Nom in the Conditional Jockeys' race at Cheltenham on Friday - he won at Newton Abbot a couple of months ago and finished second there against a pretty smart rival in Gentleman Toboot last time out, so we're looking forward to getting him back out. I wouldn't want the ground too soft for him, so we'll just have to keep an eye on the forecast. But being out first, I should hope it would be fine for him. 

2.55 - Shloer Chase (Registered As The Cheltenham Chase) - L'Eau du Sud

L'Eau du Sud is our next on the day in the Shloer Chase. Obviously we've got to take on Jonbon here, which is going to be a tall order. But L'Eau du Sud is in great form; he's one of the leading novices from last year, so it'll be interesting to see how he gets on in this grade. We've never been in it, so I can't tell you the level he's capable of running to, we'll just have to see how it goes. He is in good form and we've trained him for this time of the year; it's not like we've got our eye further down the road. We're looking to get started at the best level we can, and go from there.

3.30 - Albert Bartlett Novices' Hurdle - Moneygarrow & Great Fleet

We then run two in the novices' hurdle: Moneygarrow and Great Fleet. We were surprised with Great Fleet the last day at Cheltenham; we thought he'd run well, but we were just surprised with how he kept going over three miles, as he was a little keen early on. We were quite impressed with how he ran, and a similar run here would see him go quite close. 

Moneygarrow was second at Chepstow at the start of the year in a graded race, and he has every right to step forward for that run. I think he'll go very well too. There's not much to split these two, to be honest. It's exciting to have both of them in a race like this.

4.00 - (Old) Valda Energy Novices' Handicap Hurdle - Fortune De Mer

We finish Friday with Fortune De Mer in the novices' handicap hurdle - he won at the track at the last meeting, in a grade two. The handicapper has allowed him into this one and he carries a lot of weight, but he's obviously quite a talented horse. He needs things to go right, and as for how he'll handle the really soft ground remains to be seen. We'll have to keep an eye on the forecast, but on the whole I feel he's favourably handicapped, as long as things go right for him as a hold up horse.

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