Dan Skelton Saturday runners blog: 'It's nice to have a solid runner in it'

Dan Skelton has a busy Saturday afternoon, with several runners at Ascot, Haydock and Huntingdon. The Ladbrokes ambassador previews them all in his latest blog.

• Rene’s Walk - Huntingdon - 11:45 race odds

• Double Measure - Haydock- 12:08 race odds

• Blue Carpet - Ascot - 12:25 race odds

• Notnowlinda - Ascot - 12:55 race odds

• Kabral Du Mathan - Haydock - 13:15 race odds

• Mr Hope Street - Haydock - 13:50 race odds

• Snipe - Ascot - 14:05 race odds

• Ace Of Spades & Joyeux Machin - Haydock - 14:25 race odds

• Strolling Along - Huntingdon - 14:33 race odds

• Kateira - Ascot - 14:40 race odds

• Grey Dawning - Haydock - 15:00 race odds

• Calico & Shakeyatailfeather - Ascot - 15:15 race odds

• Major Fortune - Ascot - 15:35 race odds

Blue Carpet has got a couple of pounds to find on ratings, but he is in good form. He won nicely the last day at Wetherby albeit in an uncompetitive race. This trip is perfect for him and worth a few quid as a novice hurdle so we will pitch him and see where we stand. If he doesn’t win, his handicap mark shouldn’t be adjusted, and we can go for a handicap.

We have Notnowlinda in a mares’ handicap hurdle. She ran nicely at Newbury the other day and just looked like she wanted further so we are going up to three miles around Ascot which is a good test for her. She is in good form at home, has had the benefit of a run after a longtime off, and I hope she can go and run tidily. I don’t necessarily think she’s going to win but she should run nicely.

Snipe runs in the long distance chase. He ran well there last time, finishing fourth and he’s been holding his own in some pretty competitive races. I would like to think that he will go well here. It’s an extended trip but I don’t think that will be a problem.

We have Kateira in the big race…the Ladbrokes Ascot Hurdle. It’s a very competitive race, but it’s nice to have a solid runner in it. She is in good form, winning at Wetherby the other day albeit it wasn’t a competitive race with the favourite unwell. We won’t take anything away from her winning that day though because I thought she looked very smart and slick. We are very happy with her, and she should go and run well again.

Calico and Shakeyatailfeather run in a valuable two-mile handicap chase. Calico won around Cheltenham back in October and looked great doing it. He’s in great form still and he is very good when he is fresh. He’s as well as we’ve ever had him post first run and I think he will run well.

Shakeyatailfeather should run well too. She finished fifth around here the last day after getting hampered three out and she’s got seven pound off as she’s out of the handicap. However, she should run really well as she is getting used to running in these big two-mile handicaps.

We have some good chances at Haydock starting with a nice horse in the novice hurdle called Double Measure. He is still a maiden, but he ran well at Chepstow on his first start over hurdles and He’s stepped forward a great deal from that. I am not expecting him to go and beat a couple of these fancier ones, but I think he will run well again.

It’s Kabral Du Mathan’s first run for us. He has done loads of work and obviously we like what we see but you expect that from a horse who is rated 140 and has run in a load of big handicaps last year. I think the step up in trip is the biggest key for him and I am looking forward to getting him out there. Hopefully we will see where we go for the rest of the year more clearly after this.

Mr Hope Street runs in a Graduation Chase, where five run. He is the lowest rated of the five which probably suggests his finishing position should be fifth but we need to get some experience into this horse. He is better off in a race like this. I did have him in a race at Exeter on Sunday, but I think the ground will be too lively for him there and this looked more suitable.

We have two in the big handicap hurdle. Harry [Skelton] rides Ace of Spades as long as there’s not too much rain. If it’s very soft, he may not run. He took us by surprise when he won at Aintree the other day over two-and-a-half. We didn’t think he was quite ready, but he showed a good attitude and won nicely. I think he will run really well.

I have had this race in mind for Joyeux Machin all season. He ran in the Silver Trophy last month and that form is working out really strong. A run under his belt will be a massive positive to him, as will stepping back up to three miles. I think they will both run very well here.

Grey Dawning was second in the Betfair Chase last year which was very frustrating. It rained all day which handed advantage to Royale Pagaille who is exceptional in those conditions. We stayed the trip that day but he stayed it better. I am looking forward to getting him out there on slightly better ground. Soft is fine for this horse, we just don’t want it to be heavy. He’s had a good prep, everything has gone nicely, there are no excuses, and what will be will be. I hope we get a smoother start to his season this year and we can head down the Gold Cup route. That is the hope. It’s a lot to hope for but he’s a good horse who comes here off the back of a career best. We are very happy to say we are in the best possible shape.

Major Fortune runs in the three-mile handicap chase. He ran really nicely at Cheltenham last month and this step up in trip is a positive for him. It feels like he is just coming to the boil now.

Rene’s Walk is a lovely filly out of Rene’s Girl who we trained, and she should go well in the novice hurdle. We have been itching to get her out for some time, but the ground hasn’t come right anywhere. Hopefully we can get started here and I think she has a nice chance. I wouldn’t say that she will just win first time as she will need some experience, but she is a nice mare for jumping.

Strolling Along ran ok first time up over fences for us at Plumpton. This right-handed track is a little more to his liking I think and he should be competitive here.

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