Dan Skelton Saturday runners blog: 'There aren't really any negatives to say about him'

Dan Skelton has 12 runners across meetings at Cheltenham and Doncaster on Saturday, December 13. The Ladbrokes ambassador previews them all in his latest blog.

• Arnolphe - Cheltenham - 12.10 race odds

• Theonewedreamof - Cheltenham - 1.15 race odds

• Hoe Joly Smoke - Cheltenham - 1.50 race odds

• Country Mile - Cheltenham - 2.25 race odds

• Big Cadillac & Carlenrig - Cheltenham - 3.00 race odds

• Nurse Susan - Cheltenham - 3.35 race odds

• Real Quartz - Doncaster - 11.55 race odds

• Prince Zoltar & Joyeux Machin - Doncaster - 2.05 race odds

• Kateira - Doncaster - 2.40 race odds

• Belle Le Grand - Doncaster - 3.17 race odds

CHELTENHAM

12.10 - Cheltenham - Arnolphe

We start Saturday at Cheltenham with Arnolphe in the juvenile hurdle - this is his lifetime debut so it's hard to expect too much from him. We've done loads of jumping and schooling with him and he's ready to get started now; I know it's very much the deep end coming here, but he's ready and we'll know where we stand with him after this race.

1.15 - Cheltenham - Theonewedreamof

Theonewedreamof is one we are expecting a bit more from in this mares' handicap chase. She won last time out at Exeter and I've had this race at Cheltenham in mind for her for some time now. I don't have any negatives on her at all; I think she'll run really, really well.

1.50 - Cheltenham - Hoe Joly Smoke

Hoe Joly Smoke runs in the big race of the day here, and I think the track will suit him. He finished third the last day here in what was a great run and I think the new track will suit him even more. I'm very happy with the work he's done at home; he's jumped beautifully this week and, again, there aren't really any negatives to say about him... I'm looking forward to it.

2.25 - Cheltenham - Country Mile

Country Mile is a very talented horse, although it's not easy to keep him at his best. We're spacing his races out a bit more now, and he's bringing some nice novice form into this handicap chase - that'll give him a chance here. But he is one of the least experienced, so we've got to get him in there and get him competing. He has won at this track before which is why I thought it was a sensible move to get him back here to give him his best chance.

3.00 - Cheltenham - Big Cadillac & Carlenrig

Big Cadillac and Carlenrig both run in a three-mile novices' hurdle and obviously it's a good race being a grade 2. Harry [Skelton] rides Carlenrig, only by virtue of the fact he was higher-placed first time out, otherwise I don't feel there's anything between these two horses. We were taken with how well Carlenrig travelled the last day, and Big Cadillac ran a very deep race at Ffos Las. 

I think there are positives for both of these horses, and this race is worth quite a lot of money, so I thought we'd have a go with both of them. If one wins, then great, and if neither win, then they can go in maidens next time... I don't really see a negative in putting them both in this one as they stay the trip. 

3.35 - Cheltenham - Nurse Susan

We finish the day at Cheltenham with Nurse Susan in a mares' handicap hurdle. Again, this is a race I've had in mind for some time now. She ran OK at Carlisle earlier in the season, and ran really well in a conditional jockeys' race around this trip and track back in March. I hope she goes and puts her best foot forward here, and there's no real reason why she shouldn't. She looks well at home, she's had a run under her belt... there's no excuses.

DONCASTER

11.55 - Doncaster - Real Quartz

We run Real Quartz in the opener at Doncaster, in a race that's cut up a bit numerically, but it still looks competitive. I was very taken with how he won first time out - that was over two miles, but the further he went, it seemed the better he went, so I think the step up in trip will really suit him. I think he's quite a smart horse. 

2.05 - Doncaster - Prince Zoltar & Joyeux Machin

We then run Joyeux Machin and Prince Zoltar in a handicap chase - it's worth £50,000, and both of these horses are going back over fences having been over hurdles. Joyeux Machin has got quite a lot of weight, so young Harry [Atkins] rides him which would bring him into each-way reckoning for sure. And then we've got Prince Zoltar who has got a smaller weight. 

Both have been running nicely over hurdles, and it's difficult to say that they'll come straight back over fences and transfer their form or improve straight away, so we will have to see how they get on. But I've got no negatives with either here, and for fifty grand, it's worth a go.

2.40 - Doncaster - Kateira

Kateira runs in the mares' hurdle at Doncaster - she's clear on ratings and she had a good last day, behind Wodhooh in a very deep Ascot Hurdle. She looks like the one to beat on ratings, and I hope she can go and prove difficult to beat - I don't have any negatives for her; she just got touched off at the track last year over three miles, but it doesn't look like there's a Jetara - who beat her last year - in this field. Hopefully she gets her day on Saturday.

3.17 - Doncaster - Belle Le Grand

Belle Le Grand then finishes the day for us in a two-mile handicap hurdle. She slipped over three out last week at Ludlow, which was frustrating. She just landed and her legs went from underneath her. She was a little bit wide on the track, and maybe it was skiddy out there, I don't know... she didn't make a mistake there, she just slipped over. But she's jumped plenty this week, her confidence is up and she'll go a bit better for the left-handed track, although this is a very deep race. I want to see her jump well, travel well, and hopefully she'll have a chance from two out.

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