Dan Skelton has eight runners at Aintree and Uttoxeter on Saturday, November 7. The leading trainer and Ladbrokes ambassador previews them all in his latest exclusive blog.

Old Coast Road - Aintree - 12.40 race odds
Kadastral - Aintree - 1.15 race odds
Mydaddypaddy - Aintree - 1.45 race odds
Talk To The Man - Aintree - 2.25 race odds
Boombawn & Etalon - Aintree - 3.35 race odds
Al Capony - Aintree - 4.05 race odds
Moorland Belle - Uttoxeter - 3.40 race odds
Old Coast Road runs in a pretty select-looking novice hurdle. He had a run in a bumper a month ago and looked good in that, finishing second. It was probably a decent race. He is bred to be a jumper and ran in an Irish point-to-point, so jumping is not going to be an issue. We will know a bit more after this. It is a strong race, but I think he will go well.
Kadastral runs in a handicap chase. We have been waiting for this type of ground. I shouldn’t have run him last year on some bad ground, but he got some experience and hopefully the fact that he had some runs over hurdles can stand him in good stead. This is a totally different kettle of fish though as It is a competitive handicap and they are going to go hard. Yes, the fences will be a positive for him; however, this is pretty competitive stuff. I think he will run well and no doubt improve through the season. Whether he just needs this first run, experience-wise, against these types of horses we’ll find out.
Mydaddypaddy runs in the Molyneux Hurdle against a decent field. This is his first outing out of novice company. We have done plenty with him at home, but I would expect plenty more to come. The track is no issue but he is the least experienced in the field, but is getting stronger as he gets older, which is a real positive. We won’t see the full benefit of that strength on Saturday, as I expect him to improve through the season, but this is a good starting point. I haven’t mapped out his season yet, so I don’t know where we will go and a lot will depend on the ground, but we are hoping to go down the Champion Hurdle route.
This looks a pretty competitive novice chase, but we were delighted with his run at Worcester the other day, where he jumped beautifully and did it well. This is a much tougher race, but I think the track will suit him and I am looking forward to getting him back out there. His Worcester performance was a clear step up on his hurdles form, which was always likely given he is a big, strong horse by Walk In The Park. We will learn a lot more about him here against some pretty stern opposition.
We run Boombawn and Etalon in a handicap chase. Boombawn was heading there for the Old Roan, but it got called off. I thought he was in good form before the Old Roan, but I think he is even sharper now and a little wait longer hasn’t done him any harm. I think he will run very well in this.
Etalon is still too high in the handicap and I know I keep banging on about it. He won a nice race at Ascot last year and had an amazing ride, and now he is paying the penalty for that, which is fine…if you win, you’ve got to go up the handicap. I just know that he is on mission impossible off this mark at the minute.
We run a nice horse in the bumper called Al Capony. It is a race for three-year-olds and we have done plenty with him. He was away last year for a gallop on the grass and went quite nicely. This is his first start though so we aren’t going out there with high expectations, but I would be very surprised if he doesn’t run well given what we have seen at home.
Moorland Belle makes her debut for us at Uttoxeter. She has gone well enough at home, but we have to go and find out on the track. I think she will run well, without saying she will just go and win, as we don’t know who we are taking on, but she should run tidily.
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