Dan Skelton Saturday runners blog - October 31, 2026

The Skecher - 12.43 Ayr

The Skecher won a bumper at Ayr and ran in the champion bumper nicely. This is a tidy-looking novice hurdle and definitely a competitive race, that’s for sure. I like this horse a lot; and he will see the trip out very well. Two miles is the minimum for him, but he will gallop out well and the softer ground should suit him.

Tales Of Bravery - 3.37 Ayr

Tales Of Bravery runs in the novice handicap chase. He won last year and I think we actually underachieved a little with him. He pulled a muscle on his last start, so that was frustrating and there was another win in him last season I thought. Now he goes chasing, he can do better. We always bought him to go chasing and now he gets his chance to do that.

Shakeyatailfeather - 2.00 Ascot

Shakeyatailfeather is our only runner at Ascot in a very valuable two-mile chase. I have to give her an each-way chance. We didn’t get the chance to run her in the spring as she had a small injury: it was a small cut to her hind leg that kept her off the track. It wasn’t anything structural and hopefully now she can go and be competitive. She is off a mark now where she should start to look pretty threatening. Whether she can just go and win a £100,000 race remains to be seen, but she definitely has a squeak.

Palamon - 1.10 Wetherby

Palamon should have won last time but got blocked three times by his opposition around Plumpton, which I know can happen around a tight track, but it was frustrating. Let’s hope we can go close here. It’s a competitive-looking race and we will give it our best shot.

Kateira - 1.45 Wetherby

Kateira won this race last year and is leading on numbers. She would have to run well. She ran at Chepstow a couple of weeks ago and ran OK, but this is much more like it for her and I would have to give her a big chance.

Take No Chances - 2.18 Wetherby

The same can be said for Take No Chances. She ran at Chepstow like she does at the start of every year and then she comes to Wetherby. She has to try and beat Strong Leader again. This time, though, she hasn’t got a class one penalty, so she’s actually better off in the weights than she was last year, but Strong Leader is a very hard horse to pass.

Riskintheground & Pic D’Orhy - 2.55 Wetherby

We run two in the Charlie Hall Chase. Riskintheground is the outsider in the field and I’d imagine that’ll be borne out. He’s not competitive in handicaps right now because he is too high. He has a great spring and then has to suffer the rest of the year, but that’s his way of life and we can’t argue.

Pic D’Orhy has been trained for this race. He was second in it last year when he had a class one penalty. He doesn’t have one this time and is leading on figures. I know very little about him as I have only had him this long, but I have watched him in all of his races and he is such a genuine, honest, straightforward horse. He likes nice ground and I think he has a great chance. We will go and give it our very best go.

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