With the build-up to the biggest jumps meeting on the planet hotting up each day, Sky Sports presenter Matt Chapman pinned down trainer Dan Skelton for his THREE best chances at the 2024 Cheltenham Festival. Including in the County Hurdle – a race Skelton has won four times.
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Dan Skelton Lifts The Lid On His THREE Best Cheltenham Festival Chances
Top British trainer Dan Skelton and former assistant to Paul Nicholls has fired in six Cheltenham Festival winners over the years – with four of those coming in the County Hurdle.
Therefore, if you have been wondering which horses Dan Skelton thinks have the best chances ahead of the Festival, including his much anticipated County Hurdle fancy – you are in luck as Sky’s Matt Chapman collared him at the recent Grand National lunch.
You can watch the Chapman/Skelton chat below, plus back his main fancies with the best UK horse racing betting sites.
The top three Cheltenham chances for @DSkeltonRacing are…? @MCYeeehaaa pic.twitter.com/IFhWvD96ov
— At The Races (@AtTheRaces) February 20, 2024
SHAN BLUE (Ultima Handicap Chase) @ 20/1 (Tuesday 12th March 2024)
SHAN BLUE was a useful horse in the making a three or four seasons ago – including winning the 2020 Kauto Star Novices’ Chase at Kempton. However, he lost his way since and despite that remaining his last win, Dan Skelton feels the horse is showing signs of a revival.
He’s on course to run in the Ultima Handicap Chase on day one and his last two runs back-up Skelton’s belief that his 10 year-old is ready to run well.
This season, Shan Blue ran Triple Trade to 3/4 of a length at Ascot in December under Harry Skelton and backed that up at the same track recently (Feb) when a gallant third to the promising Threeunderthrufive, who is trained by his old boss Paul Nicholls (watch below, on 20 mins).
Only two seasons ago he was thought good enough to run in the Ryanair Chase, finishing 6th to Allaho that day – albeit beaten just over 30 lengths.
Plus, don’t forget Shan Blue would have also won the Charlie Hall Chase in 2021 had he not fallen three out when 20 lengths clear.
GREY DAWNING (Brown Advisory Novices’ Chase) @ 9/2 (Wednesday 13th March 2024)
GREY DAWNING is also in the Turners Novices’ Chase on the Thursday and Dan Skelton is not ruling out that race either – especially if the ground came up soft. With non runner, no bet you’ll be covered whichever race he’ll run in.
However, he’s said the Brown Advisory Novices’ Chase is the number one target for his talented grey at this stage – saying he stays 3m well.
He was last seen winning the G2 Hampton Novices’ Chase at Warwick by an easy 14-lengths (watch below), while prior to that probably would have won at the Cheltenham December Meeting had he not made a mess of the second to last fence.
Despite that mistake, Grey Dawning still almost won the race – going down just 3/4 of a length to Ginny’s Destiny, who has since franked the form to win again.
L’EAU DU SUD (County Hurdle) @ 10/1 (Friday 15th March 2024)
With four wins in the County Hurdle, then this is the race most punters are keen to know which horse Dan Skelton fancies.
Step forward – L’EAU DU SUD, who was last seen running a cracker in the Betfair Hurdle at Newbury – taking silver and beaten just 2 1/2 lengths to the useful Iberico Lord (watch below).
Skelton feels the horse took a big step forward that day from his previous run at Cheltenham (Greatwood Hurdle) in November and reports the horse wasn’t 100% during that autumn period with ulcers.
L’Eau Du Sud has been raised 6lbs for that Newbury run but with just 10 career runs should have more to come and barring that pulled-up run at Cheltenham has an overall consistent profile (six top three runs, from 10)
Faivoir won the County Hurdle for Skelton in 2023 and his previous winners in the race were Ch’tibello (2019), Mohaayed (2018) and Superb Story (2016).
Note: All odds on this page subject to change
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