Equinties - Skelton musings

Gm Equinauts

The toing and froing of racehorse planning - as a trainer it’s complex and nerve-racking, for an owner it can be both exciting and frustrating and for a punter it can be an annoying puzzle.

Where to run GREY DAWNING next is a question which would have evoked all those emotions.

Let’s dive in.

HEADLINE ROUNDUP

A GREY AREA

No King George. No King George. Probably no King George. Blimey, how well has he come out of the race!? Cotswold Chase? No, yes, King George.

That pretty much sums up the last two weeks since Dan Skelton made it adamant on ITV that he would need a long break after his gruelling second to ROYALE PAGAILLE.

That’s right, having looked at the god-awful entries for the King George and had at least a week to digest it, the current leader in the British Trainers’ Championship believes his star chaser will go to Kempton at Christmas.

Yesterday, he said: “I was rather determined not to persuade myself otherwise, but I cannot believe how well he has come out of the race, and I really mean that – that’s not trainer hopefulness.

“I’m genuinely surprised how well he has come out of the race. There’s no pressure to run him from the owners, but he’s come out of the race so well – even the next day.

“He did two canters yesterday with Tom Messenger, who rides him every day – he’s staggered how well he’s come out of it. At the moment, he is going to Kempton until he’s not.

“Before, I was thinking about going to Kempton, now he is definitely going until he’s not.”

With the uncertainty about FASTORSLOW and SPILLANE’S TOWER, the two market-dominating Irish horses that everyone wants to see supplemented, he has to have a strong chance next month. After all, these are thoroughbred horses. They are bred to do hard things.

Right, so that’s at least one big name added to what looked like a rather underwhelming, and we also got an update about some of JP McManus’ King George stars yesterday as well.

Unfortunately, the words from Frank Berry will not improve your quality of life. Shock.

Are the plans sorted? No. There you go, that’s the whole article complete. We are none the wiser after reading that.

SKELTON SUPREMELY BULLISH

Dan Skelton really is a trainer on the up. Well, he’s already up there, yet it seems like he is continually reaching new heights.

Horses like GREY DAWNING have already stamped his authority in the big Saturday races, but a young stock of nice, new other horses like ROYAL INFANTRY are ones to add to his battalion.

He made it two from two over obstacles at Haydock yesterday when easily beating the highly-touted CREST OF FORTUNE, earning himself quotes of 20/1 for the Supreme.

It’s worth noting just how much he thinks of this horse. After he won at Chepstow on seasonal reappearance, Skelton said “he’d be right up there” in terms of his novice hurdlers for this season, so he’s well-regarded, that’s for sure.

And look, his form is beginning to stack up. He beat OFF THE JURY on bumper debut who has since chased home MISTER MEGGIT and he won a Listed bumper last year.

Sending him into a Champion Bumper was bold, but he ran with credit and he’s one who appreciates better ground, so the soft surface might have been against him that day.

Just with the way he made all at Chepstow earlier this season as well as yesterday, he might be more of a Turners Novices’ Hurdle horse in terms of Cheltenham, but he is certainly worth mentioning because he has plenty of ability.

CAPTAIN OUT INJURED

CAPTAIN TEAGUE’s effort in the John Francome was too bad to be true, and it was a bit of a shame.

He’s had the weight of the world and Paul Nicholls on his back since day one. Thank god he obliged in the Persian War or it really would have been an uphill battle from there.

He was sent off favourite for his chase debut on Friday, and despite travelling well, he failed to get anywhere near the front and it came back that he was lame.

Well, bad news has gone to worse as he has been ruled out for the season according to news on X.

This is a shame. Whether you backed him or not on Saturday, he is a Grade 1 winner who was certainly not himself at Newbury.

There’s a nice race in him and surely Nicholls can’t be that wrong to keep hyping him up? He has put him up as a horse to follow for the last two years, and someone sent him off fav for the John Francome!

Ah well, we move and trust we will see his again next season… we hope anyway.

RISK ON

A winner Tuesday in DAYTIME DREAMING and a winner yesterday in LAND AFAR, today we like:

12.45 VIYANNI, 13.05 STAR WALKING & 13.25 CHARISMATIC SOLDIER

A shortie treble here, on pedigree we think they’ll all be tough to beat. Pays 7/1.

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