Champion Chase runner-up Nube Negra heads strong Skelton November meeting team

Nube Negra is set to lead a strong Dan Skelton team into battle at Cheltenham's Paddy Power Gold Cup meeting this month, with the former Champion Chase runner-up set for a seismic clash with Arkle winner Edwardstone in the Grade 2 Shloer Chase.

Twice a Grade 2 winner, Nube Negra beat Politologue and Put The Kettle On in last season's Shloer and Skelton is hoping the ground does not turn too soft when be bids for a repeat win on November 13.

"There will be two very different mindsets between us and Alan King [trainer of Edwardstone] going into next week," said Skelton on Wednesday morning. "One will want rain and one won't. We definitely don't want rain. He [Nube Negra] can win on good to soft, especially when he's fresh, but the better the ground the better the horse.

"Nube Negra has been to the grass gallop this morning and worked, I think, as well as I've ever seen. He is so, so fast but, as he's getting older, I think he's drawing in a little bit more stamina.

"Edwardstone is a mightily high-class opponent, albeit one who is stepping out of novice company for the first time, so we've got a task on our hands."

Runner-up in last year's Champion Chase, Nube Negra was withdrawn on the day of the race this year following heavy rain and Skelton conceded that there was unfinished business at Cheltenham in March.

"We'd love to get a fair crack at that race again in suitable conditions but that's in the lap of the gods," he added.

Midnight River: needs rain to feature in the Paddy Power Gold Cup at CheltenhamCredit: Mike Egerton (Getty Images/Pool)

Skelton has three entries in the Paddy Power Gold Cup on November 12 and, while rain would be a negative for Nube Negra at the meeting, it could turn things in favour of Midnight River, a 10-1 chance with the sponsor and a horse the trainer is clearly sweet on.

"It would need to rain and rain for this horse to run but we've always held him in high regard," he said. "We took him to Carlisle first time last season and it started disastrously. He head-butted the first two or three jumps and then did a cartwheel late in the day.

"We had to then rebuild his season and he ended up winning a race at Wetherby. He was always going to be a horse who stepped forward and I was happy to see what I've been seeing at home when he won at Stratford last month.

"If it didn't rain enough for the Paddy Power, we'd wait for the December Gold Cup at Cheltenham. This is a good horse and it wouldn't surprise me if he took a leap to Grade 2 level [this season]."

Skelton said Spiritofthegames will likely head for Saturday's Grand Sefton rather than the Paddy Power, while the same race may come too soon for Beakstown after his fourth in last month's Old Roan Chase.

The 37-year-old won the Greatwood Hurdle with West Cork last year, as well as taking the premier handicap on November 13 with North Hill Harvey previously, and picked out Playful Saint from his four entries this year.

He added: "We're a little thinner on the ground in the Greatwood than we have been in the past but, if it rained a lot, Playful Saint would be no back number."

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