'He's as good a novice chaser as we've had' - Dan Skelton has Turners preference for Grey Dawning if ground stays soft

Dan Skelton believes Grey Dawning is as good a novice chaser as he has trained and is leaning towards a tilt at the Turners Novices’ Chase at next week’s Cheltenham Festival if the ground remains soft.

Grey Dawning remains in contention for the Brown Advisory Novices’ Chase and is a 5-1 chance for the 3m½f event, but Skelton has a preference for the Turners over 2m4½f and feels the New course will play more to the seven-year-old’s strengths.

The Robert Kirkland-owned Grey Dawning finished second to fellow 11-4 Turners shot Ginny’s Destiny at Cheltenham in December when a mistake at the second-last proved costly, before producing a standout career-best when winning the Hampton Novices' Chase at Warwick by 14 lengths.