Dan Skelton and Paul Nicholls go head-to-head for crucial prize-money in battle to become champion trainer

It's no surprise that Dan Skelton and Paul Nicholls are represented in the most valuable jumps race of the day given they need to peg back Willie Mullins in the British trainers' championship before he unleashes some big guns on Saturday.

Skelton's dual Newbury winner Heltenham couldn't handle the drop to 2m in the Red Rum last week, but he has a better candidate anyway in the shape of Jet Plane, who is on a hat-trick and is 4lb well in under his penalty.

Skelton didn't have a runner last year, but in the previous five runnings he had a total of six horses and came away with four winners, a second and a third.

Nicholls relies on Outlaw Peter, who seems to be improving over fences and beat course specialist Flegmatik (trained by Skelton) at Kempton last month.

In a competitive heat, Nells Son, Prairie Wolf, Numitor and General Officer also won their latest starts.

Nells Son has form figures of 1122 at Ayr and has been in career-best form on his last two starts, while Prairie Wolf has won three of his five chases, albeit all of them at a level below this.

A 6lb rise is probably enough to stop the ten-year-old Numitor, who is now above his highest winning mark, but General Officer is a younger horse going forwards.

There ought to be plenty of pace on, and that might bring outsider Half Shot, who was seventh in last year's Scottish National, into the fray. 

He probably wants a bit further, but some of this season's form would give him serious claims, not least his seven-length Musselburgh drubbing of subsequent Edinburgh National winner Inis Oirr in November.
Analysis by Paul Kealy

Jet Plane (right) goes in search of a hat-trick for title-chasing Dan SkeltonCredit: Edward Whitaker

Skelton eyes big prize with duo

Dan Skelton is double-handed in the feature £50,000 2m4½f handicap chase with Jet Plane and Heltenham as he hopes to land another big pot to boost his chances of a first British trainers' championship.

Jet Plane comes into this contest off back-to-back victories at Sandown and Market Rasen, the last of which yielded a career-best Racing Post Rating.

"Jet Plane is in good form," said Skelton. "He won last week, so he has a penalty to carry, but the trip and the track should suit him."

Stablemate Heltenham makes a quick return to action having disappointed when eighth of 15 in last week's Red Rum Handicap Chase at Aintree.

The trainer said: "Heltenham couldn't get into two miles the other day. He couldn't get into the race, but he seems fresh at home and it seems worth taking his chance in this. It'll be his last chance to run on slower ground this season."

Skelton lost his title lead to challenger Willie Mullins last weekend after the Closutton trainer scooped the Randox Grand National with I Am Maximus. He is now second in the championship race and sits ahead of Paul Nicholls, who runs Outlaw Peter.

The eight-year-old has won seven of his 18 starts and was last seen posting a career-best RPR when defeating Skelton's Flegmatik at Kempton last month. 

Ground and weather

Clerk of the course Graeme Anderson is confident the ground will remain soft for day one of the track's Scottish Grand National meeting.

The forecast is showing less than 5mm of rainfall on Thursday and dry for both Friday and Saturday, and Anderson said: "We've some showers today and we could end up with 3-4mm. We're soft at the moment and I think we'll start around that. 

"The weather on Friday and Saturday looks better with sunny spells and slightly warmer temperatures of 12-14C. We may go good to soft on Saturday depending on how quick it dries, but we should be soft for the first day."

What they say

Nicky Richards, trainer of Nells Son
He's in grand fettle and hopefully he'll run a very good race. I don't know what sort of a race it was at Kelso last time, but he bolted up and we've been waiting for one of these better races to have a go at.

Sue Smith, trainer of Prairie Wolf
He goes there in good form. We're hoping for a good run providing they don't get a lot of rain and the ground gets heavy. That would snooker us a bit but he's pretty versatile.

Heather Main, trainer of Numitor
The track should suit and he's ready to go. The ground should suit too. There's meant to be a bit of rain but hopefully the ground won't be too holding. It's good to get him back out for a nice race.
Reporting by Liam Headd

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