Ground will be key as Skelton sets sights on valuable card

Dan Skelton sends a raiding party of five north to Haydock for a card worth more than £320,000 that includes six series finals.

The trainer is doubly represented in the two-mile hurdle (2.40) through Holryale and Applesandpierres. Holryale, the mount of 3lb claimer Bridget Andrews, shares bottomweight with the Nicky Henderson-trained Percy Street.

The going was good to soft, soft in places at the track on Friday with the promise of showers to come, and the amount that falls will be significant to the chances of Skelton’s pair as well as the fancied Joke Dancer, who has won his last two for Sue Smith on heavy ground.

Skelton said: “Holryale is back off a break and has no weight. I don’t want too much rain because we’ve been waiting for better ground.

“Applesandpierres hasn't won since last year but has been running consistently and it doesn’t matter about the ground with him. There’s not much between the pair.”

Skelton rates Whatduhavtoget in the mares’ hurdle (3.50) as his best chance on a day when he also saddles Red Rising in the stayers’ hurdle (4.25) and Ckalco De Loges in the Tim Moloney Handicap Chase (5.30) over 3m4½f.

He said: “The mares’ is the perfect race for Whatduhavtoget and if it doesn't rain she'd be our best chance. I don’t think we’ve seen the best of her this year.

"Red Rising loves the ground but the handicapper was very hard on him for his last win and has set him an extremely hard task.”

Hoping rain stays away

On a card sponsored by Smarkets, recent Sandown scorer Crievehill looks to have a strong chance for Nigel Twiston-Davies in the middle distance chase final (2.05), a race which has been the target all season for the Ben Pauling-trained Creep Desbois.

Pauling said: “He seems in very good order and hopefully they're right about the ground because if they are he'll have a right chance. If it went heavy it wouldn’t help us. He’s a nice horse who was unlucky not to win last time. The better the ground the better his chance.”

Another Fry sizzler?

Harry Fry trained the winner of the mares’ hurdle last year with Secret Door and tasks Lamanver Odyssey with doubling up, but his stronger chance appears to be Behind Time in the staying chase final (3.15), the last of three races live on ITV4.

He said: “Behind Time will run as long as it keeps raining. He won well last time at Uttoxeter and although he’ll have to step up again, he looks to have a strong chance on his current form.”

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