Skelton hoping for more success at Warwick races on Wednesday
Warwick stages the second meeting of its new season on Wednesday and Warwickshire trainer Dan Skelton will be hoping for plenty of success with runners in five of the six races.
Skelton has chosen Got Grey from his two entries in the opening Redditch United Rapid Racing Relay Run Handicap Chase over two and a half miles and he can add to his Worcester win in June, putting his disappointing run at Newton Abbot last time behind him. Sole opponent Northern Bound also won at Worcester in May and has been beaten twice since.
Skelton and Jonjo & A J O'Neiil had two entries apiece in the Green Ape Media Gallop Novices' Limited Handicap Chase and the two stables will have the race between them. Skelton's pick is Beau Quali, runner-up to Hamlet's Night at the last meeting and, receiving plenty of weight from the O'Neill pair, could put his course experience to good use.
Like a number of horses, Queensworthy had two entries at the meeting and Skelton has decided to run her in the Intuit Quickbooks - Power Your Possible "National Hunt" Novices' Hurdle rather than a later handicap and this dual winner can regain the winning thread. She fell three flights from home when still in with a chance at Uttoxeter and found Intosomethinggood too hot to handle at Bangor-on-Dee last time.
Easy Market Rasen bumper winner American Empire has had two runs over hurdles since joining trainer Donald McCain, finishing third last time, and is preferred to Jackstell, making his seasonal debut, for the runner-up spot.
Keppel Queen can make a winning stable debut for another Warwickshire trainer, Olly Murphy, in the Apron Payrun Mares' Maiden Hurdle. She has plenty of experience, this being her 12th run, and may have most to fear from Crystal Spring who has not been far away in her three runs this season.
Mostly Sunny, third to stable companion Queens Venture in a Class 2 contest at Newton Abbot, carries Skelton's hopes in the Ignite Incentives Handicap Hurdle and looks the one to beat. The consistent Doc McCoy, the choice from two entries for trainer Jamie Snowden, went down narrowly at Bangor-on-Dee last time, but has been raised 3lbs as a result, and the danger could be course winner Crystal Glance who looked to be on an upward curve when readily disposing of Getalead back in May.
The largest field of the afternoon lines up for the closing Assets Out For Zoo Accounting Open National Hunt Flat Race and the market will be a guide to the chances of Skelton's newcomer Rodders, owned by his father Nick. Aj's Diamond made a promising debut over the course in February, but didn't build on that when unplaced at Plumpton next time.