Dan Skelton Cheltenham Festival 2025 day three blog

Dan Skelton shares his latest exclusive Cheltenham Festival 2025 blog with Ladbrokes, reacting to his runners on day one and previewing his three runners on day three.

We're really happy with both runners on Tuesday - L'Eau du Sud jumped the last in front, but just got run out of it and was beaten by a length-and-a-half into fourth. He could do no more; ran really well, there's no excuses there, he jumped beautifully.

Take No Chances outran her odds, as we always thought she would, and stayed on to finish third in the Mares' Hurdle... a great run. I'm delighted with both horses.

On Thursday we start with Catch Him Derry in the Pertemps, and I think he's got an each-way chance in this. We'd love to see a bit of rain, and I think there's some due on Wednesday afternoon into the evening, which would be helpful; the softer the ground the better for him. He won a qualifier at Exeter, and won it nicely - he's in pretty good form at home and, like I say, he should have an each-way chance, should more rain arrive.

Protektorat bids to defend his crown in the Ryanair and, like Catch Him Derry, a bit of rain would be much appreciated for him as well, so fingers crossed it arrives. He's been unbelievable since the turn of the year and was absolutely brilliant at Windsor. I'm so happy with how he's been, and the fact he's in such good form at 10-years-old is just a testament to his toughness really. I'm looking forward to running him and I think he'll put up a good defence. Obviously it's a warm race, but I can't have him better.

Then Langer Dan runs in the Stayers' Hurdle, and we've seen some glimmers from him recently, but the track form has just not been there. He does come alive at this time of the year, and we've seen that in the past. But we're taking a lot on trust, and obviously he's in a Grade 1 this time, and not the handicap that he normally competes in, in the Coral Cup, or the Conditional Jockeys at Cheltenham. It's a different set of circumstances for him, but if he came back to that winning form, he'd certainly be a player. All of it is done on trust at the moment, though. We're just trusting him to turn up and do his usual, really.

For those interested, Ladbrokes has an 'everything you need to know' piece ahead of Cheltenham, as well as a beginner's guide to betting at the festival.

View the latest horse racing odds

All odds and markets are correct as of the date of publication.