Dan Skelton Saturday runners blog: 'She'll be competitive, in a competitive race'

With Cheltenham Festival now under two weeks away, Dan Skelton shares his latest exclusive blog with Ladbrokes, previewing his runners at Kelso, Newbury and Doncaster.

Harry [Skelton] rides at Kelso this weekend, and we start with Real Stone in a two-mile handicap. He actually won very well last time, which took us all by surprise to be honest with you. I've had this race in mind ever since, and you'd have to say he'd have a squeak. I don't know whether he'll go off as favourite, but he'll be one of the more fancied horses after his last run and I'd like to think he can go very well.

Grey Dawning is up next in the second race of the day at Kelso. Obviously he's entered in the Gold Cup and we thought a lot about what the right thing to do was. But I'm sure this is the right thing to do, not necessarily to get him back on track, but it didn't happen for him in the King George. he made a mistake at the first, they went very quick and he was out of his comfort zone there. The Haydock run at the start of the year was a very good run obviously, finishing second to Royale Pagaille on bottomless ground.

It was frustrating, really, that it rained so much on the day, but we're going up to Kelso here for some much nicer ground. He's had a good freshen up since the King George and he looks well to me. I'd like to think he'll take a bit of beating in this and then we can look ahead to Aintree. As for the Gold Cup, we'll shelve it for another year, and hopefully we'll be even better going into a Gold Cup next year, and with a bit more experience under his belt. We're not ducking the Gold Cup for the sake of ducking it; we're thinking of the horse and doing the right thing.

Ace Of Spades runs in a two-and-a-half-mile handicap, and he won up here last time in a novices' hurdle. This does look like a nice race for him and as for how he will compete off his handicap, I suppose all will become clear. As long as the handicapper hasn't got him wrong, he should be competitive. Like I say, he's won at this track before, so there's no negatives on that front. I'd be expecting a good run, to be honest.

We have Listentoyourheart in the Premier Novices' Hurdle - this is quite a competitive novices' hurdle, and she carries a five-pound penalty, which is negated by her seven-pound mares' allowance, and I think she'll be thereabouts. I don't necessarily think she should be favourite to win, but I do think she's been overlooked a little since she got beat at Taunton, which was her first defeat over hurdles.

She was actually giving away weight on that day, when she got beat by a mare of Paul Nicholls', which is now one of the more fancied for the Mares' Novices' Hurdle at Cheltenham. I think the form is quite strong, even though she got beat... people have forgotten she gave away a penalty that day. I think she'll be competitive, in a competitive race.

Then we've got Rock House, running in the Morebattle Hurdle, and this is about as competitive as you would expect for the money. Congratulations to Kelso for putting up the money on this day, by the way. I think Rock House would have an each-way chance here. He ran really well last time, in a valuable race at Southwell, finishing third, and I had this race in mind ever since, as long as the ground wasn't too bad. It looks like it's going to be acceptable ground for him.

We’ve got two runners in the same race at Newbury - Le Milos runs with Harry Atkins taking seven pound off - he obviously won last time, in a Veterans' race at Warwick. I actually think he's got a nice chance in this race, especially with Harry taking seven pound off. He likes the track and as won here before, and the trip is no problem, the ground is no problem.

I think he's got a great chance here. Midnight River feels like he's coming back to a bit of form at home - he also runs in this race. His form just hasn't been there since his injury a couple of years ago, and it just hasn't quite happened since. But as the days are drawing out and the sun's arriving, it does feel like he's coming into a bit more form, so let's see how he gets on. The handicapper has not really relented quickly enough for us to say that, yeah, he's handicapped to go and win - and of course the form isn't there. But we'd like to see a step in the right direction here, and hopefully a few doors will open for us in the spring. He's a lovely horse, loves his training, and hopefully there's a few more good days ahead with him.

We run Calico in a handicap chase over two miles at Doncaster - he ran well there last time, but the handicapper has just got a hold of him since he won a valuable race at the start of the year. A bit better ground will obviously suit him - he's good around the track and pretty consistent, but it just looks like the handicapper has got him. He should run well, though.

We've been waiting to go left-handed with Denzil and we step into a handicap with him for the first time this weekend. Being a four-year-old in a handicap, he gets a chunk of weight for his age, and he is at the bottom end of the weights. He looks like he's better going left-handed, he went a little bit left-handed the last time he ran at Taunton, so let's get back out there with him. Better ground will suit him, left-handed will suit him... he's not without a squeak in this one at all, and the break won't have done him any harm either.

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