HARRY SKELTON: Aintree Saturday

That feels a bit better! Delighted with Kateira’s win today in the William Hill Handicap Hurdle (see main picture). I said on ITV she’s like a little a go-kart and I couldn’t be prouder of the mare. I had my reservations about the ground but you just sometimes have to roll the dice in these big races and in any case it did dry a little through the card which was in our favour. It was a messy start but we took the shortest way round and she deserves this. It didn’t harm Dan’s chances in the Trainers’ Championship race either 😉

I’ve got a couple of rides before the big one on Galia Des Liteaux in the National ….. thoughts on all my rides below and bonus stable visit videos too !

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🏇 WHEN HARRY MET DAVY: LODGE HILL
↙️ GRAND NATIONAL CHANGES AND TACTICS
⁉️ GRAND NATIONAL MASTERMIND QUIZ

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SATURDAY

AINTREE

? WEST BALBOA, ? GWENNIE MAY BOY & ? SEEFIN – 1.20pm William Hill Handicap Hurdle (Premier Handicap) (GBB Race) (Class 1) (4yo+) 3m 1/2f

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West Balboa comes back for the race she won last year. She won again at the track in the autumn, but probably just had too hard a race that day and lost her form through the middle part of the winter. We then decided to leave her off for a bit to get her nice and fresh for the spring.

She had a great run at Kempton the last day over two and a half miles and stepping back up to three miles here is a real positive. She looks a picture, these fillies really thrive this time of year when they get a little bit of sun on their backs. She’s still a relatively fresh horse but is in great form at home so hopefully we can come back here and run a really positive race.

Gwennie May Boy is two from two since joining us and seems to be a real improving horse. Three miles on any ground seems to suit him. The handicapper has had his say, but let’s hope he hasn’t caught up with him just yet. He seems very uncomplicated, but in the form he’s in, he comes here with every chance.

We also run Seefin. He’s a little bit lower down in the weights and we can put a line through his last run – he just never got into any rhythm at all. This is a big step up in class for him here, but he’s got a featherweight. He stays, he jumps, he gallops and can handle any ground, so we’re hopeful he can outrun his odds. There’s a lot of prize money on offer, so he’s in there taking his chance but we’re under no illusion that this is a massive step up for him.

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? THE KING OF RYHOPE – 2.30pm William Hill Handicap Chase (Registered As The Freebooter Handicap Chase) (Premier Handicap) (GBB) (Class 1) (5yo+) 3m 1f

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He’s got some graded form to his name having run a good race last time at Ascot. Hopefully, by Saturday the ground will have dried up a bit for him and being a novice with some graded form will work in his favour. I’d like to think three miles around a flat, galloping track will suit him and hopefully the handicapper hasn’t got too tight a grip on him yet. He was a little unlucky last time, but on his best form, I’d like to think he’ll go well.

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? PROSCHEMA – 3.05pm JRL Group Liverpool Hurdle (Grade 1) (GBB Race) (Class 1) (4yo+) 3m 1/2f

We’re obviously in at the deep end here with Proschema who is having his first race since being pulled up in this same race last year. He won a class 2 for us here at Aintree back in 2021 but this is the top table of stayers so is going to be tough after the break.

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? GALIA DES LITEAUX – 4.00pm (Grand National) Randox Grand National Handicap Chase (Premier Handicap) (GBB Race) (Class 1) (7yo+) 4m 2 1/2f

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This is the big one. It’s every jockey’s dream to win the Grand National. I’d like to think she comes in here ticking plenty of boxes, she stays, she’s a solid jumper and will handle the ground. We’ve put a line through her last run, we just ran her too quickly in that mares’ Listed chase, she was favourite and we just rolled the dice and took a chance.

She’s off a nice weight here, though, and I actually think she prefers a bigger field. In saying that, she can just be a little bit idle sometimes and I think in a bigger field like was saw at Warwick, it was the best she’d ever travelled. Having those extra runners around her seemed to carry her through to stay on strongly through to the line.

The Classic Chase has a good record with runners that have gone into the National, so maybe that’s another box ticked for her. At the end of the day, though, it’s the Grand National – no one expects to win it. We’re coming into the race with a chance and you can be no more than hopeful of a good run and a bit of luck.

Meeting Galia Des Liteaux at the stables with Davy Russell ……

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? ETALON – 5.00pm My Pension Expert Maghull Novices’ Chase (Grade 1) (GBB Race) (Class 1) (5yo+) 2m

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He was impressive last time in handicap company but needs to step up again into Grade 1 class. I think he’s got it in him to run a good race and seems to have plenty of improvement still to come. I’d like to hope he can handle it and I think Aintree will suit him well. Make no mistake, you always need to step up again, but his profile looks like he can do that. I’ll be hopeful of a really good run; we’ve always had Aintree in mind for him and Dan’s specifically trained him for this.

Meeting Etalon at the stables with Davy Russell ……

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? VALGRAND – 5.35pm Weatherbys nhstallions.co.uk Standard Open National Hunt Flat Race (Grade 2) (GBB Race) (Class 1) (4-6yo) 2m 1f

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He’s only had one race this year back in the autumn at Cheltenham when finishing second. He doesn’t want the ground to be too deep so we’ve kept him away from that all winter and have had it in our minds that he’s a four-year-old and we can take our time with him. He’s been working really nicely at home and his last run suggests he’s a horse with plenty of ability.

As long as the ground isn’t too testing, he’ll take his chance and we’ll see how he gets on. He’s a horse we’re really excited about to go over hurdles next season, but for now he’s got to prove he’s got the stamina to stay in this bumper because you do need a stayer, especially when the ground is testing. He has a good future ahead of him whatever happens so we’re excited.

Meeting Valgrand at the stables with Davy Russell ……

Good luck,

HARRY

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