HARRY SKELTON: Saturday Preview

The weather has obviously been a bit of a nightmare this week. It’s been a difficult, challenging time for some of these horses over the past few months, as all it’s done is rain, but the one thing you can’t control is the weather. Plenty of meetings have been abandoned and it’s a real shame that one of those is the Star Sports-sponsored National Spirit card at Fontwell on Sunday. We’ve got quite a few runners at Kempton on Saturday and one at Chepstow, so let’s hope we manage to bag a winner or two writes HARRY SKELTON.

SATURDAY

KEMPTON

? GET A TONIC – 1.15pm Coral Racing Club Handicap Hurdle (Class 3) 2m 5f
⭐ STARSPORTS.BET PRICES ⭐

She’s in good form but she doesn’t really enjoy the ground too soft, so we’ll have to see what it’s like tomorrow. She’ll come into herself in the spring.

? WEST TO THE BRIDGE

He’s coming back off a bit of a break after his fall at Newton Abbott but he’s absolutely fine now, we just wanted to give him some time to get over that. He’s been schooling well at home, but our main focus has been getting him back on track. I think the run will do him some good and hopefully offer some improvement ahead of the spring.

? BOOMBAWN

He’s back from a winter break and again, like Get A Tonic, he doesn’t want it too soft, so we’ll make a decision tomorrow. We’ve got bigger plans for him in the spring when he will hopefully get some nice, good ground.

? PEMBROKE – 2.27pm Coral Pendil Novices’ Chase (Grade 2) (GBB Race) (Class 1) 2m 4 1/2f
⭐ STARSPORTS.BET PRICES ⭐

He’s running over two and a half miles here which is the same trip he won at around Aintree (pictured below) on very testing ground. The handicapper put him the last day at Lingfield, so they must’ve thought it was quite a good run! He’s still in novice company here and he’s in good form. His jumping is coming together nicely. We’ve always thought a lot of him as he shows plenty at home, so we’re hopeful of a good run despite it being a competitive race. I don’t think there is a standout among the field and given the track and ground won’t be an issue for him, he could have a chance.

? WILLIETHEBUILDER – 3.00pm Coral Dovecote Novices’ Hurdle (Grade 2) (GBB Race) (Class 1) 2m
⭐ STARSPORTS.BET PRICES ⭐

We were disappointed with his last run at Musselburgh, we’re not really sure what happened there. He’s been well in himself at home and has been in good form. Looking back at his Cheltenham run, you’d like to think he can be competitive, but he’s got to put that Musselburgh run behind him. The soft ground won’t be an issue for him, and he’s got plenty of ability which he has shown before at Cheltenham, so a reproduction of that should see him be competitive here.

? FLEGMATIK – 3.37pm Coral Trophy Handicap Chase (Premier Handicap) (GBB Race) (Class 1) 3m
⭐ STARSPORTS.BET PRICES ⭐

This is a horse that loves it around Kempton. We’ve always had this race in mind for him and he’s been in great form of late. He was a close second in this race last year and we’re happy with how he looks coming into the race this time around. In an ideal world, we would like to see it a little drier for him, but it is what it is and he’ll be there to take his chance.

? HELTENHAM – 4.10pm Play Coral Racing-Super-Series For Free Handicap Chase (GBB Race) (Class 2) 2m 4 1/2f
⭐ STARSPORTS.BET PRICES ⭐

Conditions should really suit him (pictured below) here. I just feel that things haven’t really come together yet this season and we haven’t seen the best of him, but he’s in really good form at home and I’d be hopeful that he will go very close. Flat track; two and a half miles; soft ground – it’s ticking a lot of boxes. I don’t feel the handicapper has caught up with him yet and he just hasn’t had everything right yet. I would say he is probably my best chance.

? COUNTRY MILE – 4.45pm Coral We’re Here For It Open National Hunt Flat Race (Category 1 Elimination) (GBB Race) (Class 3) 2m
⭐ STARSPORTS.BET PRICES ⭐

This is a nice horse that has come from the English point-to-point field, and we like what we see at home. On paper, it seems to be quite a hot bumper but we think he’s got what it takes to hold his own. He hasn’t been with us long but he’s at the point now where he’s ready for a run.

CHEPSTOW

? MOUNT TEMPEST – 3.43pm Pertemps Network Handicap Chase (GBB Race) (Class 2) 2m
⭐ STARSPORTS.BET PRICES ⭐

He’s our only runner at Chepstow, but he’s in really good form and is thriving at the moment. He will absolutely love the conditions, so we’re hopeful of a good run from him here.

Good Luck
HARRY