DAN Skelton is having a brilliant season, with a first trainer’s championship now a best-priced 2/7.
He has some big bullets to fire this week and the first of them is L’EAU DU SUD in the My Pension Expert Arkle Novices’ Chase (2.00pm).
Second in last year’s County Hurdle, the dashing grey is four from four over fences and his jumping is a real asset.
While his performance at Warwick last time was perhaps slightly underwhelming, he would have learned plenty and he couldn’t have been more impressive when winning over course and distance at the November meeting.
The only problem is he could be taking on a future star in Willie Mullins’ Majborough, who was such a good winner of last season’s Triumph Hurdle.
He has won both his starts over fences, although he did make a few niggly errors at the Dublin Racing Festival last month.
He is clearly the most likely winner, but jumping is the name of the game, he’s only had two starts over the bigger obstacles and Voy Por Ustedes was the last five-year-old to win this race in 2006.
L’Eau Du Sud can be backed at 9/2 each-way with Star Sports and that seems the best play in a race with just five runners.
POINTERS
L’Eau Du Sud e/w 2.00pm Cheltenham