Stabletalk: Dan Skelton previews his runners this weekend

Dan Skelton gives Coral punters the inside info on his runners out on Saturday and Sunday

It’s been a good week and I’m happy with most things at the moment as Cheltenham is getting ever closer.

SATURDAY

3.50 Haydock – No Hassle Hoff

With the weight he’s receiving from the others in the race, No Hassle Hoff comes out on top of the ratings here. He ran a really good race at Doncaster the other day. He’s a real tough horse and has a big chance in this race. I was gutted he got beat at Doncaster but he ran a great race and hopefully can go one better here.

2.45 Wincanton – Ch’ Tibello

I’m very happy with Ch’ Tibello and he has a little chance in this. He’s already won a £100,000 race this year on not dissimilar ground. He was then third in the Christmas Hurdle and we were really happy with him on what was his first go at Graded competition. Obviously Yanworth and Sceau Royal have some fancy form but we are very hopeful of a big run from our horse and he’ll run here and then the Champion Hurdle all being well.

3.55 Wincanton – Pain Au Chocolat

He’s run well before over two miles in bad ground and that’s probably what it’s going to be here. He had a nothing race the other day, and just had a spin round and picked up some prize money for attending the races. Politologue was just better than him. I think he’ll be competitive here. He’s dropped to a reasonable handicap mark.