Hot To Trot: Helter Skelton

Jumps Trainer: Dan Skelton (Click trainer’s name to view a full list of entries)

After a strong start over the summer, Dan Skelton is well on course for his best ever season for number of winners, with 130 already on the board at the time of writing (just 28 below his best ever tally for a season). His string has continued to deliver since the season began in earnest – illustrated in the graph below, which shows that his runners have been performing well above-average on all types of going so far this term.

Skelton has a host of entries over the next few days, including Simply Loveleh, who is entered in a bumper at Plumpton on Monday. She has shown just fair form in three starts so far, and found the 1m6f trip too sharp when second at Huntingdon last time. However, she should be up to winning a race in this sphere, and the step back up to 2m1f will suit her. Also entered in a bumper early next week is Aggy With It, who has entries at Catterick on Tuesday and at Ludlow on Wednesday. A half-sister to the high-class hurdler Agrapart, she shaped with promise when fifth at Aintree on her debut in October, keeping on gradually towards the finish, and looks sure to progress.

Wednesday’s card at Ludlow is a strong one, and Skelton is also due to send out Etamine Du Cochet, in the mares’ novices’ hurdle. She improved for her reappearance when second at Hereford last month, matching the form she showed on debut at Warwick a year earlier, with her lack of experience costing her late on, and she looks open to more improvement. Molly The Dolly holds an entry in the listed mares’ chase at Newbury. She’s unbeaten in two starts over fences, and her most recent win at Uttoxeter was impressive considering she had to give 5 lb to two rivals who were her superiors over hurdles. With more improvement to come, she looks worthy of her place at this level, and should have every chance of picking up some black type.

Flat Trainer: Clive Cox

This year has been rather stop-start for the Clive Cox team, with a sluggish beginning, but they have also enjoyed some good periods throughout 2018 and are finishing the year strongly, as the graph below shows.

Cox has a handful of entries next week, including Hit The Beat, who is entered at Wolverhampton on Tuesday. A winner of a novice race at Lingfield in November 2017, Hit The Beat has struggled for form since, but her mark is sliding (she’s already 11 lb lower than her opening mark three starts ago) and she ought to find her level sooner or later.

On Wednesday, Cox has five entries, beginning with April Wine and Remembering You, two debutantes entered in the novice race on the card. The latter makes more appeal on paper (half-sister to three winners, including Majestic Dream). Both are worth monitoring in the market if taking their chance, however. Also due to make his debut later on the card is Martin King. An expensive purchase, he’s a well-bred son of Oasis Dream (half-brother to seven-furlong winner Dream Warrior), and whilst he would likely need to be above average to win on debut, he’s worth keeping an eye on.

Little Miss Lilly needs to get to the front in order to be seen to best effect, something which hasn’t happened in two starts since scoring at Kempton in October, but she would be a threat if the race is run to suit in the six furlong handicap on the card, with her mark beginning to ease once again. Perfect Refuge also has an entry on the card, in the apprentice handicap, though her third at Kempton on her most recent start last month suggests that she could be in the grip of the handicapper.

Under The Radar: Stuart Edmunds

It’s been precisely a year since Stuart Edmunds’ last appearance in this column, and he once again heads into the Christmas period in fine form, with his string performing above average at all distances, as the following graph shows.  

Edmunds has several entries over the next few days, beginning with Klare Castle, who has two entries at Plumpton on Monday; in a novices’ hurdle over two miles and in a maiden hurdle due to be run over a touch more than two and a half miles. Klare Castle has only recently joined Edmunds, but shaped well on his first start for the yard when fourth over the shorter trip at Lingfield last month. He appeals as the type who will appreciate the step up in distance, but will be competitive regardless of which race he takes his chance in.

A Little Chaos has an entry at Fakenham on Tuesday, though she is unlikely to be of interest until she qualifies for a handicap mark, so Molly Childers is a more attractive proposition a day later. She’s all about stamina, meaning that she could well need more than three miles to be seen to best effect in time, but she produced her best effort yet over fences when third at Uttoxeter last month and there’s likely plenty of races to be won with her in this sphere. Also entered on Wednesday is Secret Getaway. She was down the field on her debut in a bumper at Warwick last month, but shaped as if she would come on for that initial run and is worth a market check if taking her chance.