Our man Dan Skelton talks us through his Saturday runners at Ascot and Wetherby

Dan: We start the day with Hatcher in the 12.40 at Ascot. His form took a bit of a dip at Ludlow last week as I thought he would win that day.

However, he will like the quick ground at Ascot, although Harry Fry’s horse American Gigolo looks a tough rival.

Cobra De Mai runs for us in the 1.50 at Ascot. He’ll want to break at some point but he’s in good form. The ground will be fine and he likes the trip.

Al Shahir runs in the 12.55 at Wetherby and it’s a nice track for him. He’s a really nice horse and after his run at Newton Abbot, he’ll be sharper for this.

We have Born Survivor in the 1.30 at Wetherby. I thought he would win at Kelso last year and he’s a decent horse who never really made hay last season over hurdles.

This race is over two miles and is a nice start for him before we step him up in trip. Two miles is only getting him going and it’s a track that he has won at before.

I fancied Late Night Lily at Market Rasen at the end of September but she took a tumble.

She runs in the 2.05 at Wetherby and it is going to be a decent race with the likes of La Bague Au Roi entered. She’s up against a good bunch.

I do think she’ll be competitive for a place but to say she will win it would be a very brave statement after her fall.

Virgilio is a good old boy and runs in the Charlie Hall Chase (3.15 Wetherby).

This is the most competitive renewal we’ve seen for a while so it will be difficult but will give us a good idea what we do with him for the rest of the season.

Unfortunately we won’t be running Aux Ptits Soins. He got a small and unusual injury which means he will miss the season.

Dan

All Odds and Markets are correct as of the date of publishing.