Take Garde

SKELTONS TO STRIKE AT UTTOXETER

DAN and Harry Skelton plus Uttoxeter equals winners and the brothers supreme can add another haul to their collection courtesy of the promising

(1.10) in the opener at the Staffordshire course today 1.10.

Second to the classy Champagne Platinum on his hurdling debut last year, the nap selection then went off a 20-1 shot for the Grade Two Rossington Main Novices Hurdle at Haydock.

But something was obviously amiss as he trailed in 43 lengths off the smart Mister Fisher.

Off the track for 10 months, he returned to action with a solid second to Vinnie Dev in a novice hurdle here and looks nicely treated off a mark of just 115 to land the gold medal before going on to bigger and better things.

The brothers are taken to complete a quick-fire double on the day courtesy of

(1.40). Despite pulling like a train, the mare ran really well to finish only two lengths off Nikap in a novice hurdle last time out and should step up here at the main expense of Designer Destiny.

The deep ground at the track should be to the liking of old boy and he can outstay his rivals in the feature Veterans’ Handicap Chase at 2.10.

The handicapper has given him a real chance of seeing off the top weight Goodtoknow.

THE meeting scheduled for Exeter today was abandoned due to a waterlogged track. Officials at the Devon circuit held an impromptu inspection at 9am yesterday after the course was hit by 55 millimetres of rain on Friday and the track was clearly unfit for racing.