Skeltons searching high and L’Eau to find Sir Alex a winner at Ayr
Dan and Harry hope it’s Fergie’s time
HARRY SKELTON hopes L’Eau Du Sud can help brother Dan take the fight for the trainers title into Fergie Time.
The former champion jockey heads to the Scottish Grand National meeting in Ayr with a book of strong chances.
Skelton can strike in the Scottish Champion Hurdle aboard L’Eau Du Sud and provide more big-race joy for Sir Alex Ferguson.
The six-year-old is partowned by the ex-Aberdeen and Manchester United manager and is favourite to win the two-mile showdown.
Team Skelton provided Fergie with one of his two winners at the Cheltenham Festival when Protektorat won the Ryanair Chase.
Now, with trainer Dan in a terrific battle with Willie Mullins and Paul Nicholls, rider Harry hopes to strike a blow.
Skelton said: “Sir Alex is a great person who is ultracompetitive and he wants to win as much as all of us do.
“He’s very good and straightforward to ride horses for.
“Obviously, the race is in his home country so it would be great if we could win him a Scottish Champion Hurdle.
“He’ll be there so we’re looking forward to it.
“L’Eau Du Sud has had two really good runs this year and we’re hoping he’ll go very close.”
Skelton is also targeting a strong performance in the weekend’s big race with Ballygriffin Cottage.
The pilot said: “He’s a horse who has come really back to form. He’ll stay the trip, enjoys soft ground and ticks a lot of the boxes.”
Three years ago, Harry was fighting for the jockey’s crown and came through successfully.
In a twist of circumstances, it is now Dan in a title battle.
The brothers stormed the Cheltenham Festival with four winners to boost the title tilt and were also impressive victors at Aintree last week.
Harry hopes to help his sibling and said: “Ayr has been quite good to us in the past and we are hoping this year it can even be just that little bit better. That would be very helpful.
“We really want it [the trainers title]. I’ve had my turn and now the shoe is on the other foot so I’ll be doing all I can to try and make sure it
happens. It is not going to be easy.
“We are taking on a multiple-champion in Paul [Nicholls] and unbelievable force in Willie [Mullins].
“We are taking on two exceptional trainers but we have got a good team and have a lot of nice horses to look forward to.”
As well as their contenders for the two major races, the Skeltons have a host of other chances spread over the two days.
Dan has a massive 29 Ayr entries as the team look for another big weekend by the seaside in Scotland.
Skelton had to miss out 12 months ago when sustaining an injury just before the meeting following a fall at Cheltenham. However, the yard still got to savour some success with Sail Away winning the CPMS Novices’ Champion Handicap Chase.
Hitching Jacking could represent the yard in that contest this time around and Skelton will finalise his Saturday team at today’s lunchtime final declaration stage with a strong crop heading to day one tomorrow.
Skelton said: “We’ve had Ayr in mind for quite a while now.
“There’s good prizemoney and it’s always done us quite well.
“We’re hoping for more of the same. Just a little better would be an extra help.”