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Dan Skelton has highlighted Galia Des Liteaux as his best chance of picking up a fifth Cheltenham Festival victory, providing the mare gets her optimum conditions at Prestbury Park.
The soft-ground loving seven-year-old has looked a real versatile talent this year, with chasing successes over both two miles and three miles sandwiching her one blip in the Kauto Star Novices' Chase at Kempton on Boxing Day.
Although she holds an entry for the Mrs Paddy Power Mares' Chase on the final day of the Festival, Dan Skelton is favouring a tilt at the Brown Advisory Novices' Chase over three miles having proven her staying credentials when winning the Hampton Court at Warwick in good style last month.
He said: "If it rains I think Galia Des Liteaux has a massive chance in the Brown Advisory.
"She was an excellent winner of the Grade Two Hampton Novices' Chase at Warwick last month. Nothing went to plan in the Kauto Star at Kempton the month before that – she jumped on the second jump and I feel because she did that she missed one midway through the race and Harry (Skelton) pulled her up.
"There was a bit of chatter about shadows at Kempton that day, but I'm not using that as an excuse. These things can happen in novice chases. She put the record straight at Warwick last time out and she loves soft ground.
"She's a great big strong mare, she doesn't look like a mare when you stand her up. Everything is big about her, she has big feet, big limbs and she's a real tank of a mare.
"If you got a soft ground Brown Advisory, I think getting 7lb she would be a certain player."
Three of Skelton's four Festival victories have come in the County Hurdle and talented novice Pembroke, along with West Cork, could seek to add to that tally
"Pembroke was a non stayer at the Trials meeting in the Grade Two novice hurdle and that was the only small question mark," continued Skelton.
"I thought he would stay and he didn't and we have to drop back in trip and he will be in the County Hurdle.
"He just didn't stay and I think if he had stayed we would have a different thought pattern. But he has to come back in trip and the New Course will suit him better than the old course."
"If we can get a run under his belt, West Cork will also go for the County Hurdle."
Midnight River got on the scoresheet at Prestbury Park on New Year's Day and is set to return for the Plate over the same course and distance.
"He won on New Year's Day at Cheltenham and I never like to use a word like entitled in sport, but it was obvious he would be able to win a race like that judged on his run in the Paddy Power Gold Cup in November," said the Lodge Hill handler.
"A little bit of slower ground on New Year's Day did him no harm and I would love the ground to be good to soft, soft in places for the Plate.
"My opinion on the ground is if it is not ideal ground to run him in the Plate then it is not going to be ideal ground full stop, which is why I would keep away from considering the Ultima."
Third Time Lucki is disputing favouritism for the Grand Annual, but is not a guaranteed starter in the helter-skelter handicap on day two of the meeting.
Skelton is tempted to save the recent Sandown scorer for Aintree, but the possibility of optimum conditions for the two-time track-and-trip scorer means the race has to come under consideration.
"The reality is he might miss and go to Aintree," said Skelton.
"But if the weather carried on like this, then he would have to be in. It would be ridiculous not to because we know he likes nice ground and it is not often you get the chance to go to the Festival and run on particularly nice ground which will suit a horse like him.
"This horse really suits the Old Course, a fast track and bang on two miles is perfect for him. If it stays dry he is an obvious horse for the Grand Annual."
Potentially joining Third Time Lucki on the teamsheet for that two-mile contest is Unexpected Party who has shaped with potential without yet getting his head in-front over the larger obstacles.
He continued: "We've left him in the Graded races in case you get a four-runner Turners like last year and we could go and pick up some prize-money if that was appropriate. But the real race for him is the Grand Annual.
"There is a lot of people saying we've been really clever and plotting out a Festival handicap for him. I wish they were right but the truth is he slips between stalls on trip
"I've come to the conclusion you are better off being a confirmed stayer over two than a confirmed non-stayer over two and a half. A fast run race will suit him and we're sharpening him up at home. We're training him a little bit differently to try and get a little bit more out of him.
Meanwhile Langer Dan is something of a regular in the Martin Pipe Conditional Jockeys' Handicap and could go for his third crack at the race or the Coral Cup two days earlier.
"He will get entries in the Coral Cup and Martin Pipe," added the four-time Festival-winning trainer.
"I just have no clue why he runs so moderately in the autumn. We've just got to accept that is how it is now. He would definitely have a chance."
Skelton could also have two live handicap chances for big-spending owner Darren Yates in the form of Becher Chase winner Ashtown Lad and French import Punta Del Este.
The former secured qualification for the Pertemps Final when second at Warwick in January while Punta Del Este is set to make his UK bow at either Kelso or Haydock later this week.
"We'll see how he (Ashtown Lad) gets on this weekend," said Skelton.
"He's qualified for the Pertemps, which is going to be a very different race this year as you have to finish in the first four places to qualify. It's going to be a very different dynamic, but we'll have a look a little closer to the time.
"Punta Del Este is in the Triumph, but the handicapper's opinion of the French races is less than you would need for the Triumph. So depending on how he gets on at the weekend he could be one for the Fred Winter."
