Dan Skelton says Langer Dan might just be coming to the boil once again in time for Cheltenham.
The nine-year-old has run at the past four Cheltenham Festivals, winning the two most recent editions of the Coral Cup Handicap Hurdle, but with a BHA rating of 158, it appears the spring specialist is bound for this year’s Paddy Power Stayers’ Hurdle.
He does, however, still hold an entry in the Coral Cup next Wednesday.
Speaking on Wednesday’s Nick Luck Daily Podcast, Skelton – who was responsible for four Festival winners last March – said: “Langer Dan is running in the Stayers’.
"We were just keeping our option open in the Coral (Cup), but he’s running in the Stayers’.
"We’re taking him on trust but we’ve just seen a glimmer, to be honest I’ve seen two glimmers of hope on the gallops, but they are literally glimmers. He passed a horse (on the gallop) but not a very good one!
“But I remember last year and his work before the Coral, and that was equally as unimpressive.
“We actually took the decision yesterday to clip him, we just thought his coat’s not coming through and we’re just doing everything we can. I’ve banged on and everyone’s probably bored of listening to me but this horse is so hard (to get right).
“But when you’ve seen nothing, glimmers are beautiful!"
One handicapper who seems less likely to turn up at Cheltenham, however, is Joyeaux Machin.
The recent Ascot runner-up is also engaged in the Coral Cup but Skelton said: "He might end up running at Uttoxeter on the Saturday as he definitely wants it (ground) slow.
"In an ideal world he’d have been qualified for the Pertemps as I think three miles on good to soft would be fine, but we didn’t have him long and we didn’t know much about him.
“He’s not in the Pertemps and at the moment it’s drying out to the point that he might not be going, but I’ll have to speak to his owner. So we might look at Uttoxeter on the Saturday after the Festival."
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