Harry Skelton feels Classic Chase runner-up Galia Des Liteaux has the right attributes to go for the Randox Grand National at Aintree.
Speaking in his blog for bookmakers Star Sports, the jockey reflected on a superb weekend for the yard which featured six winners across the cards at Kempton, Wetherby and Warwick.
Galia Des Liteaux couldn't quite make it seven at the Skeltons' local course Warwick but went down on her sword, beaten just three-quarters of a length in the Wigley Group-backed contest over three miles and five furlongs.
Skelton was proud of the performance and feels it is all systems go for Aintree, with a prep run at Kelso also in the offing for the eight-year-old mare.
He told Star Sports: "The Classic Chase is always a war of attrition, but Galia Des Liteaux ran a hell of a race to finish a close second, staying on all the way to the line. She was just lugging to her left a little bit from midway down the back, which just made it hard work for me to get her running. The cheekpieces helped sharpen her up and she stayed on strongly on her first run in a handicap. It was a really strong effort off that mark, giving so much weight to the winner.
"Our eyes are firmly on the Grand National now, a race that runners from the Classic Chase have a good record in. She’ll have one more run, most likely at Kelso, and then go to Aintree. The closest I’ve finished in the National is fifth, but on what I got on Saturday, she travelled well to get an early position, jumped nicely and stayed on strongly – that ticks all the right boxes for the National. She does prefer soft ground but it was probably good-to-soft at Warwick on Saturday. They’ll never let the ground get too quick in the National so that won’t be an excuse on the day. She’s an exciting mare."
Earlier on the same Saturday card, Skelton struck gold on Grey Dawning in the TrustATrader Hampton Novices' Chase, winning the Grade 2 three-mile contest by 14 lengths from Apple Away with Broadway Boy well held in third.
The major spring festivals are now in the gelding's sights, his rider hopeful there could be a lot more to come from the grey as he gains further experience over the larger obstacles.
"Grey Dawning was impressive in the Hampton Novices’ Chase," Skelton said. "The two up front went a good solid gallop the whole way, but he travelled really well in behind. He quickened up nicely and I had loads of horse under me. He’s progressing all the time and we’ll just have to see where he ends up, but we’ll definitely be looking at the big spring festivals now.
"He has a slight tendency to jump out to the left. He’s always done that which is why we’ve kept him to left-handed tracks. He was unlucky at Cheltenham the last day.
"He made one mistake at the second last when he was really racing down to the fence – it was the first time he’d properly done that. It was a novicey mistake, but he’s learned from it and we’ve always been happy with his jumping at home. I’m not sure where he’ll go next but he’s definitely getting better and improving all the time."
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