Dan Skelton is confident Nube Negra will not be ‘brushed aside’ by Edwardstone, who he has described as a ‘formidable opponent’, when the two lock horns in the Ladbrokes Desert Orchid Chase at Kempton Park on day two of the Ladbrokes Christmas Festival.
Having made a triumphant return to action for the second year running in the Grade Two Shloer Chase at Cheltenham last month, the gelded son of Dink will now bid to strike gold at the same level in £100,000 two-mile prize which he captured back in 2020.
On that occasion Nube Negra sprung a 20-1 shock when lowering the colours of Altior before going on to fill the runner-up spot behind Put The Kettle On in the Betway Queen Mother Champion Chase at The Cheltenham Festival in March.
And while Nube Negra is likely to be the underdog in his first clash with Edwardstone, who secured a third Grade One win in the Betfair Tingle Creek at Sandown Park earlier this month, Skelton is looking forward to the challenge ahead.
Skelton said: “He could only do what he did in the Shloer Chase. The ground was a bit quicker for a few and that is how the chips landed but he was very good and since then he has been good at home.
“Kempton definitely suits him and he beat Altior in the race and at the time he was the first horse to beat Altior at two miles. We are very happy with him and we will go and give it our best. He is in really good form and we know he can compete at the top level. I understand that Alan is going there with Edwardstone, who will be a formidable opponent but we are not going to be easily brushed aside.
“I know there is a difference in price between them for the Queen Mother and we know Edwardstone will start favourite here but that doesn’t worry us.”
Skelton believes the chances of seeing Nube Negra at the top of his game on his next start will be bolstered by the decision to swerve an outing in the Tingle Creek, a race which he finished a well-held fourth in 12 months ago.
Skelton continued: “I always felt that the Tingle Creek came too quick after the Shloer last season. This horse has to have a good break between his races and the better ground, the better his chances. But that doesn’t mean he is not effective on good to soft ground.
“The most important ingredient to him is freshness. He puts a lot into the prep and the day and it empties the tank and it takes time to refill it. Some horses you can give them a week off and they are bucking and squealing and are ready to do it a week later.
“For others, like Nube Negra, it takes a lot longer for them to get over. He tries hard in everything he does and it puts him right to the edge.”
While impressed with both Edwardstone, and the victory secured by reigning Queen Mother Champion Chaser hero Energumene at Cork on Sunday, the Alcester handler admits it is great having a horse capable of mixing it with the very best over two miles.
He said: “Energumene is the reigning champion and he went around Cork in a canter and that is what he should have done.
“These top-end horses are impressive when they run and it makes you think what have you got to do to beat them but it is a long road until we meet him in March and hopefully before that we will put up a good performance on the 27th.
“In terms of depth though Edwardstone won the deepest two-mile race of the season. He showed that he has taken that step out of novice company with certain ease.
“I think Alan (King, trainer) would be thinking that was even better than he expected as sometimes you think coming out of the novice season you have to prove the next bit and he has proven it in spades. Everyone knows Nube Negra needs decent conditions and a good break between races to be at his best.
“If you give him those conditions I think he can perform, as everyone has seen, to a really high level. It is great to be able to compete in these big races with a high-class horse.”
One name that will not be in action at Kempton Park later this month is Protektorat with Skelton confirming he will contest the Paddy Power Cotswold Chase at Cheltenham on January 29th as opposed to the Ladbrokes King George VI Chase on Boxing Day.
However, despite deciding to swerve the prestigious three mile prize with last month’s impressive Betfair Chase winner Skelton has not ruled a tilt at the Grade One prize in the future.
He said: “The plan is he will go to the Cotswold Chase then the Gold Cup. He has come out of Haydock really well and looks fantastic. The reason for not going for the King George is that I don’t want to run him right-handed which isn’t necessarily in his favour, get beat, then get left with a rebuilding task on your hands to get him in shape for the Gold Cup.
“To win a Gold Cup I think you have got to have a very smooth preparation and I can just see a King George being an unsmooth preparation.
“The reason I entered him is I thought if all the weather we are currently having happened and they suddenly rearranged for Cheltenham on New Year’s Day then I would want to be in it
“I think we will try a King George one day for sure but I don’t want to do that at the moment as I think there is a smoother route for this horse to take.”
Skelton could still be in with a chance of celebrating Grade One glory on Boxing Day after earmarking the Ladbrokes Kauto Star Novices’ Chase as a potential target for Ballygrifincottage and Galia Des Liteaux provided conditions are suitable.
Both horses made winning debuts over fences with Galia Des Liteaux securing victory in a mares’ Listed contest at Bangor and Ballygrifincottage running out a clear-cut winner of a novices’ chase at Haydock Park.
He said: “Galia Des Liteaux will get an entry in the Kauto Star as will Ballygrifincottage. She will also get in the mares only chase at Doncaster and I will also look at Warwick in January.
“She was fantastic at Bangor. She is a beautiful big mare and I always thought chasing was going to be her game. We wanted to go to Warwick for the two and a half mile mares Listed race but unfortunately that was called off.
“Ballygrifincottage would want it good to soft bordering soft at Kempton to be a consideration for the Kauto Star.
He was very good at Haydock and I believe he has actually taken a step forward at home in the meantime but conditions will dictate what we end up doing.”
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