Nap of the Day: Skelton’s set for Chepstow success

The first Sunday of the year brings with it three jumps meetings across Britain and Ireland.

The Sussex National headlines at Plumpton while in Ireland the Grade 1 Lawlor's of Naas is the main attraction at the Kildare venue. There's also action from Chepstow, where Dan and Harry Skelton will be aiming to strike with a promising and improving chaser. Read on for my Nap of the Day for Sunday, January 5.

Dan and Harry Skelton have a decent book of chances at Chepstow and none more so than ILLICO DE COTTE in the Novices' Limited Handicap Chase over just shy of three-miles.

Lightly-raced over hurdles, winning one of six starts, it always looked as though Illico De Cotte’s future would lie over fences.

He scored nicely on debut over these obstacles at Carlisle (3m2f, good to soft) in October, racing amongst his four rivals before picking up the running at three out and drawing away to score by a comfortable eight-length margin.

He didn't run badly back there since, finishing third on the first day of December.

He was in the mix coming to the second last that day and was in there pitching before being run out of it inside the final half-furlong.

He was conceding plenty of weight to the pair that beat him, O'Connell and Fortunate Man for Sue Smith and Jonjo & AJ O'Neill respectively.

That form looks good now in the wake of Boxing Day wins for O'Connel, who triumphed easily in the Lincolnshire National Handicap Chase at Market Rasen from 5lb higher, and for Fortunate Man, who won a Class 3 contest at Aintree on the same afternoon.

Illico De Cotte wore cheekpieces on his final two starts over hurdles at Huntingdon and Bangor in the spring and the headgear is refitted now in an effort to maintain his concentration.

The handicapper has nudged him up another 2lb since that run early last month but, in light of what the front two did since, that looks fair.

The nature of the home straight at Chepstow should afford Harry Skelton plenty of time to organise his challenge and this promising chaser is fancied to record a second win over these obstacles.

Livin On Luco is a chase winner and respected, if he leaves his Cheltenham run behind, while Ballybengtragh is a newcomer to this sphere but was a point-to-point winner and should have something to offer before long for Gary & Josh Moore, with owner-jockey David Maxwell on board.

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