Skelton can get the best out of Sandown 14-1 chance Tokay

IT’S been a frustrating few weeks. The last horse I tipped in this column, Martinhal, was a non-runner in the staying handicap hurdle at Haydock a fortnight ago, while Remastered, who I’d backed ante-post for the Ladbrokes Trophy at 20-1, fell four out when taking the lead at Newbury.

The good news is Martinhal is entered in the Pertemps qualifier at Sandown on Friday, in which he’ll no doubt hold a sound chance, and Remastered is seemingly none the worse for his tumble.

While the feature on Saturday is the Tingle Creek, in which I expect Nube Negra to really serve it up to Chacun Pour Soi, I’m more interested in the card the day before.

The Grade 2 Winter Novices’ Hurdle is often an excellent source of jumping talent, and I expect this year’s running will live up to expectations if Brave Kingdom and Fair Frontieres are declared.

Dan Skelton, who has been in the news for other reasons this week, has West Balboa engaged but I’m much more drawn to his runner in the following handicap chase (3.00).

The trainer and his brother Harry won the race in 2017 with Workbench and could rely on the intriguing Tokay Dokey this time around.

Colm Donlon’s gelding was highly promising as a young horse, winning a Market Rasen bumper and two Uttoxeter novice hurdles.

In the first of those in October 2018 he beat Dostal Phil – who is now rated 143 and was last seen finishing an eyecatching fourth in the Paddy Power Gold Cup – and Monsieur Lecoq, who was rated 151 this time a year ago.

He then gave four lengths and a penalty to useful dualpurpose horse Speed Company before falling at the fourth in the Dovecote Novices’ Hurdle the following February, when I quietly fancied him to beat Southfield Stone and Angels Breath. His connections clearly rated him highly, as despite that he was only a late non-runner in the Supreme Novices’ Hurdle.

He then took a mammoth 984-day break, so I assume he suffered a fairly serious injury, but as we saw with West Cork, the Skelton yard are particularly skilled at bringing these horses back from the brink.

Tokay Dokey was a big price on his reappearance over fences at Chepstow at the start of the month, suggesting connections thought he would come forward for the run, and he was held up by Harry.

However, he jumped really fluently and made some promising headway around the home bend, overtaking several rivals.

He was probably beginning to get tired when he reached for four out, which put paid to his chance, but it was a run which suggested he retains a portion of his initial ability and he’ll strip fitter now.

Plus, as I suspected at the time, it has turned out to be a really hot piece of form. The third, Not Available, beat a classy field at Newbury on Friday and the fourth, Amarillo Sky, has since won cosily at Wincanton. I highly doubt they’ll be the only winners to come from the race either.

TOKAY DOKEY is down to a mark of 120 over fences (4lb higher over hurdles) and I expect he won’t need to be anywhere near as good as he initially hinted at to defy that figure considering he once beat 140- and 150-rated horses easily.

The Venetia Williamstrained Desque De L’Isle is the market leader and could feasibly still be well ahead of his mark, but the race he won at Ffos Las wasn’t a strong contest and he doesn’t represent value at 4-1.

Tokay Dokey definitely does at 14-1 and he doesn’t have any other entries, so we can assume this is the plan.

However, the Ladbrokes Trophy-winning team of Williams and Charlie Deutsch are in rip-roaring form, dispelling the belief their horses only thrive when the mud is flying, and I think the pair could win another big handicap chase before the year is out.

The race in question is the Caspian Caviar Gold Cup at Cheltenham next Saturday. The race will feature lots of familiar faces, including two recent tips in this column, Coconut Splash (plethora of other options puts me off ) and Coole Cody (shorter price now and 2lb higher).

The trainer’s 157-rated Cepage is entered, but it could be he keeps the weights down for his stablemate and my fancy Farinet, who is as short at 14-1 but can be backed at a standout 25-1 with bet365.

He ran a race full of promise on his British debut in February, finishing a stayingon third to Galahad Quest at Haydock, and then got the better of the useful Up The Straight in a competitive race at Sandown, where they finished tired.

He recorded an RPR of 139 then, suggesting his 8lb higher mark of 133 could still be underselling what he is ultimately capable of.

There is plenty of rain forecast for Cheltenham in the coming weeks, which will aid his cause as not only does he handle soft ground very well but it would put more emphasis on his featherweight of 10st 2lb.

Deutsch is a rider I’ve always admired and he’s at the top of his game right now, while similar comments apply to Williams, who won this race in 2014 with Niceonefrankie.

I have no doubt Farinet is an unexposed horse with plenty more to give, and he’s plainly the wrong price in a race where many towards the top of the market look as if they could be in the handicapper’s grip.