DAN SKELTON, whose career as a trainer is heading skywards, can follow-up his success at Wetherby in the feature race on Saturday with What A Good Night by saddling another Yorkshire winner at Doncaster this afternoon.

Having spent nine years as assistant to Paul Nicholls, Skelton has had a superb apprenticeship which is now beginning to bear fruit. He is already up to 27 winners this season, equalling his total score for the whole of last term, which was his first with a licence.

Skelton, who started out with a dozen horses, now has more than 80 under his care which speaks volumes for the speed of his ascent in less than 18 months. Guiding George can be another success story for the Warwickshire-based handler in today's opening Betdaq Betting Exchange Handicap Chase.

A winner over hurdles and in point-to-point company, Guiding George shaped well to finish fourth at Wincanton on his chasing debut. He can step up on that effort this afternoon and provide the go-ahead Skelton with yet another winner.

French recruit Boss Des Mottes looks an interesting runner for Skelton in the Betdaq Juvenile Hurdle, but he may well have to play a supporting role to his mentor Paul Nicholls in this contest.

Nicholls also runs an ex-French-trained horse in Annalulu, who has an appealing profile having twice won on the Flat from five starts for Jean-Claude Rouget. It would be no surprise to see her make a successful transition to hurdling.

Denis O'Regan can clinch the Betdaq Mares' Maiden Hurdle on The Pirate's Queen, who is long overdue a winning turn.

In six outings over hurdles, Alan King's charge has been second three times and third twice. Her latest placed effort was when filling the minor berth in Grade 2 company at Chepstow last month. She should have too much class for her rivals this afternoon.

The nap vote is cast, as much in hope as confidence, in favour of Head Of The Class in the Betdaq Novices' Limited Handicap Chase.

Trained at Norton by Brian Ellison, the gelding has yet to open his winning account. But he has shown a decent level of promise and makes appeal on his chasing debut as fences are expected to bring out the best in him.

Able to get into this race from the foot of the handicap, Head Of The Class is sportingly suggested to go well under Danny Cook.

Mick Easterby placed Shadows Lengthen to win a useful prize at Wetherby just over a fortnight ago and it would be no surprise to see Brian Harding's mount follow-up in the £10,000 Betdaq No Premium Charge Handicap Chase.

The handicapper has raised the Sheriff Hutton gelding by 8lb which means he has 11st 12lb to carry this afternoon. It's a tough ask, but it may not be beyond him.

On the Flat at Southwell, North Yorkshire trainer Marjorie Fife has double prospects with Red Tide and Royal Holiday.

A winner at Hamilton in August, Red Tide makes his all-weather debut in the first division of the Unibet Handicap. Provide he handles the Fibresand surface, he should go well.

Royal Holiday has a 6lb penalty to carry in the Download The Ladbrokes App Handicap. The seven-year-old loves this course, as he proved last week when comfortably beating his stable mate Toto Skyllachy. Stillington-based Fife has booked Jake Butterfield to ride today to use his 3lb claim to help offset some of Royal Holiday's extra burden.

Also worth noting are recent course winner Master Of Song (12.10) and Mops Angel (1.40), who ran with conspicuous promise when beaten only half a length into third place at Nottingham recently. She now has to cope with the switch to an artificial surface but she is trained close to the course by Michael Appleby, who has considerable success with his all-weather runners.


Selections

Doncaster today
12.50 Guiding George, 1.20 Annalulu, 1.50 Head Of The Class (NAP), 2.20 The Pirate’s Queen, 2.50 Shadows Lengthen, 3.20 Paloma’s Prince, 3.50 Act Now.

Southwell today
12.10 Master Of Song, 12.40 Sparkling Sapphire, 1.10 Red Tide, 1.40 Mops Angel, 2.10 Toofeeq, 2.40 Honey Required, 3.10 Royal Holiday, 3.40 Chiswick Bey.

Today’s other meeting
Fakenham.

Tomorrow’s meetings
Hexham, Kempton, Lingfield and Warwick.