Betfair Stayers’ Handicap Hurdle – 2.25 Haydock Park – Saturday 22nd November

I don’t think Panic Attack winning the Paddy Power Gold Cup yesterday was needed to confirm the notion that Dan Skelton is right at the very top of any training tree, whether it be the well-trotted out line that he’s the best ‘target’ trainer or indeed just a very good trainer of every other aspect of this great jumps game.

But it was just yet another ridiculously bright feather in his already full cap of feathers. Looking ahead, and annoyingly I’m a little slow on the uptake with this, but his Joyeux Machin is the next instalment in that overflowing ‘target’ category, as he looks like he’ll be ready, earmarked and tuned to the minute for next Saturday’s valuable Betfair Stayers’ Handicap Hurdle at 2.25 at Haydock Park.

12/1 was available in a few places yesterday, and not unsurprisingly the nibbling begun before, during and after yet another stellar Saturday for the Skeltons. 8/1 best price is available now with Bet365, Ladbrokes and Coral; 7/1 with BetVictor, BetMGM, VirginBet and QuinnBet; and a general 6/1 everywhere else.

Looking at the potential make-up of the 5-day confirmations at midday tomorrow, there won’t be that many that stand out as viable lively options against the top two in the market – impressive Cheltenham October winner Ma Shantou and Joyeux Machin. So, taking the 8/1 each-way now is a recommended 2-star ** Ante-Post play for WhichBookie ahead of confirmations tomorrow.

Should Skelton win the Greatwood Hurdle in a few hours with Mirabad, then it would only add further fuel to the ‘target trainer’ fire, and Joyeux Machin’s price could collapse markedly.

All this told, we need to be sure the horse has an actual chance of course, and not to just get caught up in a wave of ‘generalised’ thinking. Well, since Skelton acquired Joyeux Machin last season, and how his season panned out, it became clear that the £100k race at Uttoxeter on Midlands National day was the ‘target.’

Much the best horse in that race, Harry Skelton would probably dearly love to have had the closing stages back, as he hit the front before the last and drifted over to the chewed-up stuff on the inside and got chinned as Joyeux Machin idled.

Fresh from a lovely prep run in the Silver Trophy at Chepstow, which yet again is working out extremely well, it was also worth marking up Joyeux Machin notably that day for being hampered and losing plenty of ground down the back. That he got himself into contention before not being given a hard time late on, was notable in the extreme, and the weeks in between will have seen the finishing touches put on his prep for this £100k race.

Don’t be surprised if cheekpieces are enlisted and don’t expect Harry Skelton to be on the scene until the very latest opportunity. But all told, Joyeux Machin will be going off favourite, and so locking in 8/1 each-way now seems wise.