Skelton on trial for Gold Cup ride

Harry Skelton can earn himself a first Cheltenham Gold Cup ride if What A Friend delivers a respectable performance in the rearranged Aon Chase at Newbury on Friday.

Skelton is the brother of Paul Nicholls' assistant trainer Dan and has filled in many times this season when more senior jockeys have been unavailable.

Nicholls needs to start pencilling in riders for his typically strong Gold Cup team, with Ruby Walsh set for Kauto Star provided he recovers from injury in time, Sam Thomas to be reacquainted with Denman and Nick Scholfield setting up a good association with Pride Of Dulcote.

The trainer still wants to see some progress from dual Grade One-winner and Grand National entry What A Friend, who had a summer breathing operation but was disappointing when only fifth of seven to Imperial Commander in the Betfair Chase.

Part-owned by Sir Alex Ferguson, What A Friend is still likely to be a short-priced favourite against just four rivals.

The race was carried over after the high-profile abandonment of the meeting on Saturday, when two horses died in the paddock before the first race, and King George runner-up Riverside Theatre is a notable defection as he waits to run at Ascot on Saturday instead.

"Things are pretty much the same as they were on Saturday except Riverside Theatre isn't there," said Nicholls.

"He's going to need to run well if he is going to go for the Gold Cup but it's a nice prep for him.

"Harry might just get to ride him in the Gold Cup if it goes well. Obviously things can change but Sam's lined up for Denman at the moment and there are already riders for some of the others."

Nicholls has a second runner in Noland, the mount of Tony McCoy.

Also a winner at the very top level, the white-faced gelding was pulled-up at Cheltenham last month on his first run over fences for two years.

"He's another who has to run better so we'll see what happens," added Nicholls.

"I took him out of the Gold Cup this week as he's not really a Gold Cup horse. Hopefully we can find something else for him."

Ben Case runs Dance Island, who was pulled up when fancied for the Welsh National, while What A Friend's main danger could be the versatile Fair Along.

The dark horse is the Rebecca Curtis-trained Carronhills, who was added when the race was reopened and is in both the Gold Cup and the National.

A useful Irish point-to-pointer, his main problem is the fact he has not run for two years.

"He has been off for a long time and he'll come on for this," said Curtis.

"It's a big ask first-time-out but we do think a lot of him.

"Gearoid (Costello, Curtis' partner) had seen him in Ireland and was quite impressed with him, so that's why we have got him.

"He is very fit and we've given him an entry for the Gold Cup, so we'd just like to see him run well enough to think about going there."