Aux & Rockfeller set for Wetherby clash Aux Ptits Soins will make his first start since joining Dan Skelton in the bet365 Hurdle at Wetherby on Saturday. The John Hales-owned seven-year-old made a successful British debut for multiple champion trainer and Skelton's former mentor Paul Nicholls in the Coral Cup at the 2015 Cheltenham Festival. He has only run six times in over two and a half years since, but has added to his tally with a chase victory at Kelso and found only high-class stablemate Zarkandar too strong in the Rendlesham Hurdle at Haydock last February. Aux Ptits Soins will make his first appearance since finishing down the field in the Liverpool Hurdle at Aintree in April in a Grade Two contest registered as the West Yorkshire Hurdle. Skelton's brother and stable jockey, Harry Skelton, said: "He makes his debut for us and we are very lucky to inherit a good class horse. "He is in good form and should run well." The likely favourite for the three-mile contest is Neil King's stable star Lil Rockerfeller. The six-year-old was third in this race a year ago before going on to finish second in both the Coral Hurdle and the Long Walk at Ascot and the Stayers' Hurdle at Cheltenham in March. King said: "Lil Rockerfeller is very, very well and is ready to go on Saturday. "It has been the plan all along to start at Wetherby and it looks the ideal starting point for the season. He is more forward this time around than he has been in the past. "The plan is to remain over hurdles and he will follow a similar programme to last year with the main aim being the Stayers' Hurdle again. "For me, the second most important race of the season for him will be the Long Walk at Ascot, which is another nice prize to go for."
