William Hill Hurdle: quotes from connections
By Racing TV
Last Updated: Fri 6 Feb 2026
Dan Skelton is confident that Let It Rain will improve for her return at Ascot in Newbury’s William Hill Hurdle on Saturday.
The seven-year-old had been off the track for more than a year when she returned at Ascot just before Christmas, and did not disgrace herself in finishing third when just three-quarters of a length behind winner Dance And Glance.
With more time to work with the daughter of Kayf Tara since, Skelton is expecting more from the mare.
He said: “I think she’s improved massively since Ascot. It was her first run back after a long layoff. I felt like I could have had her a lot fitter that day. I’d done as much as I could on the day, but I’ve always felt like there was a lot to come.
“We’ve had this race in mind at Newbury since. We’ve been very happy with the preparation and she handles soft ground.
“I think she’s favourably handicapped, although time will tell in the big field.
“We’re really looking forward to getting her back out in a really competitive race, but we feel like she’s always destined to be in races like this. She’s always felt like a very good horse.”
On what it would mean to win this race, Skelton added: “We’ve tried to win it before. I think we’ve maybe been second once or twice. It’d be great to win it – hopefully Let It Rain is the one that can break the sequence.”
Ben Pauling is hoping to see Lanesborough bounce back after disappointment last time out at Kempton.
He had won at Doncaster in December but came unstuck in the opening stages of the Lanzarote Hurdle, finishing 10 lengths down the field in fifth.
Pauling said: “I thought he would nearly win the Lanzarote but he was beaten by the second hurdle and it just all happened too quick on good ground for him.
“I think he will appreciate a bit of slower ground on Saturday and I think I have him in good form.
“It will be interesting to see how Brendan (Powell) gets on with him as Ben (Jones) is at Warwick and Kielan (Woods) is riding for his retained owners.
“He’s a horse I like, he was super impressive at Doncaster first time out and I think he did very well to finish fifth in the Lanzarote considering how wrong it went early doors.
“He will be there with bells on and with him there is no great big plot, it is just trying to take what you can and I still think he’s on the right side of the handicapper.”
Willy Twiston-Davies thinks the flatter track at Newbury will play into the hands of Un Sens A La Vie.
He said: “It’s been the plan ever since he got beat at Kempton.
“He’s in good form, he’s been very good recently, he looks a million dollars in his coat and the only concern would be the soft-heavy ground. There’s no reason why he shouldn’t go on it, but we’d rather a sounder surface as he’s quite a pacy horse.
“He got beaten by Old Park Star when giving him 6lb so in hindsight it’s a very good performance, he was only beaten three lengths.
“I think we can excuse the Cheltenham run, it probably came too soon and maybe he wants a flat track, which he will get on Saturday.
“We think he’s very talented, we just wish it was a sounder surface.”
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