Friday 6 March 2015 14:51, UK
Dan Skelton has ruled out making the running with rank outsider Bertimont in the Stan James Champion Hurdle at Cheltenham on Tuesday.
Just eight horses are in contention for the main event on the opening day of the Festival and despite giving leading contender The New One a fright at Haydock in January, Bertimont is readily available to back at 100-1.
With no obvious front-runner in the field, Skelton's charge might appear an obvious candidate to play the role of pacemaker, but Skelton has no intention of setting the race up for the big guns and does not subscribe to the theory the two-mile contest could turn into a tactical affair.
Skelton said: "He definitely won't make the running. There's no chance whatsoever.
"Gone are the days where these races turn into tactical, slowly-run races. There'll be plenty of pace on I'm sure.
"Faugheen won the Neptune over two and a half miles at Cheltenham last year and The New One won it the year before. Hurricane Fly always puts pressure on the leaders as well.
"If for whatever reason it did turn into a sprint, that wouldn't bother us as we have plenty of speed.
"We know he faces a huge task, but we'll give it a go."
