Ballyhill can call upon a useful claimer Jordan Nailor to lower his weight in the Grade Three Spectra Cyber Security Solutions Trophy Handicap Chase, the opening race live on ITV on Saturday.
The 8yo was a solid third of seven off this career-high mark over this course and distance on his latest start, and has good experience around here before - winning a similar contest to this twelve months ago on the New Years Day card.
Decent claims for another useful run.
Commodore Barry was a winner for us over Christmas, and can make it five from six in the Grade Two Albert Bartlett River Don Novices' Hurdle, on our first visit to Doncaster live on ITV.
His win here over the Festival period certainly caught the eye, after badly hanging left he rallied late and like all great Champions, was able to win ugly.
Prior to that there were a couple of easy successes at Southwell, and looks a promising youngster for Kim Bailey going forward.
Golden opportunity to take it to the next level.
Elegant Escape can take advantage of the small difference in weight in between himself and the Caspian Caviar Gold Cup winner Frodon, with a victory in the feature of the day - the Grade Two BetBright Trial Cotswold Chase.
Crowned the Welsh Grand National winner over Christmas, the 7yo gelding arrives here with all guns blazing after that fantastic victory under Tom O'Brien.
After his seasonal return at Sandown began with a win, the 7yo was not disgraced when finishing a good second in a messy Ladbrokes Trophy behind Sizing Tennessee, before achieving top handicap success at Chepstow.
Colin Tizzard's runner looks destined to continue over this staying distance at the upcoming Festival, by launching a crack at the Magners Gold Cup, and can do his claims no harm with a solid display here.
Talented mare Lady Buttons, who is unbeaten this term, puts that record on the line in the Grade Two olbg.com Yorkshire Rose Mares' Hurdle.
Winning her last three - with a win over this course and distance gives Lady Buttons plenty of chances stepping up to this grade, and must continue to build on this form if going to beat similar horses with equally impressive forms.
Last two wins were chases with the previous win over hurdles at Wetherby, mainly on good to soft ground.
Twenty-eight days off should give her the right amount of time to come back and produce another impressive display.
With stablemate Champ OUT, Birchdale steps IN for Nicky Henderson in the Grade Two Ballymore Novices' Hurdle.
The JP McManus-owned youngster got the nod over the current favourite for the real thing in March, after the Champion Trainer decided he did not want to run Champ - named after AP McCoy, 'for the sake of it'.
The 5yo Birchdale though certainly has more to prove than the latter, having only run twice in his career and this contest could provide the key to unlocking his vast amount of potential.
He landed a point race in Ireland over three miles and made his rules debut at Warwick not too long ago; beating a field of seventeen and he could be something special in the years to come.
The form has worked out pretty well from that race as the second, third and fifth have all gone onto win since.
Big field for the Listed Sky Bet Handicap Chase; the final race on ITV from Doncaster, so we have compressed it down to two selections.
Firstly, Dingo Dollar surely holds strong credentials for this contest, having scored over this course and distance last term, but also finishing third in a top handicap (Ladbrokes Trophy) at Newbury eight weeks ago.
Has been rested since then for this and will be a well backed favourite, meanwhile Calipto has been busy in the same timeplan for Venetia Williams, notching up a decisive win at Wincanton three weeks ago.
Couple of unseats this term so will need to prove his reliability, but at 20/1 with most bookmakers at the time of writing, looks to have the stamina set now upped in distance.
Paisley Park could pose the main danger, as he puts his unbeaten record from this term on the line in the final race on Saturday live on ITV - the Grade Two galliardhomes.com Cleeve Hurdle.
Emma Lavelle's stable-star is three from three this season, flying home in a Grade 3 at Haydock almost three months ago, before landing the JLT Long Walk at Ascot just prior to Christmas.
The form has been boosted by the third Top Notch winning since - albeit over fences, but Paisley Park looks a real star in the Stayers division, and looks a really interesting contender.
