It's a big week for Yorkshire trainer Peter Beaumont, whose Cheltenham Gold Cup hope Hussard Collonges is an intended runner at Haydock on Saturday.
His progressive eight-year-old looks the best ante-post value on offer for the Gold Cup at a top-priced 16-1 and the yard can get the week off to a good start with Pendle Hill in the Driffield Championship Dog Show Novices Chase at Doncaster today.
Pendle Hill has had the misfortune to come up against potentially smart novices in the shape of Man Murphy and The Bajan Bandit in his last two outings but he's been anything but disgraced in defeat.
This sound jumper has left the strong impression that the return to today's trip of three miles would be very much in his favour. He's taken to beat Richard Phillips' Another General.
Richard Johnson, who rides Another General, can be on the mark with Henry Daly's Waterburg in the Tote Exacta Showcase Handicap over three miles.
Admittedly he'll need to fare better than on his reappearance at Market Rasen in November, but this less testing ground could suit and his record last term was one of a progressive performer.
At Wolverhampton Fibresand specialist Yenaled is taken to return to winning ways in the Bet Direct On ITV Page 367 Handicap over the extended mile and one furlong.
Ian Semple has his team in good form and his six-year-old should be well-suited by how things could unfold here, as there's at least two that can make the running.
My selection does need things to fall right to an extent but he's capable when they do and he should also appreciate the return to this trip after a couple of fair efforts in steadily run races over a mile.
Semple has claims with Speedfit Free in division two of the Sky Text Page 372 Handicap but he's not the most consistent around and the vote goes to Patrick Haslam's Arnbi Dancer.
The Haslam team are just starting to hit a bit of form after a relatively quiet spell and his four-year-old lost nothing in defeat behind a well-handicapped rival over this trip at Southwell last time.
Seven pound claimer Dominic Fox has impressed with his handling in recent times and the combination are taken to beat Semple's runner and Eric Alston's Pilgrim Princess.
Division one of the same contest could go to Essex Street, who has yet to win a race but has shown enough on two recent visits to this track to suggest he's got decent claims in an ordinary event.
Sir Mark Prescott has been in good form in recent weeks and can notch a double starting with Young Collier in the Bet Direct On Channel 4 Page 613 Handicap over a mile and seven.
Then Triwan could be the one to be on in the Bet Direct At Dunstall Park Apprentice Handicap over seven furlongs.
The former looks a good thing, even from out of the handicap, as he showed much-improved form when winning, eased down, by 15 lengths over two miles at Southwell last week.
Triwan is bred to be decent and he's shown ability at up to this trip in recent times. He couldn't be in better hands and his competent apprentice has been riding with plenty of confidence in recent times.
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