There aren't many trainers on the planet who can extract as much improvement out of a horse as Somerset maestro Martin Pipe.

So, when it looks as though he has a well-handicapped type on his hands, it's usually time to take notice.

His lightly-raced Ravens-wood, who turned in a much- improved display on his handicap debut last time, looks one for that category and he can prove the point by winning the Martell Noblige Handicap Hurdle over two and a half miles at Aintree.

Pipe's five-year-old, having only his fourth outing over hurdles at Newbury that day, was value for much more than the winning margin over Wednesday's Ludlow winner Lussino would suggest.

Faster ground isn't a concern as he won on good to firm on the Flat and a 9lb rise in the weights shouldn't be enough to stop him this time.

Pipe and Tony McCoy can get the day off to a good start with Westender in the Grade 2 Martell Top Novices Hurdle over two miles.

There haven't been many more progressive or tougher performers than the six-year-old, who turned in his best effort to date when a neck second to Ireland's unbeaten Like-A-Butterfly at Cheltenham last time.

Conditions here look ideal and, although he had a hard race that day, this represents a much easier task and he can again finish ahead of In Contrast.

The same trainer/jockey combination can be in treble winning form with Tarxien in the Martell Sefton Novices Hurdle over three miles.

This trip on fastish ground will be more in his favour than for the majority of these rivals and he can get the better of Jonjo O'Neill's Joss Naylor.

O'Neill has fair claims in the Martell V.S. Handicap Chase over three miles and one furlong after his cracking Cheltenham run. But the headgear he wore that day isn't guaranteed to have the same effect again and he's taken on with Eau de Cologne.

Lydia Richards' ten-year-old is a most consistent sort and he looked to be approaching his peak when second in the prestigious Racing Post Handicap Chase at Kempton last time.

As most of his wins have been around this time of year he looks to hold sound claims now that the ground is in his favour again.

Korakor also loves a sound surface and he looks an interesting runner in the Martell Topham Chase For Sport Relief Showcase Handicap over the two miles and five furlongs of the Grand National course.

Ian Williams' runner looks to have been laid out specifically for this race and he ran right up to his best when second to King On The Run at Doncaster when last seen in January.

Sedgefield stages an ordinary card but there's a fair bit of interest and this especially applies to Teme Valley, who looks the best bet of the meeting in the Discover Racing Handicap Hurdle over two miles and one furlong.

Although below his best of late, this sounder surface is expected to be very much in his favour and, with his stable now in much better form, he's taken to notch course and distance win number five. Best bet at Folkestone's Flat meeting could be Moon At Midnight, who offered plenty on his debut but disappointed on very testing ground at Newcastle earlier this week, in the five-furlong maiden at 2.15.

* Florida Pearl came back to his brilliant best as he impressively landed the £120,000 Martell Cup, the feature race on the first day of Aintree's Grand National meeting.

Ireland's best chaser had disappointed his many supporters when below-par in the Tote Cheltenham Gold Cup on his latest start, but showed that run to be all wrong when scooting up from Cyfor Malta.

Sent into the lead by jockey Barry Geraghty down the back straight, the 5-2 winner sealed success with some impressive jumps at the third-last and second-last fences.

As his rivals blundered away their chances, Florida Pearl pulled right away to beat Cyfor Malta by 11 lengths, with favourite Lord Noelie - who bled from the nose afterwards - a neck back in third.

Florida Pearl was only taken out of the Martell Grand National field at the final declaration stage when connections decided that this contest represented a more suitable contest.

But trainer Willie Mullins said that the ten-year-old could be aimed at the National next year.

''I don't regret taking him out of this year's race but he could come back next year. It's a race everybody would love to win,'' said Mullins.

''I am thrilled to have won this race. I think he might have had a bit of an infection at Cheltenham, which was disappointing.

''We scoped him beforehand and nothing showed up. But we gave him a lung wash after Cheltenham, it took five days to get the result but it did show something.

''Sometimes when you have a good horse it's hard to work them hard enough and be sure just how fit they are because it's impossible to get them to really go.

''I just wish I could get him to the Gold Cup as well as he was today.

''He took a while to get warmed up today and he was a bit sticky early on but then he really started to enjoy himself.

''It's probably the fastest ground he's ever raced on and it's suited him, but I think just having him right on the day is the most important thing.'