Liberman backed up by right combination

Racing In Britain: It has been hard to beat the combination of Martin Pipe, David Johnson and Timmy Murphy in the big weekend events this season and punters can expect a repeat dose in the £50,000 totescoop6 Sandown Handicap Hurdle today

The trio combine with Liberman, who has taken time to live up to his star billing but is starting to look the part now.

The six-year-old looked set for big things after accounting for Trabolgan in the Champion Bumper of 2003. But after scoring on his debut over timber he went backwards and was even sent home to Ireland for a brief spell.

That seemed to help him get his confidence back, however, and after unseating at Bangor on his return, he notched two wins on the bounce at Market Rasen, with the form of his latest run having worked out a treat.

Jumping and travelling pretty sweetly, he stayed on well to account for Patriarch Express by two lengths, the pair well clear of the third.

The runner-up has gone on to show himself to be very smart and landed the Cleeve Hurdle at Cheltenham last weekend.

This is tougher for Liberman, but he has been well-supported ante-post, is still open to plenty of improvement and shapes as though he will relish the stiff finish at the Esher venue.

Royal Shakespeare can get his Festival aspirations back on target with victory in the Agfa Hurdle.

The Steve Gollings-trained six-year-old has been written off in some quarters as a serious Champion Hurdle candidate.

But that looks foolish on his novice form, the pick of which saw him beaten just a short head by Brave Inca, currently one of the leading fancies for the hurdlers' crown.

He ran a race brim full of promise in the "Fighting Fifth" at Newcastle behind Harchibald and Inglis Drever on his seasonal debut, but got stuck in the mud last month at Haydock on his return from illness.

That run is clearly best forgotten and he is worth another chance to prove he has what it takes to mix it with the big boys at Cheltenham.

Oneway is one of the most progressive horses in training at the moment and can bag his fifth success on the bounce in the Sodexho Prestige Handicap Chase.

Mark Rimell's charge put up his best effort yet to run out a ready winner over today's course and distance last month, a performance which prompted connections to consider a tilt at the Victor Chandler Chase.

But they wisely opted to miss that engagement as he would have been running from some way out of the weights due to the presence of the mighty Well Chief.

Ashley Brook should give a very good account of himself in the totesport Scilly Isles Novices' Chase. He has taken well to fencing and lost little in defeat behind My Will over an inadequate two miles at Uttoxeter on his return from a break.

The half-mile-longer trip will suit and he promises to strip much fitter this time.

Ollie Magern goes on a recovery mission at Wetherby in the Totty Construction Towton Novices' Chase and should oblige with the minimum of fuss.

He has some rock-solid form to his name this season, not least a battling second in the Hennessy Gold Cup, but crashed out early on in the Pillar Chase at Cheltenham last weekend. That was most unlike him and a repeat is not expected.

Royal Emperor also merits plenty of interest on his return to the bigger obstacles in the totesport.com Handicap Chase.

Best bet of the day looks like being Carte Diamond in the John Smith's Juvenile Novices' Hurdle at Musselburgh.

Brian Ellison's charge powered away with the November Handicap at the end of the last Flat season and looked destined for the top in the winter game when accounting for the useful Iron Man by five lengths on his debut over jumps at Newcastle in November.

He was then sent off at odds-on for a Grade Two event at Lingfield but could only manage what looked to be a slightly disappointing third in a race that went to Salut Saint Cloud.

However, the winner has looked a smart horse since and was third in arguably the best juvenile event run so far this season at Cheltenham last weekend.

The runner-up Patrixprial had only been beaten a whisker by the in form Yankeedoodledandy - who lost his unbeaten record when second at Cheltenham previously - so in hindsight it was not that bad an effort.

Two runs in quick succession may also have played a part and Ellison has given Carte Diamond, who holds some smart Festival entries, plenty of time to recover.