Landing Light looks to have been laid-out to perfection by trainer Nicky Henderson and the six-year-old can land a third Tote Gold Trophy triumph in the last four years for the stable at Newbury today. He has been ante-post favourite for this £100,000 Showcase Handicap Hurdle since winning a competitive handicap at Cheltenham in impressive fashion.
His six-length success over La Landiere two weeks ago also earned him a 16 to 1 quote for the Smurfit Champion Hurdle at next month's Festival.
And even with a 4lb penalty, Landing Light is at the right end of the weights and looks one step ahead of the handicapper.
More improvement is likely as his Cheltenham run was only his third over hurdles, and although he would possibly be better on faster ground, he can emulate his stable-companions Sharpical in 1998 and Geos 12 months ago by landing the spoils.
First Gold looks to face a straightforward task as he bids to enhance his claims for the Gold Cup by following up his emphatic Pertemps King George VI success in the Aon Chase.
His performance at Kempton on St Stephen's Day was one of the best by a chaser for some time and elevated Francois Doumen's charge to 2 to 1 market leader for chasing's blue riband.
Despite jumping British-style fences in public for the first time, the French gelding put in a foot-perfect round and easily disposed of Irish ace Florida Pearl by 10 lengths.
Another ante-post favourite putting his Festival credentials on the line is Flagship Uberalles. The seven-year-old is 2 to 1 for the Queen Mother Champion Chase after showing himself to be back to his best with an 11-length destruction of Fadalko on his seasonal debut at Cheltenham in December - his first run since he joined Noel Chance's yard from Paul Nicholls' stable.
Chance's charge is working better than ever and can score again.
Charlie Mann's progressive staying chaser Moral Support can do his Martell Grand National chances no harm by winning the Mere House Handicap Chase at Haydock.
This half-brother to classy Irish veteran Dorans Pride won his first four races this season since joining Mann from Mouse Morris's Irish yard and was far from disgraced when runner-up to Jocks Cross in the Coral Welsh National at Chepstow.
Although beaten two and a half lengths by the winner, Moral Support was 30 lengths clear of the third and he can get back on the winning path in this three-mile event.
Up at Ayr, Barry Murtagh's consistent mud-lover Grey Abbey can complete a hat-trick in the Bet Direct Novices' Handicap Chase.
And now that he had finally got his head in front, Tyneandthyneagain will be worth following and should win the Martnaham Novices' Hurdle.
Today's meeting at Catterick fell foul of the weather after temperatures plummeted again at the track on Thursday night.
Course spokesman John Gundill said: "It got down to between -6C and -7C last night and the waterlogging has now frozen into the track."
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