Northern Starlight looks set to represent Martin Pipe as the Somerset trainer bids to plunder another big prize in the £45,000-added First National Bank Gold Cup Chase at Ascot on Saturday.
Pipe blew away any doubts about the form of his stable when Cyfor Malta won the Murphy's Gold Cup at Cheltenham and the latter, the original top weight for next weekend's big race, was unsurprisingly withdrawn at yesterday's five-day declaration stage.
Northern Starlight is now the only Pipe entry among yesterday's 13 acceptors and with the weights rising by 15lb, now has joint topweight of 11st 10lb along with Hoh Warrior.
Northern Starlight won four times last season, putting up his best performance when beating Escartefigue at Cheltenham last December.
United House Construction Handicap Chase winner Dontleavethenest is set to return in search of another Ascot prize.
He will step up from two miles to 191/2 furlongs and has risen 7lb for his three length defeat of Chief's Song, who also holds an entry on Saturday.
Paul Nicholls' progressive six-year-old Irbee and recent Carlisle winner Red Marauder, owned and trained by Norman Mason in Co Durham, are other interesting entries for what looks a wide-open race on paper.
The Grade Two contest has fallen to many good horses since Wayward Lad took the first running in 1981, with Strong Promise and Deep Sensation among recent winners.
Acceptors: Hoh Warrior, Northern Starlight, Chief's Song, Ashwell Boy, Dontleavethenest, Listen Timmy, The Land Agent, Hurricane Lamp, Irbee, Kurakka, Red Marauder, Raleagh Native, Skycab.
Jimmy Fortune is the 1998 Cocked Hat "Cock O'The North" - the north of England's champion jockey on the Flat.
His tally of 108 winners meant Fortune finished third in the jockeys' championship behind Kieren Fallon and Frankie Dettori.
Carl Lowther was leading northern apprentice with 49 winners while top northern-based female rider was Alex Greaves (16 winners).
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