Owner Graham Wylie is keeping his fingers crossed Tidal Bay will be back to his best in the totetentofollow Old Roan Chase at Aintree on Saturday.

The 2008 Arkle Trophy winner had a mixed campaign last season, winning only the first of his six starts.

He has since had a wind operation and connections of the Howard Johnson-trained eight-year-old are hoping it will have done the trick.

"We are excited but at the same time we are not quite sure what will happen because he has had a wind operation, so let's get him out there and then we can plan afterwards," said Wylie.

"He seems OK. He's been galloping fine and schooling fine and we will find out more tomorrow when he's in a competitive race.

"Hopefully if he is back to his best he can run a big race, but until you put him on a racecourse and get him under pressure, you don't know if the wind operation has worked or not. It's fingers crossed."

Irish owner J P McManus is double-handed with the Jonjo O'Neill-trained Don't Push It and Finger Onthe Pulse from Tom Taaffe's stable both lining up.

"It's the first run back for Don't Push It and Jonjo's very happy with him. He won't mind the ground and we're hoping for a nice run," said McManus' racing manager Frank Berry.

"He's dropping back from three miles, but it's a nice place to start him off for the season.

"Finger Onthe Pulse is in tremendous form. Tom is very happy with him and he's hoping he'll run a big race."

Ferdy Murphy is hoping for a better run from Three Mirrors, just eight days after his seasonal debut.

"He didn't settle early the last day at Cheltenham. He got a little bit spooked up when we were saddling him so he ran with the choke out," said the West Witton trainer.

"I'm bringing hum out again quick. I think it will help him. He's been grand since the run, it's a very competitive race though.

"He's had an outing which will have blown the cobwebs off him. We'll see tomorrow if he's good enough to go for the Paddy Power Gold Cup or not. It will give us an idea where we go with him."

An eight-strong field also includes last year's winner Knowhere from the Nigel Twiston-Davies stable and Nicky Richards' grey Monet's Garden, who took this prize in 2007.

The Paul Nicholls-trained Kicks For Free and Tom George's Tartak complete the line-up.