Dan Skelton's Grey Dawning lines up at Kelso this weekend where he will face three rivals including Iroko.
A Grade 1 novice chase winner at last year's Cheltenham Festival, Skelton plans to skip the big meeting at Prestbury Park with his star steeplechaser this spring in favour of the Listed bet365 Premier Chase on Saturday ahead of a return to the top table in the Bowl at Aintree in April.
Grey Dawning is the odds-on favourite under Harry Skelton, with the Oliver Greenall and Josh Guerrriero-trained Iroko also holding an entry in the BetVictor Greatwood Gold Cup Handicap Chase at Newbury.
Barrons Land and El Elefante complete the four-runner line-up at Kelso, where Favour And Fortune tops the weights for the valuable bet365 Morebattle Hurdle.
Alan King's charge lines up against the Emmet Mullins-trained and Danny Mullins-ridden mare Vischio, a winner at the Dublin Racing Festival when last seen, and last year's Morebattle hero Cracking Rhapsody who is also among the 18 declared runners.
Willie and Patrick Mullins combine earlier on the card as recent Wetherby winner Chart Topper tackles the Grade 2 bet365 Premier Novices' Hurdle.
As well as Iroko, Paul Nicholls' big Randox Grand National hope Kandoo Kid has been declared in Newbury's 16-strong Greatwood Gold Cup, while up at Doncaster it is another National entry, Twig, who heads the weights for the Virgin Bet Grimthorpe Handicap Chase.
In Ireland on Saturday, El Fabiolo and Grangeclare West are set to lock horns in the BoyleSports Webster Cup Chase at Naas. Fil Dor, Gentleman De Mee and Senecia complete the runners in the two and a half-mile Grade 2 event.
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