Tony McFadden provides an overview of the key things to note on Sunday.
Wadham can enhance record at Fakenham
Lucy Wadham has had more winners than any other trainer at Fakenham since the start of the 2020/21 jumps season, with her tally of 24 coming from only 80 runners at an impressive strike rate of 30%.
Such a record at Fakenham means that Wadham's runners are always entitled to plenty of respect and she has three runners at the course on Sunday, including Castanea Breeze who narrowly tops Timeform's weight-adjusted ratings in the staying handicap hurdle (13:00).
Castanea Breeze was upped in trip and fitted with cheekpieces on his handicap debut at Market Rasen and improved on his previous efforts over hurdles to get off the mark. He then took another step forward on Timeform's figures, despite meeting with defeat, when finding only a similarly unexposed sort too strong at Wetherby last time, pulling clear of the rest. He's going the right way and should give another good account.
Highlands Legacy is open to further improvement
Highlands Legacy immediately improved on his hurdling efforts when making a successful start over fences at Worcester in October, doing well to reel in a well-handicapped rival despite conceding first run.
He has had to settle for second on his last couple of starts, but he was unlucky to bump into Mambonumberfive, a subsequent Grade 2 winner, at Aintree and also ran well behind Mighty Bandit at Newbury last time.
He was caught a bit flat-footed after an untidy jump at the second last and was unable to get on terms with Mighty Bandit, but he probably would have appreciated a stronger gallop to chase at Newbury and still has the Timeform 'small p' to show that he's expected to carry on improving after only three starts over fences. He was fancied to gain his revenge over Mighty Bandit in the two-mile handicap chase (13:50) at Windsor but his old rival has been withdrawn and has presented him with an even better-looking opportunity.
Rising Dust can do even better for Emmet Mullins
Rising Dust has thrived since joining Emmet Mullins and has won four of his six starts for the yard, mixing up chasing and hurdling to good effect.
His sole disappointing effort for the stable came on testing ground at Clonmel when he was bidding to complete a hat-trick in handicap hurdles, but he has appreciated the better ground at Thurles the last twice and won a couple of handicap chases with something to spare.
He cosily won over two and three-quarter miles in November, and then defied a 15 lb rise in the weights in a three-mile-one-furlong event last month, impressing with how he powered eight lengths clear up the run-in. That effort earned him the Horse In Focus Flag from Timeform's reporter to mark him out as one likely to remain of firm interest, and he also still has the Timeform 'small p', so he looks the one to beat in the two-mile-five-furlong handicap chase (14:50) at Thurles, despite having to cope with a drop in trip and a further 15 lb hike.
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He has been raised another 15 lb and faces a sharper test over this shorter trip, but he should have conditions in his favour and can progress again to extend his superb start for the stable.