Paul Nicholls has entered Largy Poet and Threeunderthrufive in his bid to win a twelfth edition of the Badger Beers Handicap Chase at Wincanton on Saturday.
The £80,000 contest, one of the feature races of the season at Nicholls' local track, has attracted 20 entries, with the early betting headed by The Doyen Chief, who is trained by Alan King (follow link for full Stable Tour).
Nicholls' contenders Largy Poet and Threeunderthrufive bring different profiles to the table as the former is a six-year-old in his first season outside novice company, while the latter is ten and has frequently featured in major handicap chases in recent years, including finishing runner-up in the 2023 Badger Beers.
Nicholls' sole runner in last season's Badger Beers, Mofasa, was pulled-up, but he enjoyed five winners on the card, with Rubaud providing one of those victories in the Grade 2 Elite Hurdle, one of the chief supporting races. Rubaud, who features among nine entries, is seeking an Elite Hurdle hat-trick and is likely to start a warm order on the back of a comfortable reappearance win at Kempton last month.
Nine horses have also been entered for the other Grade 2 on the card, the Rising Stars Novices' Chase, including Blueking d'Oroux for Nicholls. A smart hurdler and Grade 2 winner in that sphere, Blueking d'Oroux was beaten on his chasing debut at Newton Abbot last month but is likely to be sharper with that run under his belt. He has been installed as the early market leader for the Rising Stars, heading the betting from Henry de Bromhead's progressive Cobra Queen who has won her last two starts.
On an understandably quiet weekend of jumps racing in Britain given attention will swiftly turn to Cheltenham's November meeting, the Grand Sefton Chase provides the highlight at Aintree on Saturday.
Contested over the iconic Grand National fences, the Grand Sefton has attracted 21 entries, including last year's winner King Turgeon for David Pipe. Last year's third, Gaboriot, is another potential contender.
The Flat turf season concludes with the November Handicap at Doncaster on Saturday.
Among the 32 entries is last year's winner Lord Melbourne, who won in impressive fashion on his only subsequent start at Epsom in September. The betting is headed by one of the three-year-old contenders in the shape of Hopewell Rock for George Boughey.
The listed Wentworth Stakes earlier on the card could feature a couple of Group 1 winners as Art Power and Montassib are among the 18 entries.
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