Evan Williams is hoping Silver Streak can continue his excellent run of consistency when he lines up for The New One Unibet Hurdle at Haydock on Saturday.
The six-year-old won the Swinton Hurdle over the course and distance in May and made a successful reappearance in the Welsh Champion Hurdle, before going down by a neck to Nietzsche in the Greatwood at Cheltenham.
Silver Streak showed he was not out of place in graded company when runner-up to Brain Power in the International Hurdle back at Cheltenham last month.
"It's competitive, as those races are, very competitive. You could give everything in the race a chance. It's one of those," said Williams. "He's done nothing wrong so far. These types of races are very difficult to win, but we'll give it a good try."
Dan Skelton feels Mohaayed is worth a try at this level after landing a valuable handicap hurdle at Ascot four weeks ago.]
"I can't wait to run him and step him into this grade," said the Alcester handler.
Global Citizen made a lot of the running when fourth to Verdana Blue in the Christmas Hurdle at Kempton, but is likely to be ridden with more restraint on this occasion, with his trainer Ben Pauling expecting a bold display.
"He ran very well at Kempton considering he hung very badly for the last mile. He only got beat 13 lengths, so I still see him as a potential improver," said the Gloucestershire handler. "I think the track will suit him well, the ground won't cause any problems having handled Newbury like he did. We might try to take our time with him a bit more and just get him to settle and ride a race from there. He was just too free at Kempton.
"If he improves like I hope he will, he'll be competitive. Silver Streak is the one to beat, but I go there with ultimate confidence having given him a little tweak. I fully expect him to run a big race."
Nicky Henderson is looking to Mister Fisher to back up his Kempton victory, after his trainer was underwhelmed by his jumps debut, when he reappears in the Sky Bet Supreme Trial Rossington Main Novices' Hurdle.
"I didn't expect him to do what he did at Kempton, as I was disappointed at Newbury," said Henderson. "We rode him slightly differently at Kempton and Nico (de Boinville) was dead right - he wanted to get him up there and let him race and that really helped. I wouldn't want to split him and Angels Breath (ability-wise)."
The Pauling-trained Bright Forecast takes a hike in grade after winning both his starts over the smaller obstacles.
"He's a horse that has got there quite quickly into a Grade Two, having not run in bumpers, but he's a lovely horse," said Pauling, whose five-year-old runs in the Aldaniti colours of the late Nick Embiricos. He couldn't have done any more than he's done and we've not found anywhere near the the bottom of him yet.
"He lines up as a bit of an unknown, but is a horse with a big chance. He's an exceptionally good jumper and he's improving all the time. As long as he settles nicely, I think he'll run a big race."
The Williams-trained Esprit Du Large shaped with plenty of promise when scoring first time over hurdles at Uttoxeter.
"He's a nice horse, unexposed. We don't know if we're good enough or not, but we like him and he won his maiden hurdle well," said the Llancarfan handler.
The Skelton stable is keen on Idee De Garde, who shaped well when second on his first run over hurdles at Newcastle. "He's a maiden, but has got one good run under his belt and he should be OK in this grade. I like him," said the trainer.
Pauling feels Le Breuil's jumping ability will stand him in good stead in the Patrick Coyne Memorial Altcar Novices' Chase. The seven-year-old made a winning debut over fences at Huntingdon in November and has been placed in all his three subsequent attempts.
"He's been hugely consistent this season and he's had a little break since his last run," he said. "He's in very good form. He's a brilliant jumper and the size of the fences will make it a proper jumping test and suit him down to the ground. With the ground on the soft side, he'll hopefully have a squeak, as the trip is a bit on the short side for him."
The Skelton-trained Crucial Role showed he had benefited for his debut over fences at Haydock when winning in convincing manner at Uttoxeter and is expected to put up a decent show.
"He won well at Uttoxeter and will have come on for that," said Skelton.
