Grey Dawning heads five in Cotswold contention

Grey Dawning will face a maximum of four rivals when he bids to cement his Cheltenham Gold Cup credentials in Saturday’s Betfair Cotswold Chase.

The nine-year-old sidestepped the Festival entirely last season, but trainer Dan Skelton is gunning for the blue riband this time around after seeing his charge make an impressive start to his campaign in the Betfair Chase at Haydock in November.

He is set to be taken on this weekend by last year’s Cotswold Chase hero L’Homme Presse, who will be diverted to Prestbury Park after a planned appearance in the Classic Chase at Warwick was scuppered by the weather.

Gordon Elliott’s Stellar Story, the Jimmy Mangan-trained Spillane’s Tower and Gavin Cromwell’s stable stalwart Flooring Porter could all travel from Ireland.

The latter has been off the track since winning the 2024 Kerry National at Listowel and his trainer last week indicated Saturday’s Pertemps Network Cleeve Hurdle would be his planned comeback target, but he has instead been entered over fences.

The Cleeve Hurdle has attracted 10 entries, with the standard set by Nicky Henderson’s Long Distance and Long Walk Hurdle winner Impose Toi.

Olly Murphy’s Strong Leader was best of the rest behind Impose Toi at Ascot before Christmas and while he has so far failed to run up to his best at Cheltenham, a rematch is on the cards.

“He will definitely run and he’s good and training well,” said Murphy.

“He has the Cheltenham question to answer and is going there with his eyes open, but we just want to have one more go.

“We didn’t think he handled Ascot last year and he did this year when second in the Long Walk and he’s had his wind-op and got his cheek pieces, so we’ll have one more roll of the dice.

“He’s in the form of his life and we’ll have a go here and then more than likely freshen him up for Aintree.”

Sixteen four-year-olds are in the mix for the Grade Two JCB Triumph Trial Juvenile Hurdle including Skelton’s impressive Kempton winner Maestro Conti and the Paul Nicholls-trained Minella Yoga, who claimed the notable scalp of Act Of Innocence on his British debut at Newbury last month.

The Nicky Henderson-trained Act Of Innocence is one of the possible star attractions in the last of four Grade Twos on the card, the AIS Novices’ Hurdle, with Olly Murphy’s unbeaten gelding Adonedeal, Ben Pauling’s Taurus Bay, Skelton’s pair of Bossman Jack and Carlenrig and John McConnell’s Champion Bumper runner-up Heads Up also in contention.