Four key horses to follow on Saturday over Jumps

Tipster: Tom Thurgood.

The form of the Venetia Williams yard is something to bear in mind, yet it has a bit less bearing when focusing on a the narrower pool of a yard's high-class performers and stable stars, and Williams has an excellent record in the Peter Marsh in the past 25 years (four winners plus two placed from 14 runs; +£6.75, 1.93 A/E).

Class can often tell in this race, too – horses carrying 11st 10lb or more since 1997 are four from 21 (1.16 A/E) with several runner-up efforts, including Definitly Red when trying to give 13lb to Vintage Clouds in the 2020 race.

All told, odds of 3-1 (advised ante-post) - suggesting that Royale Pagaille has a 25 per cent of winning - looks to underestimate his chance.

Tipster: Harry Allwood.

It was no surprise Altobelli contested a Grade One on his fourth start for Harry Fry having won his first three outings in the style of a smart performer, and Fry made no secret of the fact that he holds this seven-year-old in high regard. 

Things didn’t go to plan in that contest, but Altobelli returned to action last season off a potentially lenient mark of 131, and produced eye-catching efforts in defeat in two decent handicaps, including in a valuable contest at this track behind Luccia where he probably found the ground a shade too fast. A slow pace also didn’t help his cause there, and he looked the one to take out of the race. 

That form has been franked multiple times, most notably by the winner who finished third in the Unibet Champion Hurdle on her next outing, and it is best to forgive Altobelli’s effort in the Betfair Hurdle, which he was sent off 5-1 for, on his next start as he was not right afterwards and missed the remainder of the season. 

Having been off ten months, he probably needed the outing on his return to action at Doncaster in December, where he looked set to be well beaten before staying on powerfully to finish second, and the lack of a recent run there appeared to take a toll before he found his second wind. 

That performance also hinted that he is ready for a step back up in distance (he has won over 2m3½f before) having been campaigned predominantly over the minimum trip. 

There is a dry forecast ahead of Saturday, and ‘good in places’ is likely to creep into the going description, which is good to soft, at the time of writing, but there should still be some ease underfoot, which will suit the selection. 

Having had just eight starts, he should have more to offer this term, and it is wise to believe he remains well handicapped off a rating of 132 based on his best efforts last season, despite being raised 2lb for his latest start.

Tipster: Martin Dixon.

No, not that one! It's safe to say that Willie Mullins' top-class mare wouldn't be running in a three-mile handicap hurdle at Haydock, but the first incarnation, a ten-year-old now trained by Polly Gundry, is running here and his comeback after almost three years off the track at Newbury in November was a very encouraging effort. He finished fourth there in a competitive handicap hurdle, despite blowing up a little late on. 

He's clearly been fragile but he's entitled to be fitter and sharper for that outing and on his romp in the Grade Two Winter Novices' Hurdle in 2021, plus the promise of his return, I think a mark of 134 is workable. 

Tipster: Dave Nevison.

Dominic’s Fault will be short in this Seniors' Handicap Hurdle, but rightly so, and it looks to be another example of excellent placing by his in-form trainer Olly Murphy. He just qualifies to run in this race being an eight-year-old, and has mostly old-timers to beat here. 

However, he is lightly-raced and still looks to have plenty of potential upside, which his rivals have clearly used up over the years. He won by six lengths at Lingfield last time and should have won the time before as well. 

The handicapper has put him up 9lb since his latest win, but against exposed opposition such as this, that is very unlikely to stop him.