Paul Nicholls and Joe Tizzard have been taking it in turns to win the BetMGM Haldon Gold Cup Handicap Chase in recent years and they will again be fancying their chances as they are responsible for half of the six runners.

Sans Bruit will fly the flag for Nicholls, while Tizzard will be represented by JPR One and Scarface. The sequence for the past four years has been Nicholls-Tizzard-Nicholls-Tizzard so the pattern suggests the prize will be heading back to Ditcheat.

There was a time, of course, when they were in the same team. Two of Nicholls’ eight winners of the race were ridden by Tizzard – the latter being Flagship Uberalles a quarter of a century ago. Time flies when you are having fun.

The £100,000 feature also includes two Dan Skelton-trained challengers in Etalon and Heltenham, while Venetia Williams will be hoping that Djelo can give her a belated second success in the race after the victory of Bellator in 2000.

We’ve got an intriguing contest in store. Here’s a guide to all the runners, all of whom are either aged 6 or 7. 

Trainer: Joe Tizzard. Official Rating: 149. Odds: 9-4. 

It was three years ago that JPR One won on his debut at this meeting when he had subsequent Grand National winner I Am Maximus back in third. 

His novice hurdle campaign ended up petering out and we saw him only twice the following campaign but he got back on track switched to fences last term, winning at Newton Abbot and Lingfield plus being unlucky not to score at Cheltenham in between. 

He’s looked flashy on occasions, jumping like a cat, but he was disappointing when third in an ordinary renewal of the Henry VIII Novices’ Chase and his tame display in the Arkle again hinted that he’s not the most robust. That was him finished for the campaign. 

The seven-year-old has an exemplary record when fresh and now is probably as good a time as any to catch him. It could be that a wind op over the summer, plus the application of a first-time tongue-tie, also means he is a better model and his yard is in form. 

Trainer: Venetia Williams. Official Rating: 147. Odds: 7-2. 

Like so many from his yard, he’s turning out to be a much better chaser than hurdler. Rated 128 over the small obstacles, he’s already reached a mark that is 19lb higher after one season over fences. 

Djelo reeled off wins at Aintree, Newbury and Ascot at the start of last season plus was placed in Grade One contests over 2m4f at Sandown, behind front-running Nickle Back, and Cheltenham, when a respectable third behind Grey Dawning and Ginny’s Destiny in the Turners. We can give him a pass on his below-par run at the Grand National meeting. 

I think we’ve established he’s going to be one for big handicaps rather than graded company, and my hunch is that a rating of 147 is workable. 

As usual, Williams skipped the summer and has only had a sprinkling of runners this autumn, so the form of the yard is difficult to gauge. However, Djelo has a good record when fresh (has won first time out in each of his three seasons) and the yard landed a valuable prize with Martator at Ascot last Saturday after he had been off six months. 

Trainer: Dan Skelton.  Official Rating: 142. Odds: 14-1. 

There’s little doubt this strong traveller has made big strides since being beaten off a mark of 107 this time two years ago at Stratford. 

However, he’s looked well served by a combination of 2m4f and soft ground and this test is likely to be sharp enough for him. 

He can also still make the odd howler, as he did when falling on his final start at Ayr last term, having also blundered away his chance three out in the Red Rum the time before. 

Heltenham had been an intended runner at Wetherby over almost 2m4f at Wetherby last week but was withdrawn on account of the good ground. So it remains to be seen whether he will line up here. 

Trainer: Dan Skelton. Official Rating: 141. Odds: 7-2. 

This imposing gelding was always marking time over hurdles and also bumped into some smart opponents in such as Strong Leader and Crambo in his four starts in that sphere. 

He wasted little time making an impact switched to fences last season, jumping like an old hand and reeling off successive handicap wins at Newbury, Warwick and Sandown. 

His rating soared by 22lb and he ended up being pitched into Grade One company at Aintree but he was already fighting a losing battle when blundering two out and going backwards. 

Etalon appeals as the type to do better again this term and the way he bolted up at Sandown in February, off a mark of 131, suggests the handicapper’s swipe may not be enough to stall his progress. 

I’d imagine this six-figure prize has been on his agenda for a while and so fitness should not be an issue. He won well first time out last term. 

Trainer: Paul Nicholls.  Official Rating: 139. Odds: 6-1. 

His form in France, where he had 18 races over a range of distances, was something of a mixed bag. 

And his first three starts for Paul Nicholls – the first two over hurdles – were nothing out of the ordinary but then he put up an explosive front-running performance under Bryony Frost, who retains the ride, in the Red Rum Chase at Aintree when making all for an emphatic success. 

One of the features of that day was how strongly he was fancied in the market. He was 2lb out of the handicap but almost went off favourite and those who followed the cash didn’t have many anxious moments. 

Sans Bruit was predictably well-fancied to follow up at Ayr nine days later but the combination of a 10lb hike and swift turnaround proved too much for him. 

It’s not difficult to imagine him getting an uncontested lead here (he has back-to-lay potential for those who enjoy betting in-running) but he’s raced almost exclusively on soft ground and many of the stable’s runners are needing the run. Those wanting further proof of that should note that only one of the stable’s past 13 runners to go off at 2/1 or shorter have won. 

Trainer: Joe Tizzard. Official Rating: 132. Odds: 12-1 

He’s the stable second string but, unlike the others, does have the benefit of a recent run plus has services of champion jockey Harry Cobden. 

All his best form has been over 2m4f and he got outpaced when fifth to Calico on his return over 2m at Cheltenham. 

This slightly longer trip should help but the bottom line is that he’s much more exposed than these and probably in the grip of the handicapper. 

This is trappy and I’ve gone around in circles a few times. I’ll be surprised if Heltenham or Scarface prevail, but you can make cases for all the other four. 

As ever, it boils down to price and the 7-2 on offer about ETALON sways me in his favour. He was very slick over his fences last term, especially at Sandown, and can make the most of the 8lb that JPR One must concede. 

1 ETALON. 2 JPR ONE. 3 DJELO. 4 SANS BRUIT. 5 SCARFACE. 6 HELTENHAM.