Brave can step up in class at Sandown
Brave Kingdom can make it two from two for Paul Nicholls as he takes a marked step up in class in the Ballymore Winter Novices' Hurdle at Sandown.
The five-year-old only joined the champion trainer this season having started out his career with Harry Whittington, winning a bumper in impressive style at Fontwell back in February on his only run for the latter.
Brave Kingdom transferred to Nicholls' care over the summer after having wind surgery in July, and he looked every bit as promising a prospect in winning a Chepstow maiden hurdle by nine and a half lengths at the start of November.
He made all that day and was certainly far from all out in victory, suggesting there is plenty still to come.
Brave Kingdom's future appears to lie over fences, but this Grade Two heat looks a perfect stepping stone.
Desque De L'Isle can enhance his already impressive statistics of three wins in his last five outings by landing the Betfair Exchange Handicap Chase.
Venetia Williams' runner struck twice at Lingfield last year before losing his way a bit in two subsequent starts.
Another to have had a summer wind surgery, the eight-year-old kicked off the season with victory at Ffos Las at the beginning of November, triumphing by a length and a half but looking fair value for the distance.
The handicapper was clearly of a similar view as Desque De L'Isle is now on a 10lb higher mark, which puts him on a career high of 120 although it still does not look insurmountable for this lightly-raced individual.
Stoner's Choice can land the Pertemps Network Handicap Hurdle after finishing third in another qualifier at Kempton on his reappearance.
He could not quite cope with two race-fit rivals in Sunbury, losing out on second place in the shadow of the post, but should be much sharper for this contest.
Adrimel ended last term on a couple of low notes, but the move to fences in the Cheltenham & South West Syndicate Novices' Chase at Exeter looks sure to suit.
He won his first three hurdle races for Tom Lacey, culminating in Grade Two glory at Warwick in January, and was not unfancied as a 9-1 shot for the Albert Bartlett at the Cheltenham Festival.
Adrimel did not sparkle at Prestbury Park and was pulled up before the last, while a retrieval mission at Aintree ended in the same manner.
A point-to-point winner before starting his career under rules, the six-year-old has always been regarded as an excellent chasing prospect and gets his chance to prove it now.