A BRILLIANT Saturday of national hunt racing centres around Trials Day at Cheltenham and at Doncaster and it is SKB Great Yorkshire Chase at the Town Moor track that takes pride of place in my betting profile this afternoon.

It is great to see a massive field of 18 go to post with the midweek mover being bottom weight Cap Du Nord who will finally get his spring ground off a very viable mark of 122. However, he is hardly improving at the age of 11 and now down to 8/1 in places I feel he has been found in the market place.

Better options come further up the handicap in the form of the progressive Forward Plan and last year’s winner COOPER’S CROSS, Cap Du Nord 6lbs better off for a length beating 12 months ago.

The selection looked a non stayer in the Tommy Whittle Chase at Haydock Park on horrible ground and then couldn’t jump a twig in a two-and-a-half mile handicap chase at Musselburgh last time out. That has seen his mark drop from 136 to 131 and back in this better ground I think he has more than a fighting chance of retaining his title and the 16/12 available, with enhanced place terms, looks too good to turn down.

The Willie Mullins-trained GALA MARCEAU is the big draw in the SBK Yorkshire Rose Mares Hurdle at 2.05 and she can enhance her Mares Hurdle claims at the Cheltenham Festival by seeing off the challenges of stable mate Ashroe Diamond and Nicky Henderson’s Under Control. The latter duo have the advantage of a run under their belts, Ashroe having finished a 15 length third in the Hatton’s Grace Hurdle at Fairyhouse. But the selection has massive improvement in her and this galloping extended two miles should play to her strengths under the brilliant Danny Mullins.

Of the other races at the South Yorkshire track I have strong fancy for GOLD DES BOIS at a double figure price in the opening two-mile chase at 11.50, while CALL OF THE WILD looks sure to appreciate the much better ground in the two-and-a-half mile hurdle at 12.55.

Burdett Road is going to have to jump much better than he has in his first two starts over hurdles to complete the hat-trick in the JCB Triumph Hurdle Trial which opens up the card at 12.05.

Sir Gino is the most obvious alternative on form, but I just wonder whether he is better suited to a flatter track and I shall be having an each-way play on LE FAUVE. Dab Skelton’s charge ran really well in his British debut in a Listed hurdle at Aintree in December, looking in need of both the run and the experience and can step up here with stamina sure to be more at a premium at the Prestbury Park track.

There are so many questions to be answered in the feature Cotswold Chase at 1.50 that you could make a case of sorts for all of the six runners. It is interesting that Paul Nicholls is putting his novice and Brown Advisory hope into open company on the back of his Sandown Park success. Victory here would set his handler with a real festival conundrum, but I just feel that the drying ground is against him and indeed Betfair Chase winner Royale Pagaille. The Real Whacker is not an out and out stayer in my book, while Ahoy Senor has plenty to prove following two pulled up efforts this year. That leaves this Grade Two prize between Capodanno and DATSALRIGHTGINO. The former is once again being aimed at a tilt at the Grand National and is set to be well served by this better ground after keeping on nicely when a well beaten third behind Galopin Des Champs in the Savills Chase at Leopardstown over Christmas.

But the selection has plenty in his favour having stayed on very strongly to land the Coral Gold Cup (old Hennessy) at Newbury off a mark of 148 and is now rated 159 which still leaves him some seven pounds behind a couple of his rivals here. However, that was his first ever run beyond three miles which he seemed to relish and I suspect he will make a big step forward again here, which he must do, to lay down his Cheltenham Gold Cup claims.

The Paddy Power Cheltenham Countdown Podcast Handicap Chase at 1.15 looks a cracking renewal and the likes of Il Rodoto, Jetoile and Victtorino all look sure to play a major part in this valuable two-and-a-half mile event. Ga Law looked like winning the Great Yorkshire Chase on this day last year until falling late on, but connections have decided against a trip up north and instead are dropping him in trip here, yet is still 8lbs higher than winning the 2022 Paddy Power Gold Cup.

So, the nod goes to one of the light weights here LOUNGE WIZARD who is surely better than he showed when he was tailed off in that Becher Chase at Aintree on horrible ground. Three miles on good ground is definitely within his compass, but two and a half miles around here, racing from the front where his slick jumping will be a huge asset, looks more his cup of tea and I shall be wading into the 33/1 available with several bookmakers offering five places.

The Paddy Power Stayers Hurdle remains up for grabs at the festival which means that the Grade Two Cleeve Hurdle (3.35) could be a pivotal trial for that Thursday feature.

I am sure the majority of the crowd would love to see that grand old campaigner Paisley Park roll back the years, but he surely wants more dig in the ground to win this race again and a better value play simply has to be last year’s Stayers Hurdle runner-up DASHEL DRASHER. He once again ran his race when six lengths off Crambo in the Long Walk Hurdle at Ascot and is taken to reverse that form with Paisley here.