PAUL NICHOLLS is going for an unprecedented fourth win on the bounce in the feature Challow Hurdle (Newbury, 3.00) with Captain Teague, but his run could be about to come to an end, courtesy of his old foe Nicky Henderson.

For the Lambourn maestro has the unbeaten WILLMOUNT on parade, currently a top priced 16/1 shot for the Ballymore Novices Hurdle, and with stable-mate JERIKO DU REPONET set to be aimed at the Supreme (runs in the 12.40). The son of Blue Bresil could oust Ballyburn and company at the top of the Cheltenham list, should he win this Grade One event in style.

A winner of a point to point, two bumpers and a novice hurdle at the track 51 days ago, his high cruising speed and clean jumping were the impressive factors of that success. Those assets will quite obviously be huge factors should he run in the longer race at the Prestbury Park track in March.

Captain Teague was impressive on his hurdling debut at Chepstow when accounting for Resplendent Grey by nine-and-a-half lengths, but his jumping was somewhat tentative at Cheltenham last time out when he was readily beaten by Minella Missile.

On the bare ratings, that still leaves him clear of the likely favourite, but the Henderson charge obviously has enormous room to improve.

Just behind him on my private figures is the experienced Lookaway, who ran a career best in defeat when running Iberico Lord to two-and-a-half lengths in the Greatwood Hurdle at Cheltenham.

Of the outsiders, The Jukebox Man has won two minor races at Ffos Las, but one thing that the Ben Pauling charge does is stay and, if conditions turn very testing, he could well be pitching in at the finish.

The Mandarin Handicap Chase at 2.25 was won by the great Mill House in its inaugural year and then further down the line by the likes of Night Nurse, subsequent Grand National winners Maori Venture and Party Politics and Jodami.

However, since then, the value of the race and therefore the quality of players has plummeted, and it is sadly only worth a shade over £16k to the winner.

CERTAINLY RED tops the weights off a mark of 137, and he should be set for a peak performance following his four-and-a-quarter lengths third of seven behind Truckers Lodge in the Betfair Exchange London National Handicap Chase at Sandown Park earlier in the month.

The nine-year-old gets the chance to run off a one pound lower mark here, and the drop in trip won’t be too much of a handicap for him.

Of his rivals, Docpickedme is almost certainly better than his flat run suggests at Haydock Park, while Yes Indeed could take a big step back in the right direction following an untidy round of jumping at Bangor last time out.

The two-and-a-half-mile limited novices handicap chase at 3.35 looks a cracking race and many will have their eyes on Walking On Air making his chasing debut.

Nicky Henderson has always regarded him as chaser, and he is worth monitoring in the marketplace, but he may have to just give best to PASSING WELL.

The Jamie Snowden charge jumped beautifully to make all at Lingfield Park last time out and in receipt of significant weight from those at the top of the handicap, the gelding could double up here.

Three-and-a-half miles around Haydock Park is a tough assignment for any horse but with the added factor of heavy ground only the ultra tough will survive, and to my eyes COLLECTORS ITEM has been crying out for such a test.

Last time out he never had a shot at the leaders when a never nearer fourth to Animal over three miles on testing ground, having previously been a real eye-catcher late on over the same trip, but on a good to soft surface at Exeter.

Dropped 3lbs for those two runs, the Jonjo O’Neill charge has an outstanding chance of landing his first chase on his fourth start in receipt of 6lbs from the vastly more experienced top weight Fortescue.

I thought that Henry Daly’s charge would make up into a Grand National charge one day, but he found it all happening too quickly in April on the good to soft ground and was eventually beaten fully 65 lengths by Corach Rambler.

This deeper surface is more his cup of tea, and he is now 2lbs below his last winning mark and on his close up third to Royale Pagaille in last year’s Peter Marsh he would have outstanding claims.

Also on the card at the Merseyside track, JASON THE MILITANT is beginning to look seriously well treated and should outrun his price in the two-and-a-quarter-mile handicap hurdle at 2.35, while the opening three-mile handicap hurdle at 12.15 may well go the way of top-weight FRONT VIEW, who didn’t do himself any favours when making numerous mistakes last time out at Ffos Las.

Moka de Vassy will be much more at home on the better ground for the staying handicap hurdle at Taunton due off at 2.45, but may still not have the engine to see off the very lightly raced KING OF THE LAKE, who has absolutely been crying out for this extra yardage and should not be missed.

But the best bet on the card at the Somerset track should be PEDLEY WOOD at 3.20. Still only a six-year-old, the Joe Tizzard-trained runner still wasn’t error-free when winning a moderate race at Hereford, but these fences don’t take much jumping and a 4lbs penalty seems very fair.

Finally, the mid-afternoon meeting at Wolverhampton looks competitive if mainly at a lower level and the pick of the wagers could be ROUSING ENCORE in the feature six furlong event at 5.45.

Richard Fahey’s three-year-old ran much better than his finishing position suggests at Lingfield Park last time out when making late headway behind Intervention following a 60-day break.

He was remarkably been dropped a pound for that effort and may surprise the likes of Baldomero and that seasoned pro Gulliver.

At a much lower level, DAKOTA POWER can end a run of frustrating placed efforts by landing the class six, extended 7f event at 4.15. Hopefully we will get a slightly bigger price than anticipated due to his double figure box draw.