Nigel Twiston-Davies trained course specialist Bristol De Mai returns to Haydock Park this weekend looking for further success on Merseyside.
The grey has won five times overall at the Merseyside track, most notably the 2017 Peter Marsh Chase.
The veteran bids for a better performance after finishing a disappointing 21 lengths behind Protektorat in his last outing at Haydock.
Bristol De Mai will take on Fontaine Collonges who won at Haydock in a handicap chase in November.
Dan Skelton’s Grand National entry Ashtown Lad has potential to return to Merseyside this weekend.
Skelton’s brother Harry steered the nine-year old home to win the Becher Chase at Aintree in December.
Skelton has entered the gelding in three potential races this weekend which includes the Pertemps Network Handicap Hurdle at Haydock.
Dan Skelton has been critical of new whip rules in the run up to the sport’s biggest meetings of the year, as Racing TV reports.
“I think they (whip rules) have been handled terribly and I don’t think anyone has got any pride in what’s happened,” the trainer said.
“There is significantly more confidence that the rules that will be in play are able to be stuck to.
“I think with the original recommendations, once they were practised, it was obvious that people were really not going to be able to stick to them.”
If Ashtown Lad runs in the Betfred Rendlesham Hurdle he faces Nicky Henderson’s returning Next Destination.
Paul Nicholls’ enters unbeaten Afadil in the Betfred Victor Ludorum Juvenile Hurdle who has partnered up with Harry Cobden previously.
Gary Moore has entered Bo Zenith to take on Afadil with both entered in the Cheltenham JCB Triumph Hurdle.
For tickets and more information on Haydock’s Grand National Trial click here
(Pic by Carine06 under the Creative Commons licence)
