Another brilliant Saturday of racing with the undoubted betting highlight being the Gold Cup Handicap Chase at Cheltenham due off at 1.50 with a field of 15 set to go to post.

Midnight Shadow bids to follow up his win in the Gold Cup last month, but he was out on his legs that day, having a particularly hard race and will do well to confirm the form on these renewed terms with the likes of Lalor, Dostal Phil and the error-prone Zanza.

The form of that ultra competitive handicap has been well and truly franked by the second home, Protektorat, who absolutely hosed up in the Many Clouds Chase at Aintree seven days ago and is now regarded as a leading player in the Cheltenham Gold Cup itself.

Add to the field the smart second season novice Silver Hallmark, unexposed Farinet and classy Charlie Hall Chase winner Fusil Raffles and we have a probable vintage renewal of this race in its former many guises.

However, the one horse I have so far missed out from a very long shortlist is last year’s Gold cup hero COOLE CODY.

He was still in the lead in this year’s renewal and looked to have the eventual winner covered when crumpling at the penultimate fence. With the market having been well found with the majority of the leading players here, I think that the Evan Williams-trained 10-year-old remains the one piece of value left at around the 10/1 mark — especially if he gets his own way up front again and puts in a clear round.

Of the supporting races at Prestbury Park, I am really keen on the claims of MARTELLO SKY (nap) in the mares’ handicap hurdle at 3.35. She will be up against the recent West Yorkshire Hurdle heroine Indefatigable, but the last named ran a very flat race last time out at Newbury in the Long Distance Hurdle and will have to give away 5lbs to my selection.

The daughter of Martaline found things happening way too quickly for her in the Dawn Run Hurdle at the Cheltenham Festival in March over the minimum trip, but stepped up to two-and-a-half miles since she has really come into her own with her best performance coming in a class three handicap at Market Rasen. I think her last run at Aintree can be forgiven as she was given a too conservative ride by Adrian Heskin and could never get to the leaders down the home stretch; I fancy she is way better than that race indicates.

Earlier on, FRERO BANBOU looks of huge interest from the Venetia Williams camp in the two-mile handicap chase at 1.15.

This youngster seems to be gradually getting the hang of things over fences and looked as though he appreciated the less testing ground at Newbury last time out when a running on eight length third of 12 behind Il Ridoto. Off the near same handicap mark he can take another step forward here and see off the likes of Cheddleton and top weight Amoola Gold.

Hereford has its major race of the season with the final of the Royal Equestrian Bedding Mares Handicap Chase at 1.22 with the first and third from last year, Kapga De Lily and No No Juliet set to re-oppose, the last named significantly better off at the weights. Of the two, preference is for last year’s heroine, but she in turn may well be eclipsed by OSCA LOCA. Winner of only one of her nine races under rules, she finally ended a run of very moderate efforts with a cracking, staying on third at 40/1 behind Jerminnie Green at Chepstow last month.

She is sure to relish this test of stamina and if taking another step forward, the daughter of Oscar can take advantage of the huge weight concession she is set to receive from last year’s winner.

Two For Gold looks a solid favourite in the finale at Doncaster (3.15), a three-mile handicap chase, but I think the outcome of this race depends on the weather. As long as the going remains good to soft at best then I think that the Alan King-trained FIDUX may be able to take advantage of the 6lbs that he is set to receive from his market rival.

Earlier on, the valuable grade two Summit Hurdle (2.40) could go the way of PORTICELLO for the Moore clan.

This classy French import beat another of Saturday’s rivals, Magistrato at Auteuil and has since made his mark in this country with an impressive success in a listed contest at Wetherby at the back end of October. He is already at the top of the betting pile for the Triumph Hurdle at the Cheltenham Festival.

On the all-weather front there are competitive cards at both Newcastle and Wolverhampton. At the former of the two Tapeta tracks I think it is time to unload on BLACKHEATH (nb) in the seven furlong handicap at 4.30. I would have preferred to see him better than drawn but all the same he can reverse recent six furlong course form with Spartan Fighter over this extra 220 yards.

MRS BAGERRAN is a more tentative selection in the class six, five furlong handicap at 5.00. However, the handicapper has dropped her again in the weights, she is beautifully drawn in stall 14 and will be well served by the likely quicker pace on here to the that she experienced at Musselburgh last time out.

At Wolverhampton, NUBLE, with Hollie Doyle up, top can land the extended nine-furlong handicap at 4.45, while SOCIETY RED is worth another chance in the class four handicap at 5.45. There simply wasn’t enough pace on for him last time out over course and distance and a better tow into the race should see him go close here off a very attractive mark of 79.