Nail your colours to the mast with Flagship Uberalles in today's Victor Chandler Chase at Ascot. Paul Nicholls' charge has developed into probably the leading two-mile chaser this season and will be aiming for his seventh successive victory.
Winner of the Arkle Trophy at Cheltenham last March and the Sandeman Maghull Novices' Chase at Aintree the following month, the selection has not put a foot wrong since stepping out of novice company.
Returning at Exeter in November, Flagship Uberalles landed the William Hill Haldon Gold Cup, beating Direct Route by a half-length.
The two rivals met again at Sandown in the Mitsubishi Shogun Tingle Creek Trophy the following month and, despite being 10 lb worse off with Direct Route, the selection came out best again, winning by a neck this time.
That performance suggests he is still improving, which he is entitled to being only six years old.
Nordance Prince receives 24 lb here, but Flagship Uberalles has the winning habit and it will need a top-class performance to lower his colours.
In the Skytext Novices' Hurdle it may be worth taking on Crocadee with the Nicky Henderson-trained Dusk Duel.
The five-year-old, the winner of a Sandown bumper last season, made a very promising start to his hurdling career over course and distance last time.
The American-bred finished three lengths behind Monsignor, with the third another 17 lengths adrift, and Monsignor confirmed himself to be the leading novice hurdler seen this season when winning at Sandown earlier this month.
Crocadee is second-favourite for the Tote Gold Trophy following two victories this season, but Venetia Williams' charge does not look the most fluent of jumpers.
The syndicate of punters hoping to claim the £1 million bonus for winning last week's Tote Scoop6 must pick the winner of the Tote Scoop6 Warwick National Chase to bag the prize.
And they could do worse than plump for top-weight Kingdom Of Shades in the 29-furlong handicap. The 10-year-old has won two of his three starts this season, taking the Miles Gosling Handicap Chase at Cheltenham last time by 12 lengths from Slideofhill.
Both the marathon trip and soft ground will suit Venetia Williams' charge who can land the £20,000 feature at the Midlands track.
The Brewery Dipper Novices' Chase at Newcastle has attracted a competitive seven-runner field and can go to Kings Measure.
Malcolm Jefferson's charge, a winner over course and distance and at Wetherby this season, fell at the last when chasing home Gloria Victis in the Pertemps Partnership Feltham Novices' Chase last time.
The gelding took a heavy fall at Kempton but Jefferson has already shown he can bring a horse back to win after a fall this week with Tullymurry Toff.
It was tiredness rather sloppy jumping that saw Kings Measure depart and he can return to winning form in this Grade Two contest.
