Trouble Ahead and Beau have attracted strong support today for the Whitbread Gold Cup at Sandown on Saturday.
The former, trained by Kim Bailey, will be bidding to win his third race on the trot at the Esher course and has been cut to 4-1 joint-favourite from 8-1 by William Hill.
The gelding has been clipped from 7-1 to 9-2 and 5-1 with Coral and Ladbrokes respectively.
Beau remains favourite for the £115,000 contest having been trimmed to 4-1 from 5-1 by Hills and to 4-1 from 9-2 by Coral.
Young Kenny pleased Peter Beaumont in a workout at Malton this morning and is on course for a crack at the Whitbread if ground conditions are suitable.
The nine-year-old went a mile and a quarter with stable companion Niki Dee who is being primed for a run in the Heineken Gold cup at Punchestown a week tomorrow.
Beaumont said on his return to his Brandsby stable: 'They both went well in a steady gallop and all we can hope for now is that the ground will be right for Kenny - that is always a concern.
'Brendan (Powell) came up to ride him and said he was happy with the horse and Dennis Grattan partnered Niki Dee and he said the same about his mount when they came back.'
Young Kenny put up a brave performance under top weight on ground faster than he really likes when third in the Scottish National earlier this month and Beaumont went on: 'He came out of the race well and his owner has been keen to go to Sandown.
'I just hope there is some more rain down there and that they do not have two or three dry windy days because we want the ground to be softer than good - good ground at Sandown is likely to be faster than good ground at Ayr.'
Trainer Paul Nicholls has yet to decide whether Escartefigue and Flaked Oats will take their place at Sandown
'I don't know yet whether Escartefigue will run in the Whitbread but the ground would have to be soft,' Nicholls said.
'If the top one comes out and the weights go up then Flaked Oats will run.'
Nicky Henderson plans to run Stormyfairweather unless the ground is really soft.
'The Whitbread is his race. Since the weights were published he's been raised 14lb for his Cheltenham Festival win, but whether he has that in hand is another matter,' said Henderson.
There was 6mm of rain overnight at Sandown where the going on the chase course remains good to soft.
Latest Whitbread Gold Cup betting:
Coral: 4-1 Beau, 9-2 Trouble Ahead, 6-1 Young Kenny, 13-2 Stormyfairweather, 7-1 Eau De Cologne, 9-1 Bouchasson, 11-1 Royal Predica, 12-1 Dark Stranger, 14-1 Paddy's Return, Village King, 16-1 Doran's Pride, Supreme Charm, Tullymurry Toff, 20-1 Bar.
Ladbrokes: 4-1 Beau, 5-1 Trouble Ahead, 6-1 Stormyfairweather, 8-1 Young Kenny, 10-1 Eau De Cologne, Royal Predica, Tullymurry Toff, 12-1 Bouchasson, Dark Stranger 14-1 Dorans Pride, Paddy's Return, 16-1 Village King, 20-1 Bar.
William Hill: 4-1 Beau, Trouble Ahead, 11-2 Stormyfairweather, 13-2 Eau De Cologne, 7-1 Young Kenny, 10-1 Dark Stranger, 12-1 Bouchasson, Royal Predica, 14-1 Tullymurry Toff, 16-1 Paddy's Return, Supreme Charm, Village King, 20-1 Bar.
