Bishops Road can claim a first success since February 2016 as he tackles fellow veterans at Sandown, according to Simon Holt.
Recommended bets: Saturday January 5
OUR MERLIN, who faced an impossible task when chasing home the smart Call Me Lord in last year's 32Red.com Handicap Hurdle at Sandown, can go one better in Saturday's renewal.
At the time, Robert Walford's gelding was on a roll having won his three previous starts and he ran a game race against an opponent who went onto run second in the Imperial Cup and then won impressively on the course on his final start.
After this race, Call Merlin finished third behind Remiluc at Cheltenham and that horse also went up in the ratings subsequently finishing second in the County Hurdle at the Festival.
More recently, Stan Sheppard's mount has returned to winning form making all from previous winner Snapdragon Fire at Wincanton with the subsequently successful Darling Maltaix and Lord Napier, a creditable sixth behind Mohaayed at Ascot next time, in third and fourth.
Up 8lb for that, Our Merlin is 5lb higher than when second here last year but, so well did his form work out, that he is almost certainly capable of rating more highly.
Admittedly, there are several unknown quantities in the field. Demopolis was no match for The Big Bite at Haydock on his British debut, Monsieur Lecoq made light work of winning a weak-looking novice hurdle at Ffos-Las and the Paul Nicholls-trained French import Saintemilion returns from a long absence following one ordinary run in this country.
Thistimenextyear, quite useful on the Flat, appeared to run out of steam when second to Shaws Cross here a month ago, and conditions look set to be quite testing again.
Earlier, LARRY takes the eye in the 32Red Handicap Chase.
Gary Moore's promising six-year-old, a winner twice over hurdles last season, faced a stiff task on his chasing debut at Ascot in November when fourth behind the very well handicapped Wenyerreadyfreddie but the second and third, Caid Du Lin and Peppay Le Pugh both boosted the form subsequently.
On his next start, Larry had just been headed by Risk And Roll at Plumpton when falling at the second last but that form also looks decent with third-placed Chosen Path turning the tables on the eventual Plumpton winner Mister Malarky at Newbury next time, the pair going up 6lb and 4lb respectively.
The Nicky Henderson-trained Darius Des Bois will obviously be attractive to many punters but was getting plenty of weight when beaten at Ludlow recently by Coup De Pinceau and the latter has been well beaten since.
Some of the best older chasers line up in the Unibet Veterans Handicap Chase Final and, in an open race, BISHOPS ROAD is capable of a big run at the weights.
Kerry Lee's course winner can be a little accident prone but chased home Red Infantry at Haydock two starts ago and the winner ran well subsequently on this course.
On past form, Bishops Road is thrown-in as he is down to a mark of 137 (less Richard Patrick's 3lb allowance) whereas it was just over a year ago that he finished second to Beware The Bear off 144 in the Rehearsal Chase at Newcastle, while he was rated 154 after winning Haydock's Grand National Trial the previous season.
Lee's horses have been under a cloud for much of the season but there are signs of a recovery with Happy Diva running a fine race behind Aso at Cheltenham on New Year's Day.
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