Weekend entries: Who are the ones to watch at Ascot and Haydock?

Follow the Leader in Ascot feature

It’s Howden Long Walk Hurdle day at Ascot this Saturday and the Grade One feature sees a dozen five-day entries, headed by recent Newbury winner Strong Leader.

Olly Murphy’s seven-year-old ended last season with a breakthrough top-class victory in Aintree’s Liverpool Hurdle and picked up where he left off by readily accounting for Monmiral and Langer Dan (who reopposes) in the Grade Two Coral Long Distance Hurdle on November 29 (replay below).

A winner on ground ranging from soft through to good, Strong Leader won’t be inconvenienced by potentially livelier conditions (currently good to soft, not much rain forecast) this weekend and looks to cement his claims as Britain’s main Paddy Power Stayers Hurdle hope.

Unowhatimeanharry was the last horse to complete the Newbury-Ascot double in the same season, something the great Big Buck’s achieved three years in succession from 2009 to 2011 and the French-trained Baracouda managed twice in 2003 and 2004.

Last year’s Long Walk hero, the Fergal O’Brien-trained Crambo, is back for another crack, this time set for a belated seasonal debut having lost his way rather at Cheltenham and Aintree in the spring.

Paul Nicholls could run Blueking d’Oroux and, along with Langer Dan, trainer Dan Skelton also has the mare Kateira in the shake-up following her Listed success at Kempton last month.

The biggest dangers to Strong Leader could be Irish contenders Hiddenvalley Lake, Shoot First and The Wallpark.

The two last-named have landed major handicap prizes in Britain already this season, Charles Byrnes’ Shoot First staying on strongly to win Haydock’s Betfair Stayers’ Handicap Hurdle, and The Wallpark completing a four-timer in a Pertemps Qualifier at Cheltenham on his most recent run in October.

Gordon Elliott’s progressive six-year-old has since been bought by JP McManus and is out to test his credentials in Graded company for the first time in his life.

Hiddenvalley Lake (Henry De Bromhead) hasn’t run since finishing third to Strong Leader at Aintree’s Grand National Festival in April and holds alternative engagements in novice chase races over Christmas in Ireland.

Enos among handicap stars

Elsewhere on a quality Ascot card, Iroko and Colonel Harry could clash in the Howden Graduation Chase over two miles and five furlongs.

Jamie Snowden's Colonel Harry has plenty of experience but hasn't tasted success since the Grade 2 Towton Novices' Chase at Wetherby in January, while the lightly-raced Iroko lines up following a highly promising, half-length second to Trelawne in a similar event at Haydock last month.

That form is also set to be tested on Saturday by the Haydock winner, with Kim Bailey's eight-year-old likely to be among the market leaders for the Howden Silver Cup Handicap Chase later on the card.

Trelawne faces some stiff competition from the Joe Tizzard-trained The Changing Man, Olly Murphy's Doctor Ken and last year's returning winner Victtorino, who represents the red-hot Venetia Williams fresh from last Saturday's big Cheltenham success courtesy of Gemirande in the December Gold Cup.

The Ladbrokes Handicap Hurdle over two miles features 15 acceptors, headed by the O'Brien-trained mare Dysart Enos, who shaped with considerable potential when third on her seasonal return in the Greatwood Hurdle at Cheltenham last month.

Our Champ and Secret Squirrel could square up again having ended up first and third respectively in a course and distance contest at the start of November, and Paul Nicholls has a very live contender in the shape of unbeaten four-year-old Kabral Du Mathan, who has gone up 8lb in the ratings for his impressive comeback win under Freddie Gingell at Kempton.

Going Large in Tommy Whittle

Up at Haydock, the Betfred Tommy Whittle Handicap Chase takes centre stage and there are 18 potential runners following Monday's forfeits.

Williams won the staying event with Yala Enki in 2016 and could run lightly-raced nine-year-old French Du Large, who only narrowly failed to justify favouritism on his first start of the campaign at Ludlow recently.

Gelino Bello - also entered in the Coral Welsh Grand National having missed that race's principal trial following Chepstow's abandonment earlier in the December - could return from a 693-day layoff for Paul Nicholls, while James Owen looks to kick on with the thriving East Street, who has shot up the weights after a recent hat-trick of handicap chase wins at Wetherby, Leicester and here at Haydock.

Cruz Control (Tom Lacey), Surrey Quest (Toby Lawes) and Famous Bridge (Nicky Richards) are others in the mix, along with Ben Haslam's in-form 10-year-old Ilikedwayurthinkin.

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