Simon Holt previews Saturday's feature action at Sandown and Doncaster:
Paul Nicholls is strongly represented in the Blue Square Handicap Chase at Doncaster with last year's winner I'msingingtheblues and Free World.
The former is seven pounds higher in the weights than he was 12 months ago and comes into the race on the back of a pretty decent third behind Petit Robin at Kempton.
Free World, second behind French Opera at Cheltenham on his reappearance, was a strong-running type last season and didn't always get home. However he was ridden with more patience first-time-out and maybe that's the key to him.
Tartak would have a very good chance here on his performance at last spring's Grand National meeting at Aintree but he's been a bit disappointing so far this season, with his jumping often letting him down.
He wasn't entirely disgraced when seventh in the King George last time out behind Kauto Star though, and this obviously represents a drop in class from that.
Further down the weights we have Oiseau De Nuit, who has made a good start with new trainer Colin Tizzard. He won last time out at Ffos Las, beating Moon Over Miami and Lorient Express, and clearly is in good form. The booking of Giles Hawkins, a very promising claimer, takes the eye as well.
I'd also give Nicky Henderson's Pepsyrock a chance on the best of his form last season, although he was soundly beaten in his first start of this campaign.
Leo's Lucky Star coud be well handicapped for the David Pipe team, though his reappearance victory probably doesn't amount to a great deal. The runner up, Quartz De Thaix, was pretty disapointing at Taunton earlier this week.
However there's no doubting the class act in this race is top-weight Kalahari King.
It must be said that Ferdy Murphy's horses do generally come on for a run but this horse has gone well fresh in the past.
He is carrying 11st 12lb and wouldn't want the ground to be too soft but if this horse is on song I believe he can defy his welter-burden.
He's a really smashing type, finishing second behind Forpadydeplasterer in last year's Arkle at Cheltenham. He then went on to win the Maghull Novices' Chase at Aintree and really didn't look himself when beaten by Twist Magic at Sandown on his final start.
He can be held up by Graham Lee, who loves to ride horses from the rear, and he can finish very strongly indeed. If he's anywhere close to 100% fitness then he could stamp his class on this race.
The totescoop6 Heroes Handicap Hurdle is an interesting race as quite a few of them are out of the handicap, carrying more weight than their rating suggests they should be.
The weights are headed by Lough Derg with 11st 12lb and while he's thoroughly exposed, he has ensured one or two of them have a stiff task at the weights.
One that creeps in with 10st - with Richie Killoran taking an additional three pounds off - is the Nicky Henderson trained Erzen. He battled on really well when second to a tough horse of Alan King's called Lake Legend at Kempton over Christmas.
He's lightly raced, and a half-brother to Ascot Gold Cup winner Enzeli. There could be a lot more to come from him.
Others to consider are Merrydown, trained by Nicky Richards, who took on some good company in novice hurdles towards the end of last season at Aintree and Punchestown.
Strategic Approach is a little bit wrong at the weights but was second at Chepstow the other day and seems like a pretty solid type of horse.
Strawberry, Nicky Henderson's other runner in the race, needs to put a bad run behind her last time out, but on previous form would have a chance as well.
However, in a competitive race I think Erzen could be the one to beat.
