Well Chief all the rage to defy history

Well Chief, conqueror of Kicking King in last season's Arkle Trophy, returns to Cheltenham on Saturday the firm favourite to pull off another big-race victory in the Victor Chandler Chase.

On a card packed with quality performers who have their last chance to experience the Cheltenham undulations before the Festival in March, Well Chief is 2-1 favourite with the sponsors to defy top weight of 11st10lbs.

Well Chief's presence will mean that most of his rivals must carry weights some way above their true handicap marks. But Martin Pipe's six-year-old faces a stern test off a rating of 176 - in last year's Victor Chandler, Azertyuiop, the subsequent champion two-mile chaser, succumbed to Isio when trying to defy a mark of 168.

Thisthatandtother, beaten 2l by Well Chief at Aintree last season and now a whopping 23lbs better off, is 5-2 second favourite. His trainer, Paul Nicholls, is responsible for five of the 14 entries but is reluctant to run the fancied Great Travel from 13lbs out of the handicap. The latter is quoted at 7-2 with a run.

Gold Cup hopefuls will contest the Pillar Property Chase on Saturday, but their identity will not be known until today after the race was re-opened following just six entries.

The Byrne Bros Cleeve Hurdle does not lack for quantity or quality. Yesterday's 18 declared include Crystal d'Ainay and Royal Rosa, who vie for second favouritism behind Baracouda in betting on the Ladbrokes World Hurdle.

The Royal Gloucester Hussars Novice Hurdle, which opens the card, affords Gold Medallist a first taste of Cheltenham. Philip Hobbs's useful Flat recruit heads the betting at 4-1 with totesport for the SunAlliance Hurdle after fluent rounds of jumping have carried him to success at Exeter and Kempton.

Charles Egerton, trainer of It's Just Harry, 10-1 second favourite behind Gold Medallist, warned yesterday that his gelding is by no means a definite runner.

"He pulled muscles in his back when second in the Tolworth Hurdle, but I don't think it made any difference to the result," Egerton said.

"He's only just coming back now. I'll enter him in the SunAlliance but he's a hopeful runner rather than a definite one, so I wouldn't advise people to back him. If we get him there he'll have a live each-way chance."

The Ladbrokes Trophy Chase at Cheltenham and the Skybet Chase at Doncaster are other valuable handicaps for punters to ponder over on Saturday.

Le Duc and Redemption, first and second in the Unicoin Homes Chase at Cheltenham's New Year fixture, are 6-1 joint favourites with the sponsors for the Ladbrokes Trophy.

Tikram, last season's Mildmay Of Flete winner, gets a 10-1 quote but is more likely to travel to Doncaster to contest the Skybet Chase. Totesport rate him a 14-1 shot behind the novices Your A Gassman and Baron Windrush, the 4-1 and 8-1 market leaders.