Dual Grade One winner Marie's Rock returns to action on New Year's Day in a high-class renewal of the careers@dornangroup.com Relkeel Hurdle at Cheltenham.
Trained by Nicky Henderson, the Middleham Park Racing-owned mare returned from a spell in the doldrums to cause something of a surprise in the David Nicholson Hurdle at the Festival in March before proving that was no fluke by beating stablemate Epatante at Punchestown.
She is taking on geldings on her return to action, but this has always been the plan with the major spring festivals foremost in the mind of connections.
"She’s got two crowns to defend this season and it has been very much the plan to work backwards from them," said Middleham Park's Tom Palin. "This was the logical target and it has been for six months.
"Her work at home has been excellent, as well as she has ever worked Nicky reported, and Nico (de Boinville) texted me the other day to say how much he was looking forward to riding her again.
"She requires a career-best to win this, though, because with the International Hurdle not being rearranged a few have rerouted here. I’ve been involved in racing for 15 years and I can’t remember this race ever looking as strong as it does this year.
"On the figures, with her allowance she should be bang there. It looks a very tight race but it is the first time we are taking geldings on in Pattern company. It will be interesting to see how the 7lb transfers. On a line through Epatante and Stormy Ireland, who won this last year, we should be involved."
Knappers Hill is on a four-race winning streak and comfortably saw off Sceau Royal in the Elite Hurdle last time out, for which he must shoulder a penalty.
Champion trainer Paul Nicholls had aimed him at the International Hurdle but the meeting was frozen off so now he is stepping up in trip.
Nicholls told Betfair: "Knappers Hill is in great form, it’s a shame the meeting didn’t go ahead the other day when the ground was good.
"There is rain forecast but good to soft will be fine for him. He’s very well. It’s a good-looking race but hopefully he’ll run very well."
Olly Murphy expects to have a clearer idea about Thunder Rock's potential ambitions for the rest of the season after he takes on Monmiral in the Grade Two contest more commonly known as 'The Dipper'.
The Paul Nicholls-trained Monmiral is the likely favourite, having won at Grade One level over hurdles and finished best of the rest behind star novice Jonbon on his chasing debut at Warwick in November.
Thunder Rock, on the other hand, has climbed the ranks through handicaps, but has been seriously impressive in winning his two starts over fences to date at Uttoxeter and Ascot.
The assessor has him rated 2lb higher than Monmiral ahead of their clash in the Paddy Power Novices’ Chase, and Murphy is looking forward to seeing how he fares in this higher grade.
He said: "Thunder Rock is a lovely horse and has taken very well to fences. He was a good hurdler last season but we thought he would improve for a fence, which he has done in his two starts this season.
"This trip will suit him perfectly and he appears to be on an upward curve, but we will know where we stand after this. He is a horse that we think plenty of and he already has a mark of 150.
"I thought he would improve going chasing but you never know how much they will improve. The handicapper has him a stone better over fences."
He added: "We had him in the Wayward Lad at Kempton, but we all thought in the end that two miles around there might just be on the sharp side for him. Hopefully we have made the right decision."
Nicholls is confident Monmiral will improve from his initial effort over fences and prove hard to beat.
"His jumping was very good on his debut over fences when he chased home Jonbon over two miles at Warwick in November last month," the Ditcheat handler told Betfair.
"This race was the ideal choice for Monmiral with softer ground and and the step up in trip to two and a half miles very much in his favour. He is a high-class horse who has plenty going for him."
Nigel Twiston-Davies saddles Beauport – winner of the Coral Parker Memorial Chase at Carlisle before being put in his place by Dan Skelton’s Ballygrifincottage at Haydock.
Patrick Neville’s course winner The Real Whacker returns to the Cotswolds, while Harper’s Brook has his sights raised by Ben Pauling following victory in a novice handicap chase at Bangor.
Fergal O’Brien’s outsider Mortlach completes the field.
