It's Wetherby's biggest day of the year with the Charlie Hall taking centre stage.

Seven runners face the starter including 2012 winner Silviniaco Conti and Taquin Du Seuil, a top-class novice from last season who will be ridden by AP McCoy.

Also stepping up in trip is the Nigel Twiston-Davies trained Double Ross who was two lengths behind Taquin Du Seuil in third at Cheltenham. The eight-year-old was a model of consistency at around two and a half miles last season and recorded the biggest victory of his career in Cheltenham's December Gold Cup, beating Cantlow by two lengths.

Twiston-Davies yesterday reported: "Double Ross got brought down last time which was a bit unfortunate but that has not affected him and he is in very good form.

"We just want to have look and see how he gets on over the longer trip - we haven't done a lot of three miles with him.

"He will be fit and some of the others won't, so let's have a go. I'm not too concerned about the trip but I just want him to prove that he does stay."

Of the seven I'm chancing Menorah. He's been a great servant to the Philip Hobbs yard over the year, and while others might achieve more later this season I feel he will be suited by today's race and on the forecast good ground, with the yard in top form.

It's not all about the Charlie Hall at Wetherby, as the supporting card is competitive to say the least including the bet365 Hurdle.

Owner JP McManus is in the envious position of having two of the best staying hurdlers in training, with At Fishers Cross selected ahead of More Of That for this contest.

The Grade Two West Yorkshire Hurdle, as it is better known, has been won by Tidal Bay for the last two years, but with the veteran now enjoying retirement there is space for a new name on the roll of honour.

At Fishers Cross carried all before him in his novice season, winning the Albert Bartlett at the Cheltenham Festival.

He was never quite seen at his best last season, though, and trainer Rebecca Curtis felt she never had him right at his best, despite finishing third behind More Of That in the World Hurdle in March.

"He's in good form, Rebecca is very happy with him and it's a nice place to start," said Frank Berry, McManus' racing manager.

"He did a nice bit of work at Chepstow last Saturday, so he goes up there in good form. We are hoping the ground will be OK for him.

"More Of That will probably go to Newbury (Long Distance Hurdle). The other horse (At Fishers Cross) is probably just a bit more forward than he is and that was the deciding factor for this weekend."

Just two rivals take on At Fishers Cross at Wetherby, though they are both of a good standard.

Cole Harden, who likes to get on with things, showed smart form as a novice last season, defeating all bar Beat That in the Grade One Sefton Novices' Hurdle at Aintree and Alan King's diminutive Medinas, beaten joint-favourite behind Tidal Bay 12 months ago.