PTIT ZIG is already a leading light in the ante-post betting for the Arkle and if he is to hit those sort of heights, he really should be winning the Highflyer/Million In Mind 4 & 5yo Novices’ Chase at Warwick.

Paul Nicholls’ runner was classy hurdles performer over the last two seasons, finishing third in the Fred Winter in 2013 before really hitting his peak when landing Grade One glory at Auteuil last November.

His two-length victory in the French four-year-old event saw him shoulder top weight in the Ladbroke at Ascot last December and he really did put up an excellent performance as he chased home the lightly-weighted winner Willow’s Saviour.

That run forced connections to step up to Graded company here and while he ran well in second in the Haydock Champion Hurdle Trial, he fell short at both Cheltenham and Aintree.

As he is unlikely to be making his mark against the best over hurdles, it makes sense to turn his attention to fences and he made a stylish start when hacking up at Exeter last week.

Ptit Zig was in control virtually all the way that day and his 10-length victory was hardly more than a racecourse gallop such was the ease of his success.

He clearly expended little energy there so it is no surprise Nicholls is keen to cash in with another quick run in a small-field affair.

Strike Fast is the pick in Hexham’s At The Races Novices’ Limited Handicap Chase despite being beaten a fair way on his return at Ayr earlier in the month.

He has yet to hit the target in five racecourse outings and his 43-length defeat at the hands of Presenting Junior may not offer too much encouragement to some.

However, he looked thoroughly in need of the run and remains very unexposed, two factors that make him a viable contender in this event.

Captain Cat can secure his place on all-weather finals day next Easter by winning the Cash Out On The Betdaq+ App/EBF Stallions Hyde Stakes at Kempton.

The one-mile affair is a fast-track qualifier for the main event on Good Friday, a race in which Captain Cat emerged victorious back in April.

That win prompted Roger Charlton to raise his sights with the Dylan Thomas gelding and he duly enjoyed a late summer campaign that yielded plenty of success in Group company.

Captain Cat’s Sovereign Stakes win marked his first in Pattern company and he may well have made it two in the Celebration Mile had he not been left with far too much to do.

A cosy Group Three success at Haydock made up for that disappointment, while there was little shame in giving best to an in-form Custom Cut in the Joel Stakes at Newmarket.