ALFRED THE GREAT (1.10) has the class to maintain his 100per cent unbeaten record over hurdles in Kelso's opener this afternoon.

The Patrick Haslam-trained raider was a fair middle distance performer on the Flat, a level of ability he transferred to the National Hunt arena when scoring, albeit narrowly, on his jumps' debut at Sandown.

It was close run thing at the Esher venue as Alfred The Great was as green as grass in the early stages of the contest, prior to responding gamely to the urgings of jockey Barry Keniry on the long uphill climb to the line.

Keniry earned himself a one-day whip ban for the vigorous nature of his riding that day, however he got the job done and with luck shouldn't have to get quite so serious come the final furlong of the gg.com Introductory Novices' Hurdle.

If ever an old-timer had a chance to strike a blow for the veteran brigade it has got to be Pessimistic Dick (2.40), in with a great shout of capturing the Simonside Handicap Chase.

The 13-year-old chaser is extremely well handicapped having slipped dawn the weights after a couple of barren years, although it was a losing streak very nearly ended when finishing a one length second over course and distance eight weeks ago.

Pessimistic Dick has since hit the deck on a fruitless journey to Musselburgh, but provided his fencing holds up this afternoon, the three-mile-one-furlong event is there for the taking off his featherweight.

Whether a 7lbs penalty will be sufficient to prevent Merryvale Man (3.10) completing a double following his recent Ayr success is open to debate.

If I were a bookmaker the prospect of laying Merryvale Man would not be enticing, because if you go back far enough in the formbook it's not hard to deduce that the gelding remains on a pretty fair rating.

Admittedly with 15 rivals to overcome in the £12,000 Morebattle Handicap Hurdle, Alan Dempsey's mount has more to do than when collecting a little earlier this month, but that's not say he won't have enough in the locker to scoop the feature race on the card.

Nicky Henderson looks to have yet another genuine Cheltenham Festival contender via the hat-trick seeking Craven (2.00), who heads to Huntingdon on the back of an impressive Wincanton and Newbury brace.

Craven produced a devastating late rally to collar Private Be at the last-named track, form which the runner-up firmly franked by storming to a six-length success of his own next time out.

Richard Guest has found a relatively soft target for Upswing (2.30), worthy of an each-way interest in the Weatherbys Bank Handicap Chase.

Upswing beat all bar Word Gets Around at Musselburgh, a career best over the bigger obstacles underlined by the fact the selection was fully 17 lengths clear of the third horse home in that contest.

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