AIR Force One can seal his place in the line-up for the Royal & SunAlliance Chase at the Cheltenham Festival with victory at Fontwell.

Charlie Mann has always thought the world of this sixyear- old and it became apparent why when he only finished behind Wichita Lineman in the three-mile novice hurdle at last year's Festival.

He was expected to rank high among the season's novice chasers but when he was beaten out of sight on debut the optimism seemed misplaced.

But at Folkestone in early January all the hyperbole looked justified as he strolled home to win by 11 lengths.

If he is to have any pretensions of shaking up the big guns he has to win the Crown Racing Freephone 08000 724624 Novices' Chase.

Sobers is a progressive sort over fences and gets the vote at Warwick.

Nick Gifford's seven-year-old was no slouch over timber, having landed two races from five starts, and has transferred that form to the chasing game.

Although the Paul Beck-owned gelding made an inauspicious debut over bigger obstacles at Wincanton - he fell three out but jumped well enough until then - that was stricken from the record at Chepstow.

Heavy ground and an extended two miles looked just ticket for him as Sobers overcame a few chancy leaps to defeat Oscar D'Angron by four lengths.

His jumping is almost certain to improve with time and he will be in his element over this longer trip.

With conditions loaded in his favour, the warwickracecourse .co.uk Novices' Chase looks another winning opportunity.

The usual Wolverhampton evening fare can return handsome profits for followers of Macademy Royal.

Hughie Morrison's sprinter did a grand job to swerve traffic problems over six furlongs at Dunstall Park this month, eventually finishing second to Mafaheem.

That rival is again in competition here but the drop down to the minimum trip could produce an entirely different outcome in the Race To Pontin's For Half Term Selling Stakes.

Wessex could pop up at a fair price at Southwell.

The Nigel Shields-owned chestnut has a tendency to throw in more stinkers than blinders but things are entitled to fall right in Nottinghamshire.

The son of Gone West usually reserves his best form for the Southwell fibresand, having won at the left-handed track on four occasions.

He is 2lb lower in the weights than his last victory and might well be worth preserving with in the Southwell Racing And Golf Handicap.