Neil Mulholland is keen to test Southfield Royale at the top level in the Kauto Star Novices' Chase at Kempton on Boxing Day.
The Bath trainer wants to give the five-year-old his opportunity after Southfield Royale followed up a 20-length Wetherby romp with a 13-length success at Doncaster last time.
"He's come out of his very race well at Doncaster. He's done very little wrong and we're very happy with how he is, so we hope he runs well. On ratings he's got as good a chance as anyone," said the Bath handler.
"He's been impressive his last two runs and obviously he won a Grade Two last time out by 13 lengths and the next step up is a Grade One, so we'll see how it goes."
Native River gained many admirers when picking up a Grade Two contest at Newbury last month and t rainer Colin Tizzard has been delighted with how the five-year-old has taken that race.
"Native River won really well at the Hennessy meeting at Newbury and has done very well since," said the Dorset handler.
"If you wanted to pick any faults with him you could say that he can be a bit one-paced, but he is certainly not one-paced when it comes to the end of a race."
Bally Beaufort goes into the race on the back of a pair of gutsy victories at Aintree.
Trainer Nigel Twiston-Davies intends to make full use of the seven-year-old's stamina, saying: " He stays very well. Despite winning, the trip last time was too short for him.
"You might say Kempton could be a bit quick for him, but we'll make sure it's a proper test. I don't imagine he'll be making the running, but he'll be up there. He jumps better than most and that might be the difference."
L'Unique is the only mare in the seven-runner field, but her trainer Alan King feels she will relish going up in distance to three miles from two and a half.
The six-year-old appeared to want further when staying on well to take third place behind Three Musketeers at Newbury on her latest start.
"Though it looks a hot race, she looked to be crying out for this step up to three miles when she ran so well over two and a half at Newbury last time," the Barbury Castle trainer told www.alankingracing.co.uk.
Paul Nicholls, whose first of three victories in this race, now named after his five-time winning King George VI Chase hero, came through See More Indians in 1993, relies on As De Mee.
The five-year-old, owned jointly by Andy Stewart and actress Dame Judi Dench, found the two miles too short at Sandown when third to Ar Mad in the Grade One Henry VIII Novices' Chase.
Tea For Two has shown his liking for this course, winning both his starts over hurdles, including the Lanzarote Handicap Hurdle in January. The Nick Williams-trained six-year-old made a highly-promising start to his jumping career with an impressive success at Exeter.
The septet is completed by Willie Mullins' Irish raider Net D'Ecosse, who put behind him a fall on his chasing debut at Thurles when winning by a nose from Peoples Park at Punchestown earlier this month.