Ben Pauling is looking forward to seeing stable star Barters Hill put his unbeaten record on the line in what promises to be a fascinating renewal of the Albert Bartlett Novices' Hurdle at Doncaster.
The six-year-old provided his fledgling trainer with a maiden Grade One triumph when making it six wins from as many starts in the Challow Hurdle at Newbury in December and steps up to three miles for the first time in a race registered as the River Don Novices' Hurdle.
Pauling is taking nothing for granted, especially with the Willie Mullins-trained Up For Review in opposition, with the pair currently disputing favouritism for the Albert Bartlett at Cheltenham in March.
Barters Hill has also been declared for the Neptune Investment Management Novices' Hurdle at Cheltenham, but Pauling confirmed Doncaster was his intended destination.
He said: " The main reason we've decided to go to Doncaster is because of the ground. It's good to soft, good in places and it doesn't look like they'll get as much rain overnight as they originally thought.
"I just felt the conditions at Doncaster would suit him better than wet ground at Cheltenham.
"The Doncaster race might actually be a tougher race with Up For Review in there. It's a match-up nobody expected to see before Cheltenham, but we clearly both think it's the right race and it should be a good prep run for March for both horses.
"The ground is amazing at Doncaster and they deserve the good races they've got there tomorrow."
While Pauling admits the Albert Bartlett is his most likely Festival target, those with ante-post slips for the shorter Neptune should not throw away their tickets just yet.
"The Albert Bartlett is looking the most likely, but who knows? He might not stay three miles on Saturday and then we'll have to go to the Neptune," said the Gloucestershire-based trainer.
"I probably would have run him in the Neptune trial at Cheltenham this weekend if the ground there had been the same as it is at Doncaster.
"I wouldn't be afraid to go for the Neptune. The horses running at Cheltenham on Saturday are pretty much what will run the Neptune anyway, barring the Irish horses."
Up For Review has won each of his two starts over fences in most impressive fashion and the trainer's son and assistant, Patrick Mullins, does not expect a sounder surface to be an issue.
He does, however, have huge respect for Barters Hill, having chased him home in the Aintree bumper last spring aboard the similarly talented Bellshill.
"Up For Review is in good form and being by Presenting you would think the drier ground should suit him," said Mullins.
"It's going to be a very interesting race against Barters Hill. He beat Bellshill in the bumper at Aintree last year and I was very impressed with him that day.
"All the way up the straight I thought I'd go by him but he just kept pulling out more. He's a horse who only looks to do enough, but he has huge ability.
"Up For Review has done nothing wrong over hurdles so far, but this is obviously a lot tougher.
"It should be fascinating - it's like a Cheltenham race in January."
Alan King saddles Minella Charmer, a wide-margin winner in the Plumpton mud at the start of the month.
"We like him a lot. He had one run in Ireland and was third in a bumper," King told Racing UK.
"The Plumpton race didn't tell us a lot, it was barely raceable and was abandoned straight after, but he couldn't have won any easier.
"He's a horse I like a lot, whether he's a Cheltenham horse this year I'm not sure, we will find out and then you can plan accordingly if he's not up to that level."
The Charlie Longsdon-trained Ballydine, Charlie Mann's Ephraim and Ami Desbois from Graeme McPherson's yard complete a six-strong field.