Jonjo O'Neill is optimistic Upswing can handle the testing conditions and play a leading role in the Coral Welsh Grand National at Chepstow.
The Jackdaws Castle handler is chasing a third victory in the race having sent out Mini Sensation to claim it in 2002 and subsequent Gold Cup winner Synchronised in 2011.
After picking up a novice handicap chase at Worcester on his penultimate start, Upswing turned in his best performance to date over fences when chasing home Sausalito Sunrise in a Grade Three event at Cheltenham last month.
O'Neill said: " We decided to go for this race after his last run at Cheltenham as he jumped and stayed very well and he fits into this category of race well.
"The ground we don't know about, to be fair, but I'd think he would go on it as he won on heavy up at Carlisle."
Nigel Twiston-Davies is no stranger to success in the race having won it, like O'Neill, on two previous occasions, with Earth Summit (1997) and Bindaree (2003).
This year the Naunton handler relies on recent course winner Tour Des Champs and Cogry.
He said: "Cogry ran a very nice race at Cheltenham first time out, in another few hundred yards he would have won - I was delighted.
"He loves heavy ground, stays all day, despite being only six, and must have a good chance.
"Getting a win out of Tour Des Champs was very good after all that time off. I'm not a believer in the bounce theory.
"He likes the track and must run well."
Last year's winner Emperor's Choice will bid to become the first horse to win back-to-back renewals of the Grade Three prize since Bonanza Boy back in 1988 and 1989.
Trainer Venetia Williams said: "Emperor's Choice is heading back to the Welsh National and is in good order.
"He is very well and this was the obvious route to take with him after his last win, but he is in good shape.
"It was a good comeback win at Haydock, although he does pay for it by coming back to Chepstow with more weight. But I am happy with him and the ground looks like it will be in his favour."
Williams also runs Saroque and said: "The same comment applies for Saroque. He has not run over this sort of trip before but he has indicated in previous runs that it shouldn't be a problem.
"His run in the Rehearsal Chase at Newcastle is working out well."
Having watched Benvolio chase home Emperor's Choice in the extended three-mile-five-furlong prize 12 months ago, champion trainer Paul Nicholls, who will also saddle Black Thunder, is hoping the eight-year-old can go one better and exact his revenge.
He said: "Benvolio had a day hunting the other day to freshen him up. He loves bad ground.
"We've aimed at this, he's had a couple of uninspiring runs, he just needed a mile further than last time.
"He's coming back to himself and hopefully a day hunting will have brightened him up. He's in good order but he has to improve on what he's done this season."
Nicholls added: "Black Thunder was running a solid race at Cheltenham at the Paddy Power meeting until he made a bad mistake two out. He was a little unlucky, he may well have been placed.
"He loves the mud but is going to carry a lot of weight because he had a very successful time as a novice chaser. He's a nice horse, but he has 11st 12lb which makes it virtually impossible."
Mountainous will attempt to repeat his win in the 2013 renewal of the race when trained by Richard Lee, although he is now handled by Lee's daughter, Kerry.
She said: "He is very well and I am very happy with him.
"He will have to carry a bit more weight than he did when he won the race before.
"He will like the heavy ground and I am happy for it to rain as much it wants at Chepstow!"
Colin Tizzard is enjoying a fine run of form and in Hennessy runner-up Theatre Guide and Masters Hill, the handler has two live chances of a first victory in the race.
He said: "Obviously Theatre Guide came second in a Hennessy and he was staying on that day so he ticks all the right boxes and I think he will get the trip, but you never know until they have run it.
"His jumping was not brilliant early in the Hennessy, but it got better as the race went on.
"Masters Hill was not 100 per cent at Newcastle, but he ran a solid race the time before. The way he runs looks like he is a typical stayer.
"On the form, you would have to go with Theatre Guide as being pulled up doesn't compare with a second in the Hennessy."
Although Shotgun Paddy failed to complete in last year's renewal, trainer Emma Lavelle is confident the eight-year-old will be seen to a much better effect this time round.
She said: "Shotgun Paddy is in great order. While the odd one that has come out means that the weights have gone up slightly, I am happy where he is at.
"I was delighted with his run at Cheltenham and he came out of the race really well. Hopefully things will go to plan this year as it's fair to say they didn't last year.
"He ran his race after galloping into the first couple of fences so Leighton (Aspell) did the right thing and pulled him up.
"He jumped so well at Cheltenham and I am really pleased with how he is in his mind and physically he seems better than last year."
While Rebecca Curtis has opted not to run former RSA Chase winner O'Faolains Boy in the race, she feels both her contenders Bob Ford and Red Devil Lads are in with realistic chances, with the testing conditions very much in their favour.
She said: "I expect both Bob Ford and Red Devil Lads to run well as they will love the ground and they stay very well and both have nice weights.
"Bob Ford has done all his winning on heavy ground so hopefully it will suit at Chepstow, while he did it nicely at Ffos Las last time out.
"It was completely unsuitable for Red Devil Lads at Ludlow as it was way too sharp for him and he wants to go left handed. It was a good run considering nothing was right for him, but we needed to get a run into him.
"My only worry is that both like to front run, so I hope they don't take each other on."
Portrait King will be flying the flag for Ireland and although the 11-year-old tipped up when still in contention in the Becher Chase at Aintree last time out, trainer Patrick Griffin expects a bold show.
He said: "He came out of the race at Aintree very well. It was most unfortunate that he came down as it was more or less a collision on landing at a point where he would have come into his own.
"Three mile and five furlongs around Chepstow is atrocious and it is not for every horse. I know our fellow prefers extreme distances and this will test them to the extreme. We are expecting a big run from him.
"Derek Fox who rode him last time rides him again and hopefully he can do a good job."