Neil King is counting on Lil Rockerfeller making his class tell to offset the burden of his lofty weight in the '40 Years Of Keltbray' Holloway's Handicap Hurdle at Ascot today.
Having been left on the same mark of 151 following his second in the Relkeel Hurdle at Cheltenham on New Year's Day, the five-year-old is to revert to handicap company for a tilt at the Grade Three prize.
Despite Lil Rockerfeller having to shoulder 11st 12lb, the Upper Herdswick handler is optimistic the five-times race winner can give weight away to his 17 rivals and play a part in the finish.
King said: "This race has been the plan since the Relkeel Hurdle. He ran a blinder there and I don't think he got the credit he deserved.
"Fortunately the handicapper has left him alone which is key to why he is running in this race.
"Of course top weight is a worry, but he won with a big weight at Sandown and he has got a little bit of room for improvement.
"He has won over two miles at the track before, but this trip should suit him. He is in good order, it is a shame he has top weight but he has got that as he is the best horse in the race."
Theo's Charm is chasing a hat-trick following back-to-back victories at Plumpton and despite the race presenting a marked step up in class, his trainer Nick Gifford feels the six-year-old is more than capable of putting in a bold show.
He said: "It's a step up for him from winning two uncompetitive novice hurdles at Plumpton, but I think he is on a good mark and he should handle the ground, while he has been crying out for the step up in trip.
"He didn't have a hard race last time out as he was the only one that really handled the ground. It was not like he was all out to win.
"He has had a fairly easy week and is fresh and well, while he worked very well last Saturday. This has been his plan for a while and he deserves to take his chance."
Although airing concerns about the ground, Gary Moore is convinced he is yet to get to the bottom of Baron Alco, who is chasing a four-timer having chalked up victories at Stratford, Fontwell and Kempton.
He said: "Baron Alco is in great form but he is going to have to up his game again. I am disappointed that the ground is heavy as he would prefer it better, but he is in there on a sensible racing weight, which helps.
"The plan was the Lanzarote but we took him out of that because the ground was so bad so it has given us a bit more time with him. He was over-ambitious last year and a result ended up on a lenient mark, allowing him to win three races. I still don't think we've got to the bottom of him yet."
Value At Risk switches back to the smaller obstacles for the first time since finishing fifth in the Albert Bartlett Novices' Hurdle at last year's Cheltenham Festival in a bid to get his career back on track having failed to finish in two starts over fences.
Trainer Dan Skelton said: "It's not worked out for him over fences and he's hardly had a race this season, when you think about it. He looks every inch a chaser.
"Both times he has fell at the second and Harry (Skelton) has caught him as soon as he has stood up so he has actually done the total of six furlongs on the racetrack this season.
"He was up there with the best novices (over hurdles) and he's fresh and ready to go."
Alan King is hoping Simply A Legend can fight out the finish to earn another rise in the weights in order for him to ensure he gets a run at the Cheltenham Festival in March.
He said: " He got another 6lb hike for that yet will still need to go up a bit more to ensure a run in the Martin Pipe Conditional Jockeys' Handicap Hurdle at Cheltenham."
Harry Fry is confident the step up in trip should pose no problems for the lightly-raced Zulu Oscar in his bid to follow up his recent Kempton success.
He said: "He won well at Kempton and the step up in trip should suit him. The ground is a bit of an unknown. We've never run him on ground quite as soft as it will be on Saturday, but he's in good form.
"As his record suggests he's quite fragile and hasn't had too many runs, so when he's well at home we try to run him."
While Ebony Express has yet to capture the form that saw him win last year's Imperial Cup, trainer Dr Richard Newland is banking on jockey Charlie Hammond's 10lb claim helping his chances.
He said: "So far he has been disappointing. He seems in good order but has not yet hit top form. He is going up in distance and we felt the step up in trip might be required. It looks very competitive, but we have Charlie Hammond taking a few pounds off which will help."