Jockey Nick Scholfield feels Le Mercurey is at the right end of the weights to mount a major challenge in the Sky Bet Chase at Doncaster on Saturday.
The Paul Nicholls-trained six-year-old has made just three appearances over fences, winning at Plumpton and Ascot before perhaps having his limitations exposed in a well-contested novice event at Cheltenham on New Year's Day.
He switches to handicap company for the first time this weekend as the champion trainer aims to scoop a major prize in his bid to fend off the Irish challenge of Willie Mullins in the title race.
"He's done well in his novice races and is on a nice racing weight with 10st 9lb on his back," said Scholfield.
"He looks an improving horse and I think the better ground will help him a lot.
"It's a competitive race, but I think having a light weight on his back should stand him in good stead and I'm looking forward to it."
Ziga Boy is a major contender for Alan King after impressing over the course and distance a month ago.
The seven-year-old is over a stone higher in the weights now, but Dan Downie, who runs the owning Axom Syndicate, is anticipating a bold show.
He said: "He's really well and did what we expected last time after a couple of disappointing runs.
"To be fair he had excuses with ground and one or two other things, but he jumped well on his last run and the fact the track seems to suit him well has to be a positive.
"He's up a lot in the weights, but he's entitled to be after what he did there last time.
"This will obviously be a lot tougher, but he has 10st on his back and I'm hopeful he's good enough to run really well."
Buywise would not be winning out of turn, having run well in the Paddy Power Gold Cup and the Caspian Caviar Gold Cup at Cheltenham.
Evan Williams is keen to see how his enigmatic gelding fares over three miles.
He said: " The horse has been in grand form all winter and hasn't run a bad race.
"I don't know whether he wants a step up to three miles - I think a stiff two and a half miles or so is fine for him. People have been saying he needs a step up in trip and I am willing to give it a try because there is no doubting that the handicapper has got him.
"We need to find improvement from somewhere and hopefully that can come from stepping him up in trip."
The weights are headed by last year's Cheltenham Gold Cup fourth Holywell.
Jonjo Neill's charge has failed to make an impact in either the Charlie Hall Chase at Wetherby or the Betfair Chase at Haydock so far this season and must concede weight all round as he drops in grade.
"The ground has been really bad for him this season so he hasn't had a lot of racing," O'Neill told Racing UK.
"He tends to come right in the spring, hopefully when the ground comes right, so we'll hopefully head to Cheltenham with him and maybe the Grand National, he'll have an entry anyway.
"He's not the biggest but he's cute - he knows what he's doing.
"Blinkers are very important as he's a little monkey really, the blinkers do the trick when we need them.
"He was disappointing in the Charlie Hall as we thought he'd run a good race but he didn't, he's disappointed a few times early in the season, though."
Coologue has run well at the track already this season and his trainer Charlie Longsdon is keeping his fingers crossed for another positive display.
"He's had three runs over fences, two of those at Doncaster and has a nice racing weight," said the Chipping Norton-based trainer.
"It's a tough race, but he's at the right end of the handicap and I think a bit better ground will help him - he doesn't want it too soft.
"He's well and hopefully he's up to it. He has a nice each-way squeak."
The Warren Greatrex-trained Dolatulo was third over Aintree's Grand National fences on his only previous start this season in the Becher Chase.
"He's in great form and I'm really looking forward to running him," said Greatrex.
"When I entered him I thought 'is he really up to winning a Sky Bet?', but when you dissect the race, I think he's got a really solid each-way chance.
"The ground and the trip won't bother him and we've booked Denis O'Regan to ride.
"He's fresh and well, so we'll see what happens."
Veteran chaser Aachen has already won twice this winter and was only narrowly denied the hat-trick at Sandown earlier this month.
Trainer Venetia Williams said: " He's won around Doncaster before and I think he deserves to take his chance.
"The ground is quite a bit drier than it has been for a while. He has run well on better ground, but he does need a career-best and his best runs of late have been when the ground has been pretty testing.
"Those younger horses might just have the legs on him on the drier ground, but we'll see."
Emma Lavelle is double-handed, with Gullinbursti and Court By Surprise expected to go well.
"I was pleased with Gullinbursti's comeback run, he was just a little bit rusty and I'm putting the visor back on him to try and sharpen him up a little bit," said Lavelle.
"He has a good racing weight and hopefully he'll run a good race.
"Court By Surprise struck into himself at Chepstow and we've had to give him some time, but he seems really well.
"I think it's quite hard to split them actually. They're both in really good order."
Le Reve has been a fine servant to his trainer Lucy Wadham, who feels her charge has plenty in his favour.
She said: " He is very well and hopefully he can build on his last run, which he had a wind operation before.
"I was very happy with his last run and the handicapper has actually dropped him a pound. You beg for them to drop them then they do it when you don't expect it.
"The ground should be fine so everything should be perfect for him."
The only Irish-trained contender is Arthur Moore's Pass The Hat, who was last seen running well over hurdles at Punchestown.
Moore said: "W e have been looking for some better ground for Pass The Hat and I am hoping they don't get too much rain.
"I was very happy with his last run at Punchestown. It was a nice performance and gave us the encouragement to travel over with him.
"He hasn't won over three miles but has run some good races at the trip and I think he gets it on good ground.
"We have had the Sky Bet Chase in mind for Pass The Hat for quite a while as it looked like a race where he would hopefully get his preferred going.
"We will see how he gets on Saturday and then make plans for the rest of the season."