Richard Hobson feels that Chic Name should have everything in his favour as he bids to secure a first Grade One victory in the coral.co.uk Future Champions Finale Juvenile Hurdle at Chepstow tomorrow.
While he has work to do to turn around the form of his latest Cheltenham third behind the Paul Nicholls-trained Adrien Du Pont, Hobson believes the testing conditions at the Monmouthshire track offer him a glimmer of hope.
He said: "He has run some solid races all season which is great considering he didn't cost a lot of money."
He went on: "The ground and the track will suit him. We have been forced to make the pace with him as he is a proper soft and heavy ground horse, so we know he stays. That's why he won at Warwick.
"I'd be very annoyed if he doesn't go on that as he is bred to stay and go in that ground. Most of those by Nickname are proper soft ground mud lovers.
"Before Cheltenham, he trod on a nail so for 10 days we didn't know whether to run him or not. He was a bit short in his work, otherwise he would have got to the last hurdle in front before being passed up the run-in.
"Leading up to this race, everything has gone well, touch wood, and I think he can run a solid race.
"Paul Nicholls' horse will take some beating but the one way we might reverse the form is that he might not go as well on the testing conditions. That is our hope that he doesn't handle it."
As for Adrien Du Pont, his rider Nick Scholfield is optimistic the testing conditions should pose no problems as he returns to the track where he was awarded a win back on his stable debut in October.
He said: "He has run and won at Chepstow before and he seems to be in good form at home while he won on soft ground in France.
"He is a very straightforward and tough horse that seems to cope with anything you throw at him, so hopefully he should be able to cope with the testing ground."
The Philip Hobbs-trained Jaboltiski is the only runner in the two-mile contest looking to defend an unbeaten record over hurdles having won first time out at Huntingdon before obliging in similar conditions at Exeter on his most recent start.
Richard Johnson, who rode him on his first two starts but is replaced by Tom O'Brien this time, said: "He''s done nothing wrong, he's won his two juveniles so far.
"He's got a good attitude and he handles very soft ground. I'm sure it's going to be very testing, especially for juveniles.
"Fingers crossed, he should go there with a big chance."
Forgiving Glance, the only filly in the race, will attempt to give Alan King his first victory in the contest since Walkon back in 2008, as she attempts to open her account over hurdles at the third time of asking.
King said: "She just might get away with the ground. She was second in a Listed mares' hurdle at Aintree and the winner was subsequently only just beaten in a Grade One at Leopardstown over Christmas, so she deserves a shot at a big one here and it would be great if we could pick up some more black type."
While Major Mac's form is below that of some of his rivals he does have the advantage of having won at the track at heavy ground on the Flat back in August, and his trainer Hughie Morrison feels he could be a lively outsider.
He said: "He was supposed to run at Newbury the other day, but he just overstretched and has a few days off which maybe is what he needed before running in this deep ground.
"We are probably aiming too high with him as heavy Flat ground is more like good to soft jumping ground. It's going to be very testing for them all.
"We are hoping more than expecting, but he will be a nice outsider. We are going there quite relaxed and are not under any pressure."
The field is completed by Coo Star Sivola from the yard of Nick Williams, and the Bernard Llewellyn-trained pair of Borak and Nabhan.