Confirmed runners and riders for the Badger Beer Handicap Chase

Paul Nicholls will fire two big guns at the 61st Badger Beer Handicap Chase (1.50) at Wincanton on Saturday, with topweight Frodon and Enrilo among 13 declarations for the feature event.

The 13-time champion trainer will be bidding for a 11th win in the 3m1f handicap chase and his two horses are sharing favouritism at 9-2.

Frodon was rerouted to Wincanton from Down Royal, with the ground in Ireland deemed too soft for him to defend his crown in the Grade 1 Ladbrokes Champion Chase.

The three-time top-level winner has been dropped 6lb by the British handicapper since being well beaten in the Ultima Handicap Chase at the Cheltenham Festival in March.

Enrilo: the mount of Harry Cobden in Saturday's feature raceCredit: Edward Whitaker

Enrilo was also disappointing when he was pulled up in the bet365 Gold Cup in April but has a Grade 2 novice hurdle win and several admirable handicap chase efforts to his name.

Previous winners Rocco and El Presente were also declared, along with Potterman, who has finished second in the last two runnings of the race.

Lord Accord, a winner at Cheltenham's Showcase meeting, will be bidding to claim another big Saturday prize.

Nicholls will be hoping to derail the Alan King-trained Sceau Royal's bid for a fourth Grade 2 Unibet Elite Hurdle (3.00) as Silver Trophy winner Knappers Hill drops back in trip.

The pair will face last year's top British juvenile hurdler Knight Salute and 2021 Scottish Champion Hurdle winner Milkwood.

The Ditcheat handler also saddles the favourite, Broken Halo, for the Grand Sefton (2.11) over the National fences at Aintree.

In Ireland, the five entries for the Ladbrokes Champion Chase (2.32) have stood their ground. Last year's Gold Cup fourth Galvin will take on his Gordon Elliott-trained stablemate Conflated in the top chase.

Willie Mullins sends out old favourite Kemboy and Henry de Bromhead will be hoping for a promising showing from Envoi Allen, who is being retried at three miles. Beacon Edge completes the line-up.

Wincanton ground update

It has been a challenging week for Wincanton clerk of the course Daniel Cooper, who has been tasked with managing relatively quick ground and an unsettled forecast.

The surface is now good, good to firm in places on both courses following significant rain on Wednesday night.

"We had a very wet night last night," he said. "In the last 24 hours there was about 24mm of rain which has enabled me to go good, good to firm on both courses after a prolonged period of good to firm, good in places."

Conditions could quicken up again ahead of Saturday's card, but Cooper added there is "absolutely zero" chance of the meeting being called off.

"The rain was welcomed but it's not that wet moving forward now and there is a slight consideration it might dry up and settle down," Cooper said.

"We've not watered due to the rain forecast and last night was double what we forecast so it's been a head-scratching week."

Badger Beer Handicap Chase confirmed runners and riders

FrodonBryony Frost
PottermanTom Cannon
EnriloHarry Cobden
El PresenteCiaran Gethings
Neville's CrossStan Sheppard
Irish ProphecyTom Bellamy
Lord AccordRichie McLernon
Slipway Nico de Boinville
Red HappyPhilip Armson
Cap Du NordJack Tudor
Golden TaipanLiam Harrison
RoccoJordan Nailor
MilanfordTBC

Ladbrokes Champion Chase confirmed runners and riders

GalvinDavy Russell
ConflatedJack Kennedy
KemboyPaul Townend
Envoi AllenRachael Blackmore
Beacon EdgeBryan Cooper

Badger Beer Handicap Chase (1.50 Wincanton, Saturday)

Paddy Power: 9-2 Frodon, Enrilo, 6 Cap Du Nord, Lord Accord, 8 Potterman, 10 Red Happy, 12 Irish Prophecy, 14 bar

Ladbrokes: Evs Galvin, 9-4 Conflated, 5 Kemboy, 7 Envoi Allen, 14 Beacon Edge

Read this next:

'It's not good' – Skelton puts forward reasons for small Betfair Chase entry

WIN hospitality for four on Gold Cup day at the Cheltenham Festival 2023! It's simple and free to enter – all you need to do is download our brand-new app, open the home screen and wait for the pop-up to make your entry. Download here.