Confirmed runners and riders for the Cotswold Chase and Cleeve Hurdle

Santini, Bristol De Mai and De Rasher Counter are among six declarations for the Paddy Power Cotswold Chase (2.25) at Cheltenham on Saturday.

Savills Chase scorer Delta Work has not been declared with Gordon Elliott deciding against running any of his ten entries on Trials day.

Bristol De Mai is the highest rated on official figures and finished second to Lostintranslation in the Betfair Chase at Haydock when last in action, but Santini is open to more improvement. He scraped home in Listed company at Sandown on his sole start this season but could prove a live Gold Cup contender if successful on Saturday.

De Rasher Counter: won the Ladbrokes Trophy at Newbury last timeCredit: Alan Crowhurst

De Rasher Counter is another improver after victory in the Ladbrokes Trophy at Newbury last time, while the same can be said of Top Ville Ben, who landed the Rowland Meyrick Handicap Chase at Wetherby over the festive period.

Slate House and Mister Whitaker complete an intriguing six-runner field, but the race does not have a good recent record when it comes to producing Gold Cup winners with Looks Like Trouble the last chaser to complete the double in 2000.

Star staying hurdler Paisley Park faces seven rivals as he bids for a repeat success in the galliardhomes.com Cleeve Hurdle (3.35).

Ascot Hurdle winner If The Cap Fits, Relkeel Hurdle victor Summerville Boy and the enigmatic yet talented L'Ami Serge will ensure it is a proper test for Emma Lavelle's stable star.

The Cotswold Chase and Cleeve Hurdle are two of four races at Cheltenham televised on ITV, which also shows three races from Doncaster including the Yorkshire Rose Mares' Hurdle in which Lady Buttons bids for back-to-back wins.

Trials day declarations

Cotswold Chase runners and riders

1 Bristol De Mai Daryl Jacob
2 Mister Whitaker Jonathan Burke
3 De Rasher Counter Adam Wedge
4 Santini Nico de Boinville
5 Top Ville Ben Thomas Dowson
6 Slate House Robbie Power

Cleeve Hurdle runners and riders

1 If The Cap Fits Sean Bowen
2 Paisley Park Aidan Coleman
3 Summerville Boy Jonathan Burke
4 William Henry Nico de Boinville
5 Lisnagar Oscar Adam Wedge
6 Kilbricken Storm Harry Cobden
7 L'Ami Serge Daryl Jacob
8 Tobefair Tom Bellamy

Read more if you like this:

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Fry confident If The Cap Fits can upset Paisley Park in Cleeve

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