'The Betfair Chase is made for Frodon - conditions should be perfect'

Eason
5g Coastal Path - Maitresse De Maison
Andrew Williams
166-2
RPR 120h OR -
Bit of a giant, not a true bumper horse in appearance, so perhaps it wasn’t surprising he failed to step up on his debut win. Ran a bit green on his hurdling debut at Chepstow and looks a maiden winner waiting to happen. Lovely chaser in the making and is a horse who won’t come into his own until going over fences in a year’s time.

Ecco
4g Maxios - Enjoy The Life
Colm Donlon
66-11
RPR 135h OR 141h
Gorgeous horse who is two from two over hurdles this season without ever coming off the bridle. Came from Germany with decent Flat form but a gelding operation knocked him back quite a long way and I was always slightly on the back foot with him in the spring. We threw him in at the deep end, running him in the Adonis, then the Triumph, and he was far from disgraced in either. We had his breathing done in the summer and he has come back a different horse entirely. Is ready to step up in grade now and could reappear at Cheltenham this weekend if we wanted to, but the two races I have in mind are the Kennel Gate at Ascot next month, then the Grade 1 Tolworth, although I should stress nothing is set in stone. And then we’d give him a break before Cheltenham.

Unraced three-year-olds enjoy the views from the paddockCredit: Edward Whitaker

Ellarna
5m Lucarno - Oeuvre D’Art
Axom LXIX
330-
RPR 98b
Placed in a couple of bumpers last season and has since had a breathing operation. We should be able to place her to win a mares’ maiden hurdle, hopefully starting at Ludlow on Thursday.