One trainer, one jockey, one horse and one race to watch on Friday

Trainer

Kim Bailey is in the midst of a purple patch as autumn turns to winter and he looks well placed to add to his recent fortunes.

The Gloucestershire handler has been operating at a sizzling 31 per cent strike-rate in the last fortnight and, less than a week after El Presente gave the yard anothernotable success in the Badger Beers Silver Trophy, Bailey has a strong contender in the feature Grade 2 Ballymore Novices' Hurdle (3.35) with Does He Know.

The five-year-old, who is one of only two runners on the day for Bailey and his only representative on the Cheltenham card, looks to back up his impressive course-and-distance victory at the Showcase meeting last month and stake an early claim to be Britain's leading novice hurdler in the contest won by Thyme Hill last year.

Jockey

Like Bailey, Sam Twiston-Davies has started the month in flying form, riding 12 winners at a strike-rate of 32 per cent, and he has already notched doubles at Hereford and Bangor this week.

Twiston-Davies once again has a promising book of rides on the card at Cheltenham, with three of his four mounts provided by his father Nigel.

Sam Twiston-Davies: in flying form this monthCredit: Getty Images

His strongest chance looks to be in the SSS Super Alloys Supports Racing Welfare Novices' Chase (2.25) with Mossy Fen, who was a Grade 2 winner over hurdles last season but must bounce back from a disappointing chase debut over three miles at this track last month.

Twiston-Davies also gets the leg-up on Ballymillsy (3.35) and One True King (4.05) while, intriguingly, he has picked up the ride on Vino Royale for French trainer David Cottin in the Glenfarclas Cross Country Handicap Chase (3.00).

Horse

Friday's action revolves around the eagerly awaited rematch between Tiger Roll and Easysland in the Glenfarclas Cross Country Handicap Chase (3.00), and it will be interesting to see how the latter fares on his first appearance since his crowning glory at the Cheltenham Festival.

Easysland was an unknown prospect in Britain this time last year. However, the David Cottin-trained six-year-old took the cross-country division by storm in two victories at the track in 2019-20, culminating with a 17-length hammering of Tiger Roll at the festival in March.

That race was staged as a conditions contest whereas this event is a handicap. That means Easysland will be in receipt of 4lb from Tiger Roll and, while he will not be fully wound up for his seasonal return, he has a golden opportunity to continue his domination of the British cross-country division.

Race

The SSS Super Alloys Supports Racing Welfare Novices' Chase (2.25) has an illustrious roll of honour, with the likes of top-level performers Grands Crus, Dynaste and Taquin Du Seuil among its winners within the past ten years.

This year's race might unearth a quality prospect in Protektorat, who looked a Graded performer in waiting with a flamboyant and excellent round of jumping on his debut over fences at Carlisle last month.

Protektorat: put in a mighty display on his debut over fences at Carlisle last monthCredit: John Grossick Racing

The Dan Skelton-trained five-year-old heads a small yet select field of four in the 2m4f contest, with his main rival likely to come from Skelton's former boss Paul Nicholls, who saddles the Showcase meeting course-and-distance winner Southfield Stone.

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