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

Trainer

Dan Skelton enjoyed yet another sensational Saturday last weekend when taking two Grade 2s at Warwick and landing the £100,000 Lanzarote Hurdle with West Balboa. The Alcester-based trainer could be set for another productive Saturday as he is represented in six of the seven races at Haydock.

Lac De Constance bids to make amends for unseating Harry Skelton at Kempton last month in the opening Patrick Coyne Memorial Altcar Novices' Chase (12.20), while Pembroke leads the market in one of the other Grade 2s on the card, the Sky Bet Supreme Trial Rossington Main Novices' Hurdle (1.30).

The evergreen Blaklion won twice at Haydock last season and he returns to the track at the age of 14 for the Peter Marsh Handicap Chase (2.40) with Sholokjack (12.55), Alnadam (3.10) and Hartur D'Oudairies (3.40) all with chances in the other handicaps for the Skeltons.

Lac De Constance: one of six chances at Haydock to offer Dan Skelton more Saturday successCredit: Edward Whitaker

Jockey

Billy Loughnane needs just one more winner to ride out his 7lb claim and is likely to do so at Newcastle on Friday evening where he has three rides.

However, if the in-form 16-year-old is not successful on Friday he has five rides at Lingfield on Saturday to get the job done, starting with course-and-distance winners Smith (11.55) and Catch My Breath (1.02) as well as Pistoletto (1.37), who has twice scored around the track.

Loughnane demonstrated his talents at Wolverhampton this week, riding a treble at Dunstall Park on Monday and backing that up with a double on Wednesday and another winner on Thursday. The apprentice may take a break soon in order to preserve some of his claim for the start of the turf season in April, with Ruth Carr's Embour (3.22) and the Roger Teal-trained Alcazan (3.57) other more immediate opportunities for Loughnane to add to his 19 career winners.

Horse

Bristol De Mai boasts a superb record at Haydock with six wins from nine races at the Merseyside track including the Peter Marsh Handicap Chase (2.40) in 2017 and the veteran goes for the same race six years on from that success.

Connections of the 12-year-old grey had toyed with the idea of going back to Lingfield for the valuable Fleur De Lys Chase on Sunday but trainer Nigel Twiston-Davies and owners Simon Munir and Isaac Souede opted to return to the scene of Bristol's De Mai's three Betfair Chase victories (although Lingfield remains a backup option if Haydock is off).

Our Vic is the only 12-year-old to have won the Grade 2 handicap this century but all eyes will be on Bristol De Mai to see if he can buck the trend on his favoured heavy ground.

Epatante: hoping to return to winning ways at HaydockCredit: Edward Whitaker

Race

Epatante has had the misfortune to bump into stablemate and Champion Hurdle favourite Constitution Hill on both of her starts this season but the The New One Unibet Hurdle (2.05) looks a good opportunity for the Nicky Henderson-trained mare to get her head in front for the first time this season.

The JP McManus-owned nine-year-old was second when defending her crown in both the Fighting Fifth and Christmas Hurdles with the likeliest threat to the 2020 Champion Hurdle winner this time coming in the shape of I Like To Move It.

The Greatwood Hurdle winner was a non-stayer in the Relkeel at Cheltenham on New Year's Day and is intriguing back over his optimum trip while Nells Son, a Grade 2 winner as a novice, and Minella Drama are of interest reverting from chasing. Smart dual-purpose performer Jason The Militant makes his first start for Phil Kirby after being bought for £50,000 with the Alex Hales-trained For Pleasure completing the field.

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New Upping The Ante star Johnny Dineen joins the Racing Post roster for a weekly Saturday column throughout the jumps season. He'll offer a guide to the weekend action, highlight the key horses and races to watch and share his punting wisdom. Read it every Saturday in the Racing Post or online from 4pm every Friday, exclusively for Members' Club subscribers. Sign up to Members' Club here for more top jumps season insight.