Cue jumping's favourite horse as Card returns to happy hunting ground

Any day when whose star attraction is arguably the most popular horse in training has to be a good day. Today is such a day.

The marvellous and still mighty veteran that is Cue Card took the Betfair Ascot Chase four years ago and will try to take it again this afternoon when odds-on favourite against five rivals in a Grade 1 prize whose £85,000 winner's purse would nudge Colin Tizzard that much closer to Paul Nicholls in the British trainers' championship.

The Timico Cheltenham Gold Cup is the Cheltenham plan for Cue Card but it is the Stan James Champion Hurdle that Alan King-trained stablemates Yanworth and Sceau Royal are being tested for in Wincanton's big race, while former Champion Hurdle hero Jezki - well backed this week for the Sun Bets Stayers' Hurdle - is in action at Wincanton.

After Cheltenham comes Aintree, to where the likes of Blaklion and Vieux Lion Rouge should be heading after Haydock's Betfred Grand National Trial.

Today's big races

Ascot 1.50: Sodexo Reynoldstown Novices' Chase (Grade 2)

Gowran Park 1.55: Red Mills Chase (Grade 2)

Haydock 2.05: Betfred Rendlesham Hurdle (Grade 2)

Wincanton 2.45: Betway Kingwell Hurdle (Grade 2)

Gowran Park 3.05: Red Mills Trial Hurdle (Grade 2)

Haydock 3.15: Betfred Grand National Trial (Grade 3)

Ascot 3.35: Betfair Ascot Chase (Grade 1)

Haydock 3.50: Albert Bartlett Prestige Novices' Hurdle (Grade 2)

Going update

Ascot: Soft, good to soft in places (from soft)

Gowran Park: Soft to heavy (hurdles); heavy (chase)

Haydock: Good to soft

Kempton: Standard

Lingfield: Standard

Wincanton: Soft (heavy in places on chase course stables bend)

Key non-runners

Ascot 1.50: (6) Label Des Obeaux

Haydock 3.15: (8)Doctor Harper

Market movers

Lingfield 3.30: Dougan 4 (from 11-2 with Bet Victor)

Haydock 3.50: No Hassle Hoff 13-8 (from 15-8 with Betfair)

Haydock 4.20: Aqua Dude 3 (from 7-2 Betfred)

Kempton 7.15: Kingthistle 7-2 (from 5 with Ladbrokes)