Ground has come right for last year's Coral hero Diamond King

Brown Advisory & Merriebelle Stable Plate Handicap Chase | 2m4f166yards | 5yo+ | ITV/RUK

Gordon Elliott is going for more success with Diamond King, winner of last year's Coral Cup, who runs in this competitive handicap chase after just three runs over fences.

Gary Moore, who won the race with Tikram in 2004, runs Baron Alco, who is chasing a £60,000 bonus put up by SIS and Plumpton for any horse who wins a novice chase at the East Sussex track and follows up with chase victory at the festival.

Plenty of past winners
Venetia Williams has won three of the last ten runnings and David Pipe two of the last five. Going further back Nicky Henderson has won it four times, twice with The Tsarevich in 1985 and 1986.

What they say

Philip Hobbs, trainer of Village Vic
He has top weight but he's been in good form and should go well.

Paul Nicholls, trainer of Art Mauresque and Bouvreuil
Art Mauresque will love the drying ground. He's on a career high mark now but is capable of running really well if the ground keeps drying. Bouvreuil will love the ground and hasn't run on the winter soft he doesn't like – he ran well last year when second in the novice handicap.

Gordon Elliott, trainer of Diamond King
He obviously won the Coral Cup last year and handled the track really well. The ground has comes right for him but he does lack a bit of experience over fences.

Harry Fry, trainer of Voix D'Eau and Henryville
Both haven't run for a while deliberately to wait for this. Better ground suits both. It's a very competitive field. Mike Legg rides Voix D'Eau, having won the Silver Trophy last April at Cheltenham. Henryville is potentially well handicapped compared to what he achieved over hurdles.

Gary Moore, trainer of Baron Alco
He has decent course-and-distance form but has got his fair share of weight. It's competitive enough but he runs well here – he was still leading two out in the Coral Cup last year – and he seems in good order and copes with all ground.

Noel Meade, trainer of Road To Respect
This fella is in seriously good order and I genuinely think he has got a big chance. I like him a lot.

Evan Williams, trainer of King’s Odyssey
I think there’s a good race in him. He had a bad fall on his last trip to Cheltenham but I’ve had him out again to get his confidence back and he’s been trained for the race.

Nicky Henderson, trainer of Cocktails At Dawn
He'll love the trip and ground and he was bowling along in front jumping like an aeroplane until he overjumped in front of the stands at Kempton last time. He has a definite chance and he's a price too.

David Pipe, trainer of Starchitect
The step up in trip should suit him and I'm hopeful the decent ground will be in his favour. He has progressed with each run over fences and there's no reason why he shouldn't run a big race.

Colin Tizzard, trainer of Sizing Codelco
We think he's well handicapped and it's the right trip and the right ground for him. He looks and goes quite well and we've been looking forward to him for the last fortnight.

Neil Mulholland, trainer of Pinkie Brown
His form from the end of last year was okay. He’s done well for a break and seems to be a bit stronger. Conditions will be fine.

Kim Bailey, trainer of Un Ace
He has a good chance. We're trying cheekpieces and a tongue-tie and he's in very good form.

Richard Newland, trainer of Rock Gone
It's been a bit of a struggle to get runners in the handicaps this week. The drying ground might not be in his favour, but he had decent form on it in Ireland.

Jonjo O'Neill, trainer of Champagne At Tara and Mad Jack Mytton
There has to be a little question mark over the good ground for Champagne At Tara. Mad Jack Mytton will appreciate the drying conditions and the better the ground the better his chance.

Donald McCain, trainer of Katchenko
He comes into his own on good ground and showed improved form back in the spring. He ran well at Catterick last time out over a staying trip.

Robin Dickin, trainer of Thomas Crapper
He's due to go up 11lb in future but gets in here with a 5lb penalty. Good ground will suit him better that it did at Newbury. He sailed through his last race and came out of it very well.