Tobefair looking for another popular success at happy hunting ground

3.00 Cheltenham
Spinal Injuries Association Big Bucks Handicap Hurdle (Listed) | 3m | ITV/RTV

Tobefair bids to put up another gallant weight-carrying performance as the popular staying hurdler returns to the scene of last month's triumph, and looks to successfully give a stone and more to his nine rivals.

Second in last season's Pertemps Final at the Cheltenham Festival, the nine-year-old is chasing a hat-trick at the course having signed off last season with a win in April before carrying top weight to victory on heavy ground three weeks ago.

"He's on a career-high mark and weight does stop trains eventually, but he's a big horse and I hope he can carry it," said rider Tom Bellamy, yet to finish outside the first two on the four times he has partnered the nine-year-old.

"We hacked round and sprinted up the straight last time and you'd imagine this will be more of a test but I'm not fussed either way. If he's in the same frame of mind as last time, when he wasn't getting beat, he'll go well.

"I'm not worried about the ground and I'm very privileged to ride a horse like that."

Vieux Lion Rouge is better known as a chaser but last month's Chepstow scorer is out to exploit a 5lb lower mark over hurdles for David Pipe and Tom Scudamore.

"He's going to love the ground," said Pipe. "He was very good at Chepstow and we schooled him over hurdles in the week and he was very good over them. After this he'll go for the Becher Chase."

Hear No Evil has a 50 per cent strike-rate over hurdles and is looking to build on his first start for 654 days at Aintree last month, where he finished fourth.

Skelton said: "He is going up to three miles, which I think he'll like, and the ground won't be an issue.

"The one question in my mind would be that he might improve for the run as he was off for a long time before he came back at Aintree."

The Butcher Said has four wins and two seconds since joining Olly Murphy earlier this yearCredit: John Grossick (racingpost.com/photos)

Olly Murphy is two-handed in the race with champion jockey Richard Johnson aboard Smackwater Jack and Adrian Heskin renewing his association with The Butcher Said, who the rider knows well having partnered him to four wins over hurdles.

Heskin gives up the ride on Anteros, having partnered the veteran to to a hat-trick of victories over fences for trainer Sophie Leech, with top conditional Connor Brace in the saddle this time.

Like Anteros, Eva's Oskar also chases a four-timer for Tim Vaughan and Alan Johns, but his wins have all been over hurdles and the five-year-old carries 17lb more than his first success at Hexham in May.

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