What's on this week: Melbourne Cup, Grade 1 Down Royal action and major betting handicaps at Aintree and Wincanton

Monday

Hayley Turner has two opportunities to ride her 1,000th career winner at Kempton. The rider could seal a landmark success on either Realised in the fillies' novice (2.00) or newcomer Lennox in the mile maiden (3.00), with both chances trained by Harry Eustace. Godolphin's Measured Time is odds-on to extend his unbeaten record to four in the Listed Racing TV Floodlit Stakes (3.30) for William Buick and Charlie Appleby.

Silver Trophy winner Pyramid Place bids to follow up his Chepstow success off a 7lb higher mark in Plumpton's feature 2m4½f handicap hurdle (2.37). The Robert Walford-trained Tip Top Mountain goes for a hat-trick in the 3m1½f handicap chase (3.07) at the same meeting, where there is nearly £120,000 of prize-money on offer.

Dual Cheltenham bumper scorer Bonttay bids to make it two from two in handicap hurdles (2.50) on Hereford's eight-race card, which also features Welsh Champion Hurdle third Fiveonefive (3.50).

Wolverhampton's evening fixture completes the racing on a day where the entries for Saturday's major meetings at Aintree and Wincanton will also be revealed.

Vauban: favourite for Tuesday's Melbourne CupCredit: Alan Crowhurst (Getty Images)

Tuesday

All eyes in the early hours will be on Australia as hot favourite Vauban bids to give Willie Mullins his first victory in the Lexus Melbourne Cup (4.00). Mullins and owner Rich Ricci went agonisingly close at Flemington with Max Dynamite in 2015, but Vauban looks capable of going one better having won both starts since switching back to the Flat. Ryan Moore will ride last year's Triumph Hurdle winner with Zac Purton booked for Ebor winner and stablemate Absurde. Last year's winner Gold Trip is Vauban's main market rival.

Sandor Clegane was last seen winning at the Punchestown festival in April and he makes his chasing debut at Fairyhouse (11.53). Paul Nolan's six-year-old was third in the Albert Bartlett Novices' Hurdle but the trainer has opted to start him out over fences at a significantly shorter trip. Absolute Notions, pulled up by Davy Russell when sent off favourite for a Grade 1 at Aintree's Grand National meeting, will be partnered by Galway Plate-winning rider Danny Gilligan for the first time on his seasonal debut (2.48).

Kilbeg King will be another Punchestown winner in action as he takes on Martin Pipe Handicap Hurdle scorer Iroko in Warwick's feature 2m4f novice chase (1.55), which Stage Star landed on his way to Cheltenham Festival glory last season.

The BetMGM River Eden EBF Fillies' Stakes (1.47) is one of two Listed events at Lingfield with other all-weather meeting offerings coming from Chelmsford and Newcastle.

Wednesday

Tolworth Novices' Hurdle winner Tahmuras could make his chasing debut at Chepstow (2.40). Colonel Harry was fourth behind Tahmuras in that Sandown Grade 1 and bids to reverse the form for Jamie Snowden, who won this race 12 months ago with Datsalrightgino.

Tahmuras (right) and Colonel Harry: could make their chasing debuts at ChepstowCredit: Edward Whitaker

Major Dundee is set for his first start since landing the Midlands Grand National in Warwick's feature 3m1½f handicap chase (2.25) in what is likely to be a prep run for Newbury's Coral Gold Cup. Corrigeen Rock also holds a major handicap entry in the Hurst Park at Ascot at the end of the month and Lucinda Russell's improving six-year-old could attempt to follow his Perth and Kempton victories at Musselburgh (3.25).

The £80,000 final of the London Sprint Series Handicap (7.00) headlines Kempton's evening fixture, with further all-weather action provided by Dundalk.

Thursday

The final fields for Saturday's Badger Beer Handicap Chase at Wincanton and the BoyleSports Grand Sefton Handicap Chase at Aintree will be revealed before a decent day's racing which could potentially feature the return of dual Ryanair winner Allaho.

Allaho: could return at ClonmelCredit: Michael Steele (Getty Images)

The Mullins-trained nine-year-old has not been seen since romping home in last year's Punchestown Gold Cup due to a bleed on his spleen but he could make his comeback in the Clonmel Oil Chase (2.50). Allaho beat future Gold Cup hero Minella Indo over hurdles on his only previous visit to Clonmel and could put that unbeaten record on the line in the Grade 2 against fellow top-level winners Fakir D'Oudairies, Bob Olinger, Feronily and Janidil. Henry de Bromhead's Grand Annual heroine Maskada could make her reappearance in the preceding Listed event (2.15).

Listed Cheltenham bumper winner Queens Gamble could make her first start for Harry Derham at Newbury (2.25). The five-year-old made a successful hurdling debut at Warwick in May when trained by Derham's assistant Oliver Sherwood and regular rider Jonathan Burke is already jocked up in the 2m½f mares' novice event. Grade 1 winner Chantry House could make his first start since falling in Wetherby's Rowland Meyrick Chase on Boxing Day in the Pertemps qualifier (3.00) at the Berkshire venue.

Five unbeaten hurdlers and Alan King's bumper winner The Doyen Chief are entered in Ludlow's £30,000 feature 2m5½f contest with Sedgefield's seven-race card completing the day's action over jumps. Chelmsford is the only Flat fixture.

Friday

Down Royal's rearranged two-day meeting gets under way with a couple of Grade 3s the highlight on the opening day of the fixture that was postponed last week.

Editeur Du Gite: could carry top weight in the Haldon Gold CupCredit: John Grossick

Grade 1 winner Editeur Du Gite could make his reappearance in the Betway Haldon Gold Cup Handicap Chase (3.30) at Exeter. The Gary Moore-trained nine-year-old would have to give weight all round in the Grade 2 in which Indiana Jones is an intriguing entry for Mouse Morris. Gentlemansgame's Charlie Hall success was the trainer's first in Britain since Rule The World landed the Grand National in 2016, and Indiana Jones is owned, like Saturday's Wetherby winner, by Robcour.

Albert Bartlett winner Stay Away Fay and Grade 2 hurdle scorer Grey Dawning could make their chasing debuts in the 3m novice chase (2.55). Hexham and Fontwell also host jumps fixtures, while Newcastle race on the all-weather.

Saturday

Gold Cup second favourite Gerri Colombe is set to begin his season in the Grade 1 Ladbrokes Champion Chase (2.35) at Down Royal. The seven-year-old's trainer Gordon Elliott won this race in 2015 with Don Cossack, who went on to win that season's Gold Cup.

The BoyleSports Grand Sefton Handicap Chase (2.45) is the first race of the season to be run over Aintree's Grand National fences and Al Dancer is likely to bid to repeat last year's win after an excellent third in the Grade 2 Old Roan Chase on the Mildmay course. Gesskille and Fantastic Lady could attempt to go one better than their respective seconds in the Becher last season and the Topham.

Frodon is another who could defend his crown in the Badger Beer Handicap Chase (3.00) at Wincanton in what will be the start of the 11-year-old's final season in training. The veteran's trainer Paul Nicholls will also be represented by Scottish Champion Hurdle winner Rubaud, who made a successful seasonal debut in a Kempton Listed event last month, in the Grade 2 Elite Hurdle (2.25).

Frodon: could defend Badger Beer chase crownCredit: Alan Crowhurst (Getty Images)

The Virgin Bet November Handicap (1.30) takes place at Newcastle rather than Doncaster, with the traditional venue's ground suffering from the effects of persistent rain. Kelso, Chelmsford and Gowran Park complete the day's racing.

Sunday

The Listed Brown Lad Handicap Hurdle (1.25) is the main event on Naas's eight-race card. Sandown and Ffos Las host jumps meetings while there are no domestic Flat fixtures.

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