Spotlight: No ground issues; promising late gains when third of 17 on stable debut in the Cheltenham qualifier in October; not so hot since but those runs aren't hard to forgive (the latest was over just 2m4f) and he's now 2lb lower than on that eye-catching reappearance; trainer is a dab hand in these Festival handicaps and this 8yo has been favourite for this race for some time.

Spotlight: 4-4 in handicaps (soft/good to soft) and strode clear for emphatic wins at Market Rasen and Newbury when stepped up to about 3m on his two runs this season; up another 10lb but he's been seeing out those races in grand style and, after just eight starts, still possesses serious potential.

Spotlight: Back with Nicky Henderson after last season with Laura Morgan; third of six to Ace Of Spades at Huntingdon in January came after a year off and was a partial revival; potentially thrown in if he builds on that, as he was fourth in the 2024 Pertemps Final off 13lb higher; stable going well.

Spotlight: Soundly beaten here in the Martin Pipe 12 months ago but second of 17 to today's Grade 1 Stayers' hopeful Ma Shantou back here (3m, good) in October; improved to win valuable race in another big field at Haydock (3m, good to soft) in November and should be raring to go today, with major chance.

Spotlight: Won two of his four starts this term and stayed on well for second to today's Grade 1 Stayers' candidate Ma Shantou here (3m, good) on New Year's Day on penultimate start; latest was a Huntingdon win (3m1f, soft) and he's now 5lb higher but this progressive 7yo has to be taken seriously.

Spotlight: Won two bumpers on good ground last year; 0-5 over hurdles but minor honours on last four occasions; 6-1, second of 13 to Champagne Chic when upped to 3m for Haydock qualifier (good to soft) on handicap debut last time, renewing his effort but not nearly as strongly as the winner on run-in; not that straightforward but there's time for him to get his act together and cheekpieces (worn in two of his bumpers, not the wins) return.

Spotlight: Lightly raced 6yo who has made a big splash on his switch back to hurdling this season, ridden prominently when winning over about 3m at Cheltenham and Sandown (under Callum Pritchard last time); up another 8lb today; those wins were on soft ground, which probably helped him, but he keeps finding more and probably has deeper reserves, so cannot be passed over at all lightly.

Spotlight: 5-5 for Paul Nicholls (good/good to soft) and the last three of those races were over 3m, including in the Wincanton qualifier; racking up the wins would be a highly unusual profile for a Pertemps Final winner but he keeps finishing off the opposition in storming fashion and could easily still have more to give; on the shortlist.

Spotlight: Never better than on her last three starts, winning a Listed mares' hurdle at Doncaster (3m, good to soft) on first occasion; minor honours in Grade 2 events since (hooded last time, not today); reliable and basically progressive but she needs to resume improvement in this hot handicap.

Spotlight: Placed over hurdles/fences in France; six races for Tony Mullins, steadily progressive until tailing off at 22-1 in 2m4f Grade 1 novice on soft going two months ago; 2m4f win in November was sandwiched by seconds over 2m and 3m1f, latterly in a six-runner Carlisle qualifier, and while it would be no shock if he remains capable of better, there is a question over his ideal trip.

Spotlight: Made debut in January last year and has won three of eight starts, including over about 3m at Wincanton (heavy) and Haydock (good to soft) on last two; 7lb rise since latest demands better still but he keeps finding for pressure and ended up just over 5l ahead last time, stretching on further from Minella Emperor on the run-in; better still could easily be on its way.

Spotlight: Never got seriously involved when ninth in the 2m5f handicap at last year's Festival; 2m6f-3m has proved just the ticket this winter with three wins (including the Punchestown qualifier) and a second, with last two outings in Grade 2; they were all in the mud but good to soft was fine earlier in career; tough customer and Gordon Elliott won this three times in a row not so long ago, twice with Sire Du Berlais among the topweights.

Spotlight: Can front-run; Cheltenham regular, where he won a 3m Grade 2 last January; sixth in this in 2024 and ran creditably here on three of his first five starts this season, before a big run under Toby McCain-Mitchell at Chepstow 19 days ago; back up 2lb to his career-high mark but probably not far away.

Spotlight: Lightly raced 7yo; fifth race over hurdles when justifying favouritism in the nine-runner Naas qualifier (2m7f, heavy) 18 days ago with cheekpieces fitted for handicap debut, helping to set the pace and holding on by a neck from Minella Sixo; tries blinkers this time; relatively unexposed and probably a thorough stayer, so he should figure in calculations.

Spotlight: No ground worries; best winning day in the 2024 Grand National Trial at Haydock and he's been placed in last two editions of the Troytown in November; those were over fences but he has a much lower hurdles mark and was a close second to Duke Silver in the Leopardstown qualifier; good chance he'll be outspeeded in this but dangerous if he turns for home in contention.

Spotlight: Second here (on good) early as novice but tailed off in the Martin Pipe last March; better over this sort of trip and surged back to form when a close second to Melbourne Shamrock in the Naas qualifier (2m7f, heavy) 18 days ago in a second-time visor, staying on strongly from off pace; requires better to justify this British mark but needs a second look for trainer who's done well in this race.

Spotlight: Did well at 2m3f-2m5f when reverting to hurdles for his last three starts last season; not quite so good this term and he did not shout stamina when upped to 3m for last two outings; others have more compelling claims.

Spotlight: Two wins last winter, latterly at Sandown (extended 2m7f, heavy; by 8l making all); pulled up on next two starts, with 322 days off in between, but fourth in the Haydock qualifier last month was a big step back in the right direction; now needs to make another but he's only 1lb higher than at Sandown.

Spotlight: Hugely hit and miss on his last four starts, the good days when winning over about this trip at Listowel with cheekpieces and at Leopardstown (18-runner qualifier from Yeah Man) without them; heavy ground may excuse latest start; needs to find more but he's just a 6yo, so it may be possible.

Spotlight: Won from the front in 2m3f/2m4f, soft-ground handicaps at Warwick and Wetherby despite jumping out to his right; in contention when falling next time and second to Ace Of Spades at Huntingdon (upped markedly to 3m1f, soft) was creditable, but he keeps going up the weights and this return to a left-handed track is a concern.

Spotlight: Below form on his only run at this track, albeit two years ago; regular winner, including at Lingfield (2m7f, good to soft) and Ayr (3m, soft) in two of three starts this season, with a creditable third to Kikijo at Sandown in between; up another 6lb but if he's in contention he will be staying on.

Spotlight: Won two chases last season and 2-4 back hurdling this term, with all those wins on good ground but he also scored on soft in his novice days; however, tailed off at Windsor on New Year's Day, unraced beyond 2m5f under rules and needs to resume his improvement.

Spotlight: Never-dangerous tenth in this race last year; ran creditably on three of his four starts this season, second in the Musselburgh qualifier last time, but he's an exposed 8yo who needs to show something new.

Spotlight: Last won in April 2024; well beaten in the 2m5f handicap here last March; second to Absolutely Doyen at Wincanton (3m, good to soft) at Christmas was best effort this term; ran creditably in the Lanzarote at Kempton (2m5f) next time, before a modest show at Plumpton latest; others look more solid.