As expected, Denman will have to shoulder top-weight if he is to win the Hennessy Cognac Gold Cup at Newbury this weekend.

Ruby Walsh is confident he can waste down to close to the minimum weight in order to give Granit Jack his optimum chance in Saturday's Paddy Power Gold Cup.

Rayshan is set for a crack at the Borders National at Kelso on December 9 after giving Rose Davidson a famous scalp at Carlisle.

Last season’s Hennessy Cognac Gold Cup hero State Of Play features among 86 horses entered for Newbury’s £150,000 handicap on December 1.

Ferdy Murphy and Graham Lee stole the show at Ayr with a 20-1 treble highlighted by Marshall Hall, who completed a hat-trick in impressive fashion in the Guinness Handicap Chase and set himself up for a trip to the Punchestown Festival in the process.

Tony McCoy and Exotic Dancer at 16/1 won the big race in Cheltenham this afternoon in the Paddy Power Gold Cup.

There were joyous scenes in the winner’s enclosure after Al Eile’s victory in the Commhoist Logistics Champion Hurdle Trial at Haydock, the highlight of a Timmy Murphy 98-1 four-timer.

Wild Cane Ridge looked a classy recruit to the novice chasing ranks with his impressive debut victory over fences at Newcastle on Friday.