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The £175,000 event, over an extended two miles and five furlongs, sees six runners go to post, including defending champion Fakir D’oudairies who is the 7/4 favourite with Betfair.

The Irish raider, trained by Joseph O’Brien, was a gutsy length and three-quarter winner of this event last term, before going on to enjoy more top-level honours at Aintree. Second to Galopin Des Champs on his comeback, the eight-year-old quickened up in good style to score at Thurles last time out.

He deserves all kinds of respect, but the most fascinating runner looks to be Shishkin (2/1) for Nicky Henderson. He landed the Clarence House Chase at Ascot last term, before being pulled-up at Cheltenham in the Champion Chase. A well-beaten third in the Tingle Creek, he has undergone wind surgery since that defeat and now steps up to two miles and five furlongs for the first time in this event.

Trainer Nicky Henderson with Shishkin at Seven Barrows Stables. Photo: Richard Heathcote/Getty Images

The other interesting runner is Pic D’Orhy (5/2) for Paul Nicholls. The eight-year-old is unbeaten in three starts this term and was deeply impressive on his latest start when powering to victory in the Silviniaco Conti Chase at Kempton last time out.

Millers Bank, First Flow and Aye Right complete the six runners.

Elsewhere on the card, the £52,000 Reynoldstown Novices’ Chase at 1.50pm is another interesting event. Kinondo Kiewtu (11/4) is unbeaten in five starts this term and takes on Bold Endeavour (4/7f) who has won his last two starts in good style for Nicky Henderson. Jay Jay Reilly and Oscar Elite complete the quintet.

The other feature action comes from Haydock where the Grand National Trial (2.40pm) sees top-weight Bristol De Mai bid for a second straight win in the race. He is currently 5/1 with Betfair to complete the double in 2023 and land more than £50,000 in prize money.

The 12-year-old has often had some of his best days at the Merseyside venue and returns to action this weekend after a longer than anticipated layoff following a fourth-place finish in the Betfair Chase at the same track back in November.

Fontaine Collonges (4/1) currently heads the market ahead of Bristol De Mai, but doesn’t hold an entry for the Randox Grand National at Aintree on April 14.

Quick Wave (9/1), who flopped in the Welsh National, is among the big players in the race this weekend while The Two Amigos (10/1), winner of the Welsh National at Chepstow and who has finished third and fourth in this race in previous years, is also entered at Haydock, as is former Midlands Grand National winner Time To Get Up (12/1) and course-and-distance scorer Tim Pat (12/1).

Also among the runners is Snow Leopardess, the grey mare who was thrust into the spotlight last year with three successive wins before being sent off a 10/1 shot for the Grand National, only to disappoint and was pulled up at Aintree.

ITV Racing selections

1.50pm Ascot – Bold Endeavour

2.05pm Haydock – Green Book

2.25pm Ascot – Revels Hill

2.40pm Haydock – Fontaine Collonges

3.00pm Ascot – Fifty Ball

3.12pm Wincanton – First Street

3.35pm Ascot – Shishkin

Weekend racing preview: Shishkin chases Ascot Chase glory