Tuesday 23 January 2018 13:43, UK
Sceau Royal heads nine entries for the Lightning Novices' Chase at Doncaster on Saturday.
Alan King's charge has won three of his four starts over fences, most recently claiming Grade One glory with a dominant display in the Henry VIII Novices' Chase at Sandown in early December.
That victory means Sceau Royal will have to concede weight all round if taking up his engagement in this Grade Two contest, but he is still likely to be a hot favourite.
Sceau Royal's potential rivals include the Paul Nicholls-trained Adrien Du Pont. The six-year-old made a successful chasing debut at Fontwell in October and has since been placed behind high-class performers Willoughby Court and Coney Island at Newbury and Ascot respectively.
Nicholls could also call upon Diego Du Charmil, while his former assistant Dan Skelton has entered Shantou Rock and Optimus Prime, who won at Leicester on Tuesday.
Harry Whittington's Bigmartre and Mount Mews from Malcolm Jefferson's stable also figure in a strong field.
