Hansard will lead a possible two-pronged assault from trainer Gary Moore on the Betfair Exchange Trophy at Ascot on Saturday.
Owned by the Noel Fehily Racing Syndicates, the five-year-old has always been held in high regard and stepped up on his reappearance second in the Elite Hurdle to carry a monster weight to victory in a competitive renewal of the Gerry Feilden at Newbury earlier this month.
This was immediately identified as his next target Hansard is priced up as the 11/2 second-favourite with the sponsors for a race where he will yet again be tasked with shouldering a hefty weight burden.
However, that holds no fears for connections as they look to their improving hurdler to provide an early Christmas treat in the £150,000 contest.
“He won nicely at Newbury in the Gerry Feilden and roll on Ascot, it’s the obvious next step for him,” said Fehily.
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Hansard (white cap) comes through to win the Gerry Feilden at Newbury
“It will be much more competitive, I suppose, but we will roll the dice and see how we go.
“He carried 12st at Newbury and he’s going to be carrying a big weight again, but it’s a handicap for a reason and that is what he is rated.”
Hansard had shown his potential during his novice season when finishing fourth in Grade One company at Aintree in the spring and although Fehily feels there is still a way to go before he can step again into deep waters, there was plenty of encouraging signs on show in the Gerry Feilden.
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Trainer Emma Lavelle looks ahead to Paisley Park’s run in Saturday’s Long Walk Hurdle at Ascot, live on Sky Sports Racing
“He has a bit to go, but when a horse is on the up you never know when they will stop improving and he certainly looked like he was getting his act together at Newbury,” added Fehily.
“He had been over-racing and his jumping had been a bit sloppy and everything else, but at Newbury he looked like he was starting to put it all together and hopefully he will carry on going the right way.”
Joining Hansard in the 17 confirmations for the valuable prize is Moore’s recent Sandown scorer Spirit D’Aunou, while Nicky Henderson holds a strong hand with Greatwood Hurdle winner Iberico Lord heading the ante-post markets and fellow JP McManus-owned stablemate Impose Toi also towards the top of the betting lists.
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Iberico Lord on his way to victory at Cheltenham
Greatwood runner-up Lookaway is a possible for Neil King, with Henderson’s Luccia another live candidate for the Seven Barrows team in a race they last won with Brain Power in 2016.
Also double-handed after Monday’s confirmations is Kerry Lee who has the option of saddling both Grade Two winner Nemean Lion and the improving Black Poppy.
They are set to undergo a key part of their preparations on Tuesday which could determine which one of the pair, or both, gets the nod for the weekend.
Lee said on Monday: “I’ll wait and see what the weather does and see how they work tomorrow and we’ll work from there. They’re both in good order, but at this stage it’s a little bit early to say.”
Other notable names include Harry Fry’s Altobelli, who finished second in a similar heat at Ascot last time and is only 1lb higher on this occasion, and Willie Mullins’ Onlyamatteroftime who could be asked to atone for running out four from the finish when sent off favourite for the Greatwood last month.
Watch all the action from the Christmas Racing Weekend at Ascot on Friday and Saturday live on Sky Sports Racing, with the Betfair Exchange Trophy due off at 3.35pm on Saturday.