Dato Star, unbeaten in two outings this season, can bolster his Champion Hurdle claims by completing a hat-trick at Haydock tomorrow.

The nine-year-old, trained at Norton by Malcolm Jefferson, goes for the Red Square Energising Haydock Park Champion Hurdle Trial and is fancied to repeat his 1998 success in this Grade 2 contest in the hands of Lorcan Wyer.

Dato Star has been in peak form this season, winning the Fighting Fifth Hurdle at Newcastle before following-up in the Grade 1 Christmas Hurdle at Kempton.

He will have his favourite soft ground tomorrow on a course where he has shone in the past, and will surely take plenty of beating.

Jefferson also has strong claims with recent Wetherby winner Tullymurry Toff in the Bet Direct Peter Marsh Handicap Chase. But this £42,500 feature event may be best left to Bobby Grant, from Peter Beaumont's Brandsby stable.

Bobby Grant has scored on his last two visits to Haydock and is a horse still on the upgrade. Robbie Supple riding at the peak of his powers after a mid-week double at Newcastle, again has the mount.

Anzum can show his class by winning the Tote Exacta Long Distance Hurdle.

Alan King's nine-year-old, winner of the Stayers' Hurdle at Cheltenham last March, got back on the glory trail at Ascot last month with a typically determined performance. He will be a tough nut to crack in this Grade 2 contest.

At Kempton, Mary Reveley bids for the major honours with House Of Dreams in the £33,000 Tote Scoop6 Lanzarote Handicap Hurdle.

The eight-year-old faces tough opposition, but anyone who saw him saunter home on a tight rein in a much softer race at Wetherby recently will hardly be surprised if he follows-up here.

Also worth noting at Kempton is the exciting Lord Noelie in the Sunbury Novices' Chase while Dawn Leader can give Brendan Powell a day to remember by lifting the Fulwell Handicap Chase. Powell is returning to action after a dreadful fall which left him with a rib-cage full of fractures and a punctured lung.

At Catterick's meeting tomorrow Batoutoftheblue makes plenty of appeal in the Swale Novices' Hurdle.

Bill Haigh's charge, a proven stayer on the Flat, is gradually getting the hang of things over timber and ran well when stepped up to three miles at Musselburgh last time. He can underline his stamina by coming out on top here under the inform Richard Guest.

Richard Fahey, with two winners this week, including Foreign Editor at Wolverhampton yesterday, could hardly have his horses in better form, which augurs well for the chances of Nap selection Chief Monarch in the Stanley Racing Handicap Hurdle.

A winner over this course and distance last month, Chief Monarch steps out of novice company into a handicap here, but is fancied to take all the beating. JP McNamara, who is on top form, has the mount.

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