DJELO can secure victory in the William Hill Denman Chase (GBB Race) (2.25pm) at on Saturday afternoon.

Venetia Williams’ seven-year-old can take the step up in trip in his stride to win the Grade Two feature at the Esher track. Djelo has progressed well over the past two seasons since moving to the bigger obstacles. A course win at Newbury on his second start in December 2023 – he had won on his debut at Aintree beforehand – was over an extended two miles and he has won twice in seven starts since, gradually stepping up in trip but mostly at around 2m4f.

It was over that sort of distance that he scored in a Grade Two at Ascot last season and again in the Grade Two Trustatrader Huntingdon Chase in December this campaign. That was his most impressive success so far and he jumped well near the head of affairs before beating the smart Protektorat by six lengths. Djelo disappointed as he jumped slightly right throughout when he was 23 lengths behind that Dan Skelton-trained rival when stepped up to 2m6f in the Fleur De Lys Chase at Windsor last month.

READ MORE: Claim half price tickets to the Randox Grand National Festival at Aintree Racecourse

READ MORE: Liverpool receive new Virgil van Dijk red card referee verdict after Tottenham flashpoint

Stepping up again in distance might help him settle a bit better and he clearly has lots of ability and still remains open to improvement. He is one of several in the race with plenty still to prove and will be taking on two course and distance winners in Paul Nicholls’ former Grade One scorer Bravemansgame and the Joe Tizzard-trained Eldorado Allen as well as Randox Grand National entrant Hitman – who also hails from Nicholls’ Ditcheat stable. But all three seem to be on a downward spiral from the heights of their biggest successes with Djelo the one with potential to get even better. If he stays this extra distance, Djelo should be the one they all have to beat.

With Nicky Henderson’s Sir Gino ruled out through injury MATATA can win the Grade Two William Hill Game Spirit Chase (GBB Race) (3pm). Nigel Twiston-Davies’s seven-year-old can take advantage of the absence of the Arkle Challenge Trophy favourite to land another victory and book a possible trip to next month’s Cheltenham Festival. Whether he can beat Sir Gino’s stable-mate Jonbon in the Queen Mother Champion Chase at Prestbury Park is doubtful. But at least Matata can have a crack with victory. While Matata was on his chasing debut in the Grade One Maghull Novices’ Chase at last season’s Grand National Festival at Aintree Racecourse, he has progressed well this season. He has won twice – at Cheltenham in November and at Windsor last time – and been runner-up on his two other starts. They have all been in handicaps but he won so well at Windsor last time that he can take the step up and show he deserves at crack at the stars of the two-mile chasing division.

Despite one of his big guns missing out Henderson could have a good day at one of his local tracks of Newbury and he holds the cards in the William Hill Handicap Hurdle (Premier Handicap) (GBB Race) (3.35pm). The Seven Barrows handler saddles two JP McManus-owned horses in Joyeuse and IBERICO LORD and the latter looks the value at big odds to come out on top.

Joyeuse, who was second to Wodhooh in a Mares’ Handicap Hurdle at Cheltenham in December, is the favourite and will be ridden by Nico De Boinville. He should go close but Iberico Lord – who won this competitive contest over course and distance last season – makes plenty of appeal at a double-figure price. He may be 10lb higher in the handicap than last year, but having been sent chasing on his first two starts of the season – winning at Kempton, then falling at Ascot – he was back over the smaller obstacles when a decent fourth behind the smart Nemean Lion stepped up to 2m4f at Windsor last month. With that run under his belt, back down in trip and with conditional jockey Freddie Gordon taking 3lb off, Iberico Lord can close to back-to-back wins in the prestigious contest formerly known as the Betfair Hurdle.

Another Henderson-trained and McManus-owned runner, KIENTZHEIM, can make it two from two for the stable in the William Hill Novices’ Hurdle (GBB Race) (1.15pm). The French import won on her debut in good style at Kempton on Boxing Day and she can follow up and start what looks like being a profitable afternoon for the Upper Lambourn handler.

Rebecca Curtis’s HAITI COULEURS can bring up a hat-trick of wins back over the smaller obstacles in the William Hill Handicap Hurdle (Challenger Stayers’ Hurdle Series Qualifier) (1.50pm). the eight-year-old has won two of his three starts since being sent chasing at Aintree in November and at Cheltenham the following month. He looks more than up to task of winning back over hurdles as he did at Chepstow and Bangor last spring.

Others who can win at Newbury are Warren Greatrex’s course and distance scorer HERAKLES WESTWOOD in the William Hill Best Odds Guaranteed Novices’ Limited Handicap Chase (GBB Race) (4.10pm); and the Paul Nicholls-trained new recruit Act Of Innocence in the Listed William Hill More Top Price Bumper (Standard Open National Hunt Flat Race) (GBB Race) (4.45pm).

At Wetherby L’EAU DU SUD can make it four wins from four starts with another victory in the Grade Two FGD Kingmaker Novices’ Chase (GBB Race) (1.30pm). At the trainer’s local track, Dan Skelton’s seven-year-old will be a poignant winner as he wears the famous yellow, white and red-starred colours of John Hales, who died this week aged 85. Hales had some smart two-mile chasers over the years including One Man and Azertyuiop, who both won at the Cheltenham Festival with the latter landing the Arkle Chase in 2003. L’Eau Du Sud can book his place in the Arkle and a possible clash with Sir Gino with a fourth straight success. He has taken to chasing well, winning by 10 lengths on his debut at Stratford in October before landing a Grade Two contest at Cheltenham’s November meeting in similar style. He had to battle to land the Grade One Henry VIII Novices’ Chase at Sandown in December in soft ground. But he still won by almost four lengths and should be too good for his three rivals.

Irish raider GALA MARCEAU has not run for 280 days but with a weight advantage over her rivals the Willie Mullins-trained six-year-old can make a winning return in the Listed Read Nicky Henderson’s Weekly Unibet Blog Mares’ Hurdle (GBB Race) (2.05pm).

Others who can win at the Warwickshire track are another Skelton favourite LE MILOS in the Unibet Middle Distance Series Veterans’ Handicap Chase (Series Qualifier) (3.15pm); Henderson’s recent Huntingdon runner-up SHANAGH BOB in the eventmasters.co.uk 40th Anniversary Handicap Hurdle (GBB Race) (3.48pm); and AVIEMORE – from the Harry Derham stable – in the opener, the Join Racing TV Now Juvenile Maiden Hurdle (GBB Race) (12.55pm).

At Uttoxeter Merseyside-born, Cheshire-based Donald McCain’s RICHMOND LAKE – third in the Sky Bet Peter Marsh Handicap Chase at Haydock Park last month – can win the Lisa Mitten Turns 60 Handicap Chase (GBB Race) (2.48pm). While others who can score at the Midlands venue are Sarah Humphrey’s FLAMELCO in the Chris Langley Is Getting Married Novices’ Handicap Chase (GBB Race) (2.13pm); the Paul Nicholls-trained DON'T TELL SU in the QuinnBet Daily Free Bet Handicap Hurdle (3.23pm); and Red Cadillac – from the Nicky Richards’ stable – in the finale, the quinnbet.com Novices’ Handicap Hurdle (4.33pm).

Wright Ones

NEWBURY

1.15pm Kientzheim
1.50pm Haiti Couleurs
2.25pm Djelo
3pm Matata
3.35pm Iberico Lord (NAP)
4.10pm Herakles Westwood
4.45pm Act Of Innocence

WARWICK

12.55pm Aviemore
1.30pm Jackpot D’athou
2.05pm L’eau Du Sud
2.40pm Gala Marceau
3.15pm Le Milos
3.48pm Shanagh Bob
4.23pm Roses All The Way

UTTOXETER

1.03pm Special John
1.38pm Dartmouth Rose
2.13pm Flamelco
2.48pm Richmond Lake
3.23pm Don’t Tell Su
3.58pm Elle Est Beau
4.33pm Red Cadillac

NEWCASTLE

3.55pm Knockbrex
4.30pm Humble Spark
5pm Glory Call
5.30pm Blast The Dream
6pm Redhot Whisper
6.30pm Three Beauz
7pm Bella Kopella

WOLVERHAMPTON

4.40pm Yeoman
5.15pm Night On Earth
5.45pm Prince Ali
6.15pm The Watcher
6.45pm Autumn Rose
7.15pm Headshot
7.45pm Dash Power
8.15pm Alfheim

SUNDAY'S NAP: Longshanks (Exeter 4.08pm)