Albuhera aims for the top.

Byline: By Peter Hilton

Paul Nicholls is sure to have one of the biggest and best teams in action at Cheltenham next March and Albuhera is well on the way to booking his ticket after several impressive displays this season.

The Ditcheat trainer has high hopes of the five-year-old, but is not averse to picking up a little race along the way and the conditions of the Exmoor Novices' Hurdle at Taunton tomorrow give the gelding a first-rate chance.

Smart on the Flat, Albuhera has taken well to jumps and ran Champion Hurdle fourth Self Defense to a short head, giving him 7lb, at Cheltenham last month before winning at Newbury.

He is likely to be put away for the winter after tomorrow's run with the Festival in mind, and it will be a surprise if he cannot take this prize on the way to bigger things.

Jupon Vert has been running with rare zest since joining the Ron Hodges stable and can take the Brendon Hills Handicap Chase.

The six-year-old hunted up Jetowa Du Bois Hue from out of the handicap at Wincanton on his debut for his new yard last month and swiftly reappeared to beat Damus by four lengths at Warwick.

The handicapper has not been too harsh on him and in his current form he will take all the beating tomorrow.

Dragon King is in cracking form and trainer Peter Bowen will attempt to strike while the iron is hot in the Viscount Boyne Memorial Challenge Trophy (Handicap Chase) at Ludlow.

The 11-year-old has won his last two races and should land the hat-trick under a 7lb penalty before the handicapper gets to grips with him for his victory over Cold Encounter by a distance at Folkestone at the beginning of the month.

Caracciola has high-class form over hurdles and cannot be opposed on his debut over the bigger obstacles in the Party Season Beginners' Chase.

Nicky Henderson's six-year-old has showed improved form on his two outings this season and is a more-than-useful recruit to chasing.

Runner Bean returned from a four-and-a-half-month lay-off to run a highly satisfactory race at Towcester last month.

He is back at Huntingdon, where he was twice successful in the summer, for tomorrow's Flahive Brickwork Conditional Jockeys' Handicap Chase and has every chance of picking up the winning thread.