Best Bets: Saturday 3 October

DROOPYS ADDITION (Trap 2) - 19.34 Nottingham

DROOPYS ADDITION had little go right in the Monmore Gold Cup late in August and, whilst beaten at short odds on his first competitive C&D start 17 days ago, he is certainly best not judged too harshly on that effort. Finding one who has been operating at the top of his game at Nottingham, his effort on the clock (posted a Timeform figure of 125) was still an improvement on his previous trial. The move to the blue jacket will hold no fears for the son of Droopys Jet and he can book his place in round two.

Doolin Duke (Trap 5) was a facile winner on his latest start in Ireland, showing fine determination in posting 28.25 over Shelbourne’s 480-metre distance and he’s yet another who should come forward from a 29.99 C&D blowout eight days ago.

NASHUA (Trap 2) - 21.01 Sheffield

NASHUA showed ability in his qualifying trials and, to his credit, improved again despite lengthy odds when runner-up in A5 class on his competitive debut two weeks ago, finding only one that stole first march too strong. Eased a peg on the graded ladder, this is a much more suitable assignment for Kirsty Grayson’s youngster and he’s fancied to capitalise.

DISTANT VILLAGE (Trap 6) – 21:11 Nottingham

Heat 15 takes place at 21.11 and whilst his very wide running on occasions leaves little margin for error, DISTANT VILLAGE is fancied to pass this opening test with flying colours. Matt Dartnall’s charge isn’t always the quickest away but he makes up for that with a tremendous burst of acceleration, as he showed when posting a career-best C&D victory last time, recording a Timeform figure of 131 in the process. It’s probably fair to say he’s escaped the toughest of the heats and he’s running the track extremely well at present. Well-housed as the sole wide seed, it would come as no surprise to see him front rank on the approach to the corner and pass this test.

Irish raider Ballydoyle Valor (Trap 1) was rather unfortunate to take an early exit from the competition last year but remains a force to be reckoned with and he can improve on his C&D trial eight days ago and emerge as the chief danger.