Back the King to give it a right royal charge in Ryanair

The 10-year-old has become a regular visitor to this meeting, finishing fourth in Captain Cee Bee’s Supreme Novices’ Hurdle and an agonising second to Forpadydeplasterer in the 2009 Arkle, before taking third behind Big Zeb in last season’s Champion Chase. He does not arrive at this year’s extravaganza in such good heart, however, and was a long way behind Master Minded in the Victor Chandler Chase at Ascot.

But the suspicion that he needs further than that extended two miles was underlined by the way he kicked into overdrive once the race was all over, eventually staying on into fourth, and the two-mile-five-furlongs of the Ryanair could be just what he needs.

“Poquelin seems to keep his best for round here and he’s probably the one we all have to beat, but it’s an open race,” said Murphy. “The ground is right and I think he’ll be better than he is over two miles.”

Standing in Kalahari King’s way is last year’s Ryanair one-two-three – Albertas Run, Poquelin and J’y Vole.

Albertas Run prevailed 12 months ago but has had a torrid time of things this season, taking a crashing fall at Ascot before pulling up in the King George. Irish mare J’y Vole is not the easiest to win with nowadays so Murphy’s assessment of Poquelin, who was put away for this after defying top-weight in the Vote AP Gold Cup in December, as Kalahari King’s main danger looks spot-on.

Murphy’s Hollo Ladies has not jumped well enough during his brief fencing career and may find JP McManus’s Aigle D’Or too strong in the Byrne Group Plate, but the handler should have high hopes for Galant Nuit in the Fulke Walwyn Kim Muir Challenge Cup.

Third to Ballabriggs as favourite off just a 1lb lower mark last year, Galant Nuit has only been seen once since – when pulling up over timber back at Prestbury Park in December – but he appears to have been laid out for this and Nina Carberry renews acquaintance with him.

The Pertemps Final is predictably a minefield for punters, but Philip Hobbs holds a strong hand and Duke Of Lucca may be the pick of his pair. He has bumped into the likes of Big Buck’s and Oscar Whisky this season and his fourth over this course and distance in between those efforts showed he should be a contender.

Hobbs’s Wishfull Thinking swerved the RSA Chase in favour of the Grade Two Jewson Novices’ Chase, but he only landed Wincanton’s Rising Stars Novices’ Chase earlier this campaign because Robinson Collonges fell when cantering all over him two out, and Paul Nicholls’s reopposing French import can gain his revenge.