Paul Nicholls' Weekend Runners: The Timeform preview.

Saturday's card at Cheltenham is dubbed "Festival Trials Day", so it is no surprise to see Paul Nicholls with a host of entries there as his yard continues its preparations for that showpiece four-day meeting in March.

The Argento Chase at 14.30 is a trial for the Cheltenham Gold Cup and Paul supplies two of the five runners (Taranis is a non-runner), namely Neptune Collonges and The Tother One . In truth, the fact that the only one of this duo to hold an entry in the Gold Cup itself is trading @ [280.0] in the Betfair ante-post market for that race rather illustrates where he currently sits in the pecking order at Manor Farm Stables. That is arguably a bit unfair to the horse in question, Neptune Collonges, as he was a top-class chaser prior to being sidelined with injury - he made the frame behind his illustrious stable-companions Denman and Kauto Star in both the 2008 and 2009 Gold Cups - and it's probably too soon to write him off after two frustrating comeback runs this winter. He was brought down early in the Hennessy at Newbury and then missed the break in a valuable handicap at Cheltenham last time, the fact he was unable to adopt his usual prominent tactics proving particularly costly in that contest (those held up seemed at a big disadvantage). Admittedly, this race hasn't proved an especially happy one for Neptune Collonges in the past, as he was a late faller (when held) in 2007 and finished a below-par third in 2008, but he'll take all the beating if able to recapture his best. The Tother One also holds a decent chance at the weights, but he's looked increasingly hard work this season (despite running creditably) and much will depend on how he reacts to being refitted with headgear.

Neptune Collonges, of course, is a French-bred gelding and Paul has already enjoyed plenty of success with several juvenile hurdlers he's recruited from that side of the English Channel this season. His latest French import Indian Daudaie , who is owned by the Timeform Betfair Racing Club in partnership with Clive Smith, makes his debut for the yard in the opening JCB Triumph Hurdle Trial at 12.55 and has to be respected on the pick of his form at Auteuil for previous connections. You can win a 5% share in Indian Daudaie's winnings - click HERE to find out more!!

Two previous Festival winners for Paul, Noland and Chapoturgeon, are towards the head of the weights in the Grade 3 Murphy Group Chase at 14.00 and both are potentially well handicapped on their best form. Noland, like the same owner's Neptune Collonges, is on the comeback trail after a lengthy injury absence but he shaped encouragingly when runner-up in a "jumpers' bumper" at Kempton last month and shouldn't be underestimated in this contest, which rather lacks the strength of most valuable Cheltenham handicaps staged over this sort of trip. Chapoturgeon has contested plenty of those races in recent seasons and, although not always enjoying the best of luck, he's often flattered to deceive and possibly struggles with his stamina under testing conditions.

Rock On Ruby has won his last four starts, including his hurdling debut at Newbury late last month (form has worked out well), and this exciting prospect holds decent claims of maintaining that unbeaten run in the 15.05, though it's worth stressing that this promises to be the hottest novice hurdle staged so far in 2010/11. That race could well threw up several live World Hurdle contenders in years to come, though the trial for this year's staying championship comes some thirty minutes later in the Cleeve Hurdle at 15.35, when Paul saddles both Gwanako and Organisateur in the absence of reigning champion Big Buck's (who reportedly heads straight to the Festival). In truth, the difficult-to-place Gwanako looks up against it even if judged on the pick of his chasing form, but Organisateur is one of the most improved hurdlers in training and could finish in the money provided he copes okay with this longer trip.

Cheltenham isn't the only meeting of note on Saturday, however, as there is also a big prize on offer at Doncaster, where Paul will be double handed in the Sky Bet Chase at 15.20 with Fistral Beach and Take The Breeze, who'll be bidding to provide the yard with its third win in this long-standing prize following Colourful Life in 2005 and Big Fella Thanks in 2009. Fistral Beach currently heads the betting, understandably so such was the ease of his comeback win at Wincanton earlier this month, when beating the in-form I'm A Legend by four lengths. A 9 lb rise certainly doesn't look excessive, but his jumping rather let him down when contesting valuable handicap company last season and there'll be no hiding place on that score in this competitive field, particularly as there is likely to be plenty of pace.

Instead, it could pay to side with Take The Breeze, who makes plenty of each-way appeal at current odds despite having to shoulder top weight (Ian Popham will take off a valuable 5 lb). The grey is still relatively unexposed over this sort of trip and, unlike many of his rivals, will cope fine with the predicted lively underfoot conditions. Indeed, this race represents a very similar test to Take The Breeze's reappearance at Ascot in late-October, when he finished an excellent second to Massini's Maguire (form has worked out well) despite not enjoying the clearest of runs.

Fellow grey Robinson Collonges represents the same connections at the Yorkshire track earlier in the afternoon, when he'll bid to resume winning ways in the Lightning Novices' Chase at 13.45. Although he's been let down by his jumping a couple of times this winter (every chance until bad mistake three out at Cheltenham last time), he's essentially fluent in that department and of bigger concern is this shorter trip. By contrast, this sharp two-mile trip will suit Pepe Simo down to the ground in the 14.15, though whether his jumping will stand up to the rigours of a well-run valuable handicap chase is another matter. Join Together completes Paul's Doncaster team in the Grade 2 River Don Novices' Hurdle at 14.45, though he'll probably need to improve if he's to shed his maiden tag upped in class.

Paul has only one runner on Sunday, which could be viewed as a tip in itself. However, it must be pointed out that R de Rien Sivola has been allotted plenty of weight for what she's achieved to date over fences and it'll take an improved performance if she's to make a winning reappearance in the handicap chase at 16.05.

Timeform / 28 Jan 2011