Sunday Racing Tips: Stage is set for Star to perform say Timeform

• East India Dock interesting on hurdles debut

• Stage Star can stamp his class

• Long Draw has solid claims

East India Dock one to note on hurdling debut

James Owen did well with Burdett Road last season, the winner of a Grade 2 juvenile hurdle at Cheltenham, and that gelding's half-brother East India Dock could be following in his footsteps if making a successful debut over hurdles in Wincanton's juvenile contest (13:37).

The Gredley Family's Opec has made a bright start to her hurdling career for the same yard and in East India Dock connections have a similarly promising type for juvenile contests given the useful level of form he showed on the Flat for James Fanshawe. A winner twice on the level, East India Dock ran out an emphatic winner over two miles at Goodwood in August and followed that with a good fourth under a penalty in the Mallard Handicap at Doncaster despite neither the shorter trip nor switch to front-running tactics looking ideal.

Battle of Omdurman sets the standard among those who have run over hurdles but he was pulled up at Wetherby last time behind the aforementioned Opec, so this looks a good opportunity for one of the hurdling debutants to strike, with East India Dock making plenty of appeal.

Stage Star looks the class act in Old Roan

Ahoy Senor heads the weights in a small but select field for the highlight on Aintree's card, the Grade 2 Old Roan Limited Handicap Chase (13:50). Lucinda Russell's top-class chaser has a particularly fine record around Aintree, including when finishing runner-up in the last two editions of the Bowl Chase at the Grand National meeting.

However, his record first time out doesn't read so well as his performances in the spring, and the two and a half miles will be on the sharp side for one best over further. In contrast, the trip will be ideal for Paul Nicholls' Stage Star who's in receipt of 6 lb from the top weight here and who boasts a particularly good record when fresh. In fact, he has won first time out in all four of his previous campaigns, including when successful in the Paddy Power Gold Cup last autumn despite almost coming down at the final fence.

Stage Star finished fifth in the Ryanair Chase back at Cheltenham in March when last seen, one place ahead of Ahoy Senor. Given a wind op since then, he looks capable of maintaining his 100% record first time out, heading the Timeform weight-adjusted ratings by 1 lb.

Progressive Long Draw hard to beat off bottom weight

Long Draw is improving in leaps and bounds in handicaps this season for Olly Murphy's in-form yard and he looks weighted to gain a second win of the campaign off bottom weight in a useful contest at Aintree (15:35).

He quickened smartly when getting off the mark at Ffos Las in May and would have followed up when returning from a summer break at Worcester in September but for a bad mistake two out. Rallying from that, he failed by just a short head to peg back Oceanline.

Long Draw improved further but had to settle for second again at Warwick last time where he was unfortunate to come up against another progressive type who was even more well-in. However, he and winner Guard The Moon pulled a long way clear of the rest and, with further improvement to come, Long Draw can get his head back in front this time, being 3 lb clear in the Timeform weight-adjusted ratings.

Now read Paul Nicholls' view on his runners at Aintree on Sunday