Look to Vent d'Aout as the value option against hotpot Tiutchev in today's £100,000 Tote Gold Trophy Hurdle at Newbury. Tiutchev, trained by David Nicholson, comes into this race with strong credentials.

Unbeaten as a novice last season, the six-year-old has continued to progress this term and was impressive when beating Mister Rm by six lengths in the Tote Lanzarote Handicap Hurdle at Kempton last month. He goes to Newbury with just a 4lb penalty but represents terrible value at odds close to even money.

One should only back at such odds when there are no more than one or two conceivable dangers to the selection. Here he has 17 decent opponents, several with some very decent form to their names.

Martin Pipe, whose runners always command respect, saddles four, and Vent d'Aout could run a big race even though Tony McCoy has opted to ride Rainwatch.

Vent d'Aout, one of her trainer's many French imports, looked something special when slamming Prairie Minstrel by 23 lengths on her British debut at Hereford last season. She then beat Jazz Track by 14 lengths at Leicester but flopped when 4 to 7 for a race at Cheltenham.

However, she bounced back in the Elite Racing Club Triumph Hurdle when a good sixth of 25 behind Upgrade. Vent d'Aout has taken a while to come to hand this season but found the winning thread at Taunton last month when tenaciously holding off Briggs Turn by one and a quarter lengths.

Expected to be prominent from the outset, Vent d'Aout could still be in there and ready to fight for major honours when the going gets tough.

Ask Tom has not been seen since disappointing badly in the Queen Mother Champion Chase at Cheltenham last year but he can still make a winning seasonal debut in the £30,000-added Mitsubishi Shogun Game Spirit Chase.

The Tom Tate-trained gelding was arguably the best of the specialist two-milers last term, winning both the Tingle Creek Chase at Sandown and this contest.

It has always been the plan to give the 10-year-old just one run before another crack at the Champion Chase and as Ask Tom often goes well fresh he should have too much class for his rivals.

Zaggy Lane is worth considering to beat Earthmover in the Mitsubishi Colt Handicap Chase.

Earthmover is potentially a class act but comes here with something to prove while Zaggy Lane has been hugely progressive this season.

He fell early on in the Singer & Friedlander National Trial at Uttoxeter but had earlier seen off Oban by two and a half lengths at Taunton to conform his rapid leap from the novice ranks.

Pat Rodford's stable-star stays very well and can make the most of the 28lb he receives from Earthmover.

Step On Eyre has looked a chaser to follow this season and is the best bet on the card at Haydock in the Mad Hatter Handicap Chase.

A winner at Bangor on his seasonal debut, Henry Daly's charge was impressive last time, revelling in the testing conditions at Wetherby as he beat Young Kenny by eight lengths.

This contest is likely to provide an equally-searching test of stamina and the nine-year-old should prove up to the task.