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Bravemansgame and Ahoy Senor both look set to make their seasonal reappearances in the Charlie Hall at Wetherby on Saturday.
Paul Nicholls confirmed that following a conversation with owners Bryan Drew and Johhny de la Hay, Bravemansgame will be aimed at Saturday's bet365 Charlie Hall Chase at Wetherby, instead of waiting for the Betfair Chase at Haydock later in the month.
Bravemansgame kicked off his season in the perfect way possible when running out an emphatic winner of the Wetherby feature twelve months ago, before going on to land the Grade 1 King George on Boxing Day and finish runner-up to the Mullins-trained star to Galopin Des Champs in the Cheltenham Gold Cup.
Nicholls posted on X, formerly known as Twitter: "After this evening discussing the weekend with Bryan Drew and Johhny de la Hay and with the prospect of soft ground and an uncertain forecast up to Haydock in 3 weeks, we have decided to run Bravemansgame Saturday at Wetherby and leave Pic D'Orhy for Ascot on 25th."
The Lucinda Russell-trained Ahoy Senor finished a disappointing last of five when sent off a warm market leader to beat Bravemansgame in last year's renewal, but connections are happy to take on that rival once more, despite having the option of the bet365 Hurdle.
Ahoy Senor bounced back to his true form when landing the Cotswold Chase at Cheltenham in January and was still travelling well enough when falling at the seventeenth fence in the Gold Cup back at the Prestbury Park venue in March. The eight-year-old rounded off his campaign when filling the runner-up spot behind Shishkin in the Aintree Bowl in April and connections will be hoping for a big season from the now 169-rated chaser.
Russell's charge does have the option of the bet365 Hurdle on the same card, but Peter Scudamore, assistant trainer and partner to Lucinda, suggested that option was unlikely at this stage.
Scudamore said on Tuesday morning: "I'm almost certain that Ahoy Senor will go for the chase.
"He seems OK, we're happy enough with him."
On the contrast, Dashel Drasher, who also holds entries in both the Charlie Hall and bet365 Hurdle, looks set to make his return to action over the smaller obstacles.
Trainer Jeremy Scott said: "On the face of it, the hurdle looks an easier race, but we'll see which way Ahoy Senor goes and if Bravemansgame runs at Haydock [Betfair Chase] instead.
"We've just been discussing it; are we better over fences or over hurdles? It's an interesting question really.
"I think we'll bide our time and see what everybody else is doing and try to work it out, but I think in principle the most likely race, I would imagine, would be the hurdle."
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