Confirmed runners and riders for Saturday's Long Walk Hurdle at Ascot - plus a big-race tip and free bet

The Grade 1 Howden Long Walk Hurdle (2.25) is set to be a pre-Christmas treat as all ten confirmations, including regular rivals Paisley Park and Champ, stood their ground on Thursday morning.

Between them, 11-year-olds Paisley Park and Champ have won four of the last five runnings of Ascot's Saturday feature and the pair will be back for more against up-and-coming rivals Crambo and West Balboa, who will be stepping into open top-level company for the first time.

Dashel Drasher denied the penalised Paisley Park by a head in the Long Distance Hurdle at Newbury last month and will bid to confirm the form, but he will also have to contend with Botox Has, who beat him in the bet365 Hurdle at Wetherby. Botox Has's stablemate and fan favourite Goshen also lines up for Gary Moore.

Paul Nicholls won the race three consecutive times between 2009 and 2011 with the legendary Big Buck's and the Ditcheat trainer will be represented by Blueking D'Oroux, who won a Grade 2 at the track last time and is bidding to become the first successful four-year-old since 1996, and Red Risk.

Gavin Sheehan has been mopping up big races of late and he will get the chance to add another Grade 1 to his tally with the Nigel Twiston-Davies-trained Gowel Road, with Sam Twiston-Davies instead in action at Haydock.

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Howden Long Walk Hurdle confirmed runners and riders

• Botox Has Caoilin Quinn
• Champ Jonjo O'Neill Jr
• Crambo Jonathan Burke
• Dashel Drasher Rex Dingle
• Goshen Niall Houlihan
• Gowel Road Gavin Sheehan
• Paisley Park Tom Bellamy
• Red Risk Bryony Frost
• Blueking D'Oroux Harry Cobden
• West Balboa Harry Skelton

Howden Long Walk Hurdle betting tip and 1-2-3 prediction

By Stuart Redding

1 Botox Has
2 Champ
3 West Balboa

Botox Has looks the value play. He missed the Cheltenham Festival with a little problem but looked as good as ever when returning to action at Wetherby last month. Sloppy jumps at the final two flights cost him valuable momentum but he rallied gamely to beat Red Risk with Dashel Drasher nearly six lengths back in third. That looks the best recent form on offer. Champ goes well fresh and could regain a prize he won in 2021.

Botox Has14:25 Ascot

View Racecard

Jky: Caoilin Quinn Tnr: Gary Moore

Who else is running at Ascot on Saturday?

A field of ten were also declared for the card's Howden Silver Cup Handicap Chase (3.00), with Gavin Cromwell set to field Cheltenham winner Hascoeur Clermont and Yeah Man, who fell at the last when in second at the track last time.

The Irish trainer has been prolific with his British raids so far this season – he has saddled six winners from 16 runners at Cheltenham – but will face a strong favourite in the Anthony Honeyball-trained Badger Beers winner Blackjack Magic.

The in-form Venetia Williams fields the top weight and Sodexo Live! Gold Cup winner Victtorino, while the Coral Gold Cup winners Jamie Snowden and Sheehan team up again with the progressive Git Maker.

Nicholls runs Flash Collonges and Switch Hitter, while David Pipe will be represented by Exeter winner Make Me A Believer. Course regulars Larry and Flegmatik were also declared.

The Greatwood Hurdle form will come under the microscope when Iberico Lord lines up in the finale at Ascot on SaturdayCredit: Alan Crowhurst (Getty Images)

JP McManus holds a strong hand in the concluding Betfair Exchange Trophy (3.35) with the Greatwood Hurdle winner Iberico Lord and fellow progressive five-year-old Impose Toi helping make up the 11-strong field.

Nico de Boinville will be reunited with Iberico Lord, while Jonjo O'Neill jr is set to partner Impose Toi. Both represent the race's leading trainer Nicky Henderson, who will also run the mare Luccia.

Harry Fry has enjoyed a particularly strong start to the season and he will bid to capture another major Ascot prize with the well-fancied Altobelli, while Willie Mullins and Paul Byrne team up with the Greatwood gamble Onlyamatteroftime, who ran out for the second successive race at Cheltenham.

Others to note include the smart Newbury winner Hansard, Welsh Champion Hurdle victor Nemean Lion and the County Hurdle hero Faivoir. Teddy Blue, Salsada and Moveit Like Minnie complete the line-up.

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