Festival fact-finding: Shishkin, Paisley Park and Yala Enki entered at weekend

Two of Britain's leading Cheltenham Festival prospects Paisley Park and Shishkin are set to face crucial prep runs at Cheltenham and Doncaster on Saturday.

The Emma Lavelle-trained Paisley Park is one of nine entries for the Paddy Power Cleeve Hurdle at Cheltenham, where the nine-year-old will bid to land a hat-trick of victories in the Grade 2 heat.

Paisley Park (right): going for a third win in the Cleeve HurdleCredit: Edward Whitaker

His challengers could include Grade 1-winning novice chaser Itchy Feet, who may go over hurdles for the first time since October 2019, while Unowhatimeanharry, Honest Vic and prolific winner Main Fact could also feature.

Sporting Life Arkle favourite Shishkin is the star attraction on Doncaster's Sky Bet Chase card, as the Nicky Henderson-trained runner features among 12 entries for the Lightning Novices' Chase.

The Champion trainer won the Grade 2 last season with Mister Fisher and Saturday's potential opposition could include 2019 Fighting Fifth Hurdle winner Cornerstone Lad, Eldorado Allen and Fast Buck.

Saturday's racecards

A total of 18 remain in the day's feature race, the Sky Bet Chase, which is now topped by Definitly Red with the weights up 2lb as Ballyoptic and Kalashnikov were taken out, while favourite Cap du Nord remains in contention.

At Cheltenham, a former Gold Cup first, second and third feature among ten runners entered for the Paddy Power-sponsored Cotswold Chase.

Native River, Santini and Bristol De Mai are set to clash in the key Gold Cup trial and could take on Lake View Lad, winner of the Grade 2 Many Clouds Chase at Aintree last time, and last season's Ryanair Chase runner-up Saint Calvados.

Bristol De Mai (left) and Native River (right): poised to clash at Cheltenham on SaturdayCredit: Edward Whitaker

Lord Du Mesnil, Yorkhill, The Conditional and Mister Malarky also feature, while Yala Enki could be in action just seven days on from his hard-fought success in the Portman Cup at Taunton on Saturday.

His trainer Paul Nicholls said: "Some of the others that are going to run in the Gold Cup might not want a slog at this stage round Cheltenham, so it could cut up."

The JCB Triumph Trial Juvenile Hurdle could be an informative race with the festival in mind with Finale Juvenile Hurdle one-two Adagio and Nassalam among the 15 entries.

No horse from Ireland has been entered across either cards, although the French-trained Baladin De Mesc could feature in the Triumph trial and the Northern Irish-based Noel Kelly has two entries, Decor Irlandais and Hear No Evil, in the Cleeve Hurdle.

The first two home in last season's Timeform Novices' Handicap Chase – Simply The Betts and Imperial Aura – went on to secure Cheltenham Festival glory two months later and 21 have been entered for this year's renewal.

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