Five festival contenders from the home challenge to look out for on Saturday

Gordon Elliott has made ten entries on Trials day at Cheltenham but there are plenty of leading hopes for the home challenge on Saturday. Here are five festival contenders to watch out for . . .

Lalor

Lalor's fanbase arguably increased after such a game effort in defeat when a short-head third in the Paddy Power Handicap Chase at Cheltenham on New Year's Day.

Kayley Woollacott's stable star is entered in the Ryanair Chase, for which he is a 33-1 chance, and could confirm the trainer's plans to have a crack at the Grade 1 event in March with victory in the Grade 3 handicap chase on Saturday.

Paisley Park

The tried-and-tested route will be taken with Paisley Park as last year's Stayers' Hurdle hero will bid for back-to-back wins in the galliardhomes.com-sponsored Cleeve Hurdle.

Paisley Park, trained by Emma Lavelle, is unbeaten in his last six starts and returned to action with a length victory over Thistlecrack in the Long Distance Hurdle at Newbury in November before missing the Marsh Hurdle at Ascot last month following concerns over the ground.

He is a general 5-4 chance to strike again in March and his rivals on Saturday could include If The Cap Fits, Apple's Jade and Summerville Boy.

Santini

Santini could surge towards the head of the Gold Cup market if running out an impressive winner of the Cotswold Chase.

The Nicky Henderson-trained eight-year-old finished second in the RSA Novices' Chase last year and just prevailed on his sole start this season when winning a Listed event at Sandown in November.

A Grade 1 winner over hurdles at Aintree, Santini is a 9-1 shot to win the Magners Cheltenham Gold Cup and could take on Delta Work, Bristol De Mai and De Rasher Counter among other talented chasers on Saturday.

King Roland

King Roland has always been held in high regard by trainer Harry Fry and could confirm his festival credentials in the Ballymore Novices' Hurdle trial.

A dual bumper winner last season, King Roland finished second on his hurdles debut at Newbury before recording an easy success at Exeter.

He is a 25-1 chance for the Ballymore and faces a proper test if lining up on Trials day with the unbeaten Sporting John, dual Grade 2 runner-up Champagne Well and Protektorat, who was reinstated as the winner of a Listed novice hurdle over course and distance on January 1, among entries.

Fanion D'Estruval

It is not all about Cheltenham when it comes to festival clues on Saturday with Doncaster hosting three Grade 2 events on the Sky Bet Chase card.

The popular Lady Buttons bids for back-to-back wins in the Yorkshire Rose Mares' Hurdle, but of equal interest is the Venetia Williams-trained Fanion D'Estruval in the Lightning Novices' Chase.

Fanion D'Estruval: easy winner at Newbury on his first start for Venetia WilliamsCredit: Alan Crowhurst (Getty Images)

An impressive winner on his debut in Britain at Newbury in November, Fanion D'Estruval ran creditably when fifth in the Wayward Lad Novices' Chase at Kempton the following month and may bid to reverse the form with fourth Al Dancer on Town Moor.

Cheltenham Trials day entries

Read more if you like this:

Delta Work and Samcro among ten Elliott entries on Cheltenham trials day

Big Read: Emma Lavelle – from a yard that became untenable to a horse of a lifetime (£)

What's On This Week: Thyestes Chase midweek highlight before trials day card

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