Highland Retreat is fancied to claim Listed honours for trainer Harry Fry in the feature race of the day, the OLBG Mares’ Hurdle at Kempton, The six-year-old made a winning debut under Rules in an Exeter novice hurdle in October of last year and has only once finished outside the first three in seven subsequent starts.

Given a breathing operation during the summer, Highland Retreat took her game to a new level on her recent seasonal return at Wincanton, showing tenacity to claim a valuable handicap and further enhance her reputation.

Her revised mark of 130 suggests she deserves her chance at this level and it is not inconceivable there is more improvement in her yet.

It would be a surprise if she is not in there pitching at the business end of proceedings.

The Halcyon Gallery Beginners’ Chase looks a good opportunity for Bear’s Affair to get off the mark over fences for the formidable combination of Nicky Henderson and Barry Geraghty.

Having won four of his six starts over hurdles, the seven-year-old is rated 152 over timber and has been given a second chance over fences this term having failed to cut much ice a couple of years ago.

Bear’s Affair got his campaign off to a solid start when chasing home Le Bec at Uttoxeter, form which has been well advertised by the winner since.

He then chased home another smart sort in Wonderful Charm at Fakenham, so it is difficult to knock his form.

There does not appear to be anything of that calibre in this field and Henderson’s charge should secure a deserved return to the winner’s enclosure.

Couldhavehaditall looked in need of the outing on his seasonal bow and he is expected to shine in the Alan & Hilary Rimmer Maiden Hurdle at Ludlow.

Winner of a Wetherby bumper back in April, he was well beaten on his hurdles debut at Ascot when he just seemed to run out of gas towards the finish.

He still showed plenty of promise in defeat though, and that run should have brought him on nicely for this assignment.

Dansili Dutch won with something in hand at Wolverhampton little over a week ago and should follow up on her return to Dunstall Park in the Download The Ladbrokes App Handicap.

The four-year-old was a juvenile winner for David Barron a couple of years ago and also struck twice in 2012 for trainer Andrew Crook, but some shocking results this year saw her rating fall to an incredibly low 36.

Her debut for new trainer David O’Meara at Wolverhampton at the end of September did not offer much hope as she trailed in last of five runners, but she has turned a corner quite significantly since.

On ratings she had little chance in a seller here in mid-October, but she ran a fair race to finish fourth, seeing her rating climb to a much more respectable 53.

That hike enabled her to get back in the handicap sphere and it worked a treat as she won quite comfortably in the hands of David Nolan.

She is not the first horse to have been revitalised by a switch to the talented O’Meara and a 3lb rise is unlikely to be enough to stop her going in again if she is in similar mood.

Starlight Princess gets the nod over stable companion My My My Diliza in the 32Red.com Nursery Handicap.

The well-bred juvenile secured a valuable win at Kempton almost a fortnight ago, after which trainer Stan Moore suggested she could be retired to the paddocks.

However, he clearly feels there is another race in her and this looks an excellent opportunity, with her stablemate undoubtedly her biggest threat.

SELECTIONS:

KEMPTON: 12.30 West Wizard, 1.00 BEAR’S AFFAIR (NAP), 1.30 Highland Retreat, 2.05 Jump City, 2.40 Tarvini, 3.10 Baby Mix, 3.40 Poet.

LUDLOW: 12.45 Couldhavehaditall, 1.15 Princely Player, 1.45 Theatrebar, 2.15 Zarzal, 2.50 Long Wave, 3.20 Frontier Vic, 3.50 Blue Heron.

WOLVERHAMPTON: 1.55 Jiminy, 2.30 Fathom Five, 3.00 Crow Down, 3.30 Hellbender, 4.00 Dansili Dutch, 4.30 Starlight Princess, 5.00 Rural Affair, 5.30 Noble Alan.

DOUBLE: Bear’s Affair and Highland Retreat.