The forecast testing conditions could tip the balance in favour of Hawk Mountain in the William Hill Futurity Trophy at Doncaster on Saturday.
The Wootton Bassett colt lines up for the final Group One of the British Flat season as one of three runners for Aidan O'Brien, who has landed the Town Moor feature on no less than 11 occasions.
There is not a clear number one, with dual winner Benvenuto Cellini the odds-on favourite before Hawk Mountain usurped him at the head of the market in the middle of the week.
There is only 1lb between the Ballydoyle duo on official ratings and both have huge potential, but while Frankel colt Benvenuto Cellini is out of a fast ground American mare in Newspaperofrecord, Hawk Mountain's dam is Hydrangea, who won on Champions Day on a soft surface over 2400m.
With that in mind it is perhaps no surprise that confidence behind the latter has strengthened in recent days and his impressive victory in the Beresford Stakes bodes well given Saratoga Springs (1997), St Nicholas Abbey (2009), Saxon Warrior (2017) and Luxembourg (2021) all won that Curragh Group Two before following up at Doncaster.
Spanish Waltz may handle conditions better than most in the Listed William Hill Prospect Stakes.
Second in heavy ground on his debut at Ffos Las in early September, Ralph Beckett's juvenile went one better in fine style at Pontefract next time out and is open to more improvement than many of his rivals, who are coming to the end of a long season.
Quality late-season Flat fare also comes from Newbury, where Pandemonium is backed to maintain his unbeaten record in the BetVictor Horris Hill Stakes.
Although by speedy American sire No Nay Never, Simon and Ed Crisford's juvenile has shown a liking for an ease in the ground in winning his first two starts at Yarmouth and Redcar and he is well worth this shot at Group Three honours at this stage of the campaign.
Gordon Elliott loves an early-season winner at Cheltenham and looks well placed to strike gold with Pour Les Filles in the Play William Hill's Final One Standing Novices' Hurdle at Prestbury Park.
A dual bumper winner a couple of seasons ago, the seven-year-old was beaten on his first two starts over obstacles and was then off the track for the best part of a year.
He was narrowly denied on his return at Down Royal in January, but following another absence got back on the winning trail with a dominant display at Downpatrick a fortnight ago, albeit at a low grade.
Pour Les Filles has clearly had one or two issues but has a fair engine and just about sets the standard in this field.
The big betting race on the card is the £100,000 William Hill Best Odds Guaranteed Handicap Chase, which could go the way of Nicky Henderson's Hyland.
The grey won twice at Cheltenham last autumn before going on to finish second to the Jukebox Man in the Kauto Star Novices' Chase at Kempton and to Katate Dori in the Ladbrokes Trophy at the same track.
He was disappointingly pulled up when quietly fancied to end his trainer's long wait for a Grand National winner in the spring, but any horse can be forgiven that and provided he is fit enough to do himself justice on his reappearance he should give a good account on a track he clearly likes. - Press Association
SELECTIONS:
CHELTENHAM: Race 1 - 14.10 Major Fortune, Race 2 - 14.45 Pour Les Filles, Race 3 - 15.20 Hyland, Race 4 - 15.55 Chart Topper, Race 5 - 16.30 Give It To Me Oj, Race 6 - 17.05 Intense Approach, Race 7 - 17.40 Chicker.
DONCASTER: Race 1 - 14.30 Rosario, Race 2 - 15.05 HAWK MOUNTAIN (NAP), Race 3 - 15.40 Spanish Waltz, Race 4 - 16.15 Chapter, Race 5 - 16.50 High Degree, Race 6 - 17.25 El Burhan, Race 7 - 18.00 Rainbow Nebula, Race 8 - 18.30 Lir Speciale.
GALWAY: Race 1 - 14.53 Kibris, Race 2 - 15.28 Campbell Black, Race 3 - 16.03 Eachtotheirown, Race 4 - 16.38 Waterford Whispers, Race 5 - 17.13 Grann's Boy, Race 6 - 17.45 Survivors Sister, Race 7 - 18.18 Zeus Power.
KELSO: Race 1 - 14.35 He's Bresilian, Race 2 - 15.10 Frisby, Race 3 - 15.45 Chase A Fortune, Race 4 - 16.20 Heart Above, Race 5 - 16.55 Olivers Travels, Race 6 - 17.30 Thistle Ask, Race 7 - 18.05 Lets Mingle.
NEWBURY: Race 1 - 13.50 Roland Garros, Race 2 - 14.25 Jan Steen, Race 3 - 15.00 Leading Dancer, Race 4 - 15.34 My Ophelia, Race 5 - 16.10 Pandemonium, Race 6 - 16.45 Hamish, Race 7 - 17.19 Thankfully, Race 8 - 17.50 Alcaraz.
WOLVERHAMPTON: Race 1 - 17.55 Exquisite Skye, Race 2 - 18.25 Champagne Dream, Race 3 - 19.00 Lady Mariko, Race 4 - 19.30 Inns Of Fear, Race 5 - 20.00 Goblet Of Fire, Race 6 - 20.30 Macarone, Race 7 - 21.00 Beta Reader, Race 8 - 21.30 Hint Of Humour.