Eduard in Premier League

Nicky Richards is looking forward to Eduard maintaining his good run when he goes for the Premier Kelso Hurdle on Saturday.

The five-year-old has already achieved a good level of form, winning two of his last three races at Newcastle and Carlisle.

And he lost nothing in defeat when third to leading Festival fancy Melodic Rendezvous at Cheltenham in December.

"Everything's fine. He's not having a bad season. It's sort of gone how we thought it would," said the Greystoke trainer, who had another of his bright hopes for the future in Duke Of Navan in at the five-day stage.

"I think he's making the right steps forward and hopefully he'll make another step forward tomorrow.

"He only had a stroll around Carlisle. I just wanted to do that to blow the cobwebs away on him and he couldn't have been any more impressive there.

"His form is absolutely rock-solid. We'll probably step him up in trip after this race."

Richards said of Duke Of Navan: "He will go to Aintree now probably for the two-mile novice. There's nothing for him before then.

"Cheltenham wasn't the thing for the two of them yet. Hopefully at some stage in their careers they will be there when they are ready.

"They are two lovely horses to look forward to and are likely to be kept apart as Duke Of Navan will probably be kept around two miles as he has plenty of speed and Eduard will be going over further."

Ballyben was third on his hurdles debut at Newcastle three weeks ago and Lucinda Russell's five-year-old is expected to be all the better for the tun.

"He's a very nice horse and will appreciate the soft ground and will benefit from his run last time," said Russell's assistant and partner Peter Scudamore.

Only Orsenfoolsies is the only four-year-old among the six runners in this Grade Two contest, but the Micky Hammond-trained juvenile is on an upward curve.

A winner on the Flat last season, the son of Trade Fair has won his last two starts over hurdles at Catterick and Haydock this year.

"We've been very happy with him. We are hoping the ground stays testing and we are expecting a big run," said Hammond.

"His form stacks up, he's in good form and he likes the ground and we are very hopeful."