SILVIANCO Conti, winner of the Betfair Chase 12 months ago, returns to Haydock today and is fancied to follow-up in the £200,000 showpiece ahead of 2013 winner Cue Card – most recently successful in the Charlie Hall Chase at Wetherby.

By contrast, Silviniaco Conti's only outing so far this season was in a hurdle race at Kempton.

Thought by his trainer Paul Nicholls to be not quite ready for the Charlie Hall, he went instead for a much lesser contest over the minor obstacles and thrilled his connections by finishing runner-up over a distance short of his best.

That outing should have put Silviniaco Conti, also the winner of last season's King George VI Chase, spot-on for this afternoon's Grade One event, in which he is opposed by four rivals.

Cue Card, Dynaste and Ballynagour, the first three home in the Charlie Hall, go head-to-head once more.

There was certainly no fluke about Cue Card's Wetherby triumph, but Dynaste and Ballynagour, both trained by David Pipe, performed admirably in defeat and, three weeks on and with all three horses likely to be fitter than they were then, there are no guarantees that the positions will be confirmed.

My pre-race vote at Wetherby had gone to Ballynagour and it would be no surprise to see him step-up on that display now. As for today's other runner, Holywell, he finished a well-held fifth in the Charlie Hall and has it to do to turn the tables.

A fascinating race is in prospect and Silviniaco Conti is taken to prevail, with Ballynagour fancied to come out best of the rest.

Nicholls also has a leading chance in the £100,000 Betfair Price Rush Hurdle with Irving, who comes into this race on the back of a decisive victory at Wincanton a fortnight ago.

He will be hard to beat, but Top Notch may be the horse to topple him. He was defeated only once last season, narrowly by stablemate Peace And Co in the Triumph Hurdle at Cheltenham.

Furthermore, Nicky Henderson's high-class gelding won the Victor Ludorum Hurdle over this course and distance in February.

Top Notch to get the better of Irving is my idea of the likely scenario.

The £40,000 Better Odds With Betfair Exchange Handicap Hurdle adds to the classy and richly-endowed Haydock card and provides Gunner Fifteen with the opportunity of a bagging a useful prize.

Formerly a useful bumper horse, the five-year-old won his one and only start over hurdles last season at Uttoxeter. He could be extremely well handicapped as a result and although he lacks the experience of his rivals, he merits serious respect off bottom weight on his first outing for Harry Fry. Noel Fehily, rider of Silviniaco Conti, has the mount.

Shantou Bob, who showed classy form last season when twice finishing placed in Grade 2 company, may prove the answer to the £80,000 Betfair Fixed Brush Handicap Hurdle, while Bingley trainer Sue Smith has useful prospects on the programme namely with Lackamon (12.40), runner-up in the Durham National last time at Sedgefield, and Straidnahanna (3-35), who made a most encouraging return to action when second at Kelso last month.

At Ascot, the main focus of attention will be Vautour in the Stella Artois 1965 Chase.

Trained by Ireland's all-conquering Willie Mullins, Vautour has won eight of his 11 races, three from four over fences and has twice been successful at the Cheltenham Festival. His latest success came in March in the JLT Novices' Chase, which he won by 15 lengths. He is a very serious performer and it will be great to see him return to the fray in this two miles and five furlongs contest. Success may well earn him a tilt at the King George V1 Chase at Kempton's Christmas meeting.

Brother Tedd, conqueror of Silviniaco Conti over hurdles at Kempton recently, is fancied to have the edge over the admirable Rock on Ruby in the £90,000 Coral Hurdle. Richard Johnson again has the mount on Philip Hobbs' rising star.

Also worthy of attention are Brian Ellison's Smart Talk (1.30), a fast-improver and winner of her last two races, and Fago (3.15), who went some way to getting his career back on track with a useful effort at Wetherby three weeks ago when he travelled like the best horse in the race until weakening at the final fence. He should last longer this time.