DOING Fine has hit form at the right time and can give Neil Mulholland back-to-back victories in the bet365 Gold Cup on the final day of the jumps season at Sandown.

The nine-year-old only joined the Mulholland team in the autumn, having previously been with Rebecca Curtis, and came good on his fourth start for the Wiltshire handler when winning in good style at Cheltenham last week.

Doing Fine escaped a penalty for that success, leaving him on a handy mark considering the handicapper has put him up 8lb for future races.

Mulholland has two other major contenders in last year's winner The Young Master and The Druids Nephew, but it is Doing Fine that gets the nod in what is always a fiercely competitive contest.

While the bet365 Gold Cup is the big betting race on the card, star billing goes to Altior, who struts his stuff in the bet365 Celebration Chase.

With Douvan sidelined by injury, Nicky Henderson's brilliant novice is the most exciting two-miler around by far and is expected to take his unblemished record over fences to six.

He trounced Fox Norton at Newbury in February and while accepting that horse may have have needed the race, Colin Tizzard's charge has franked the form by winning Grade Ones at Aintree and Punchestown this month.

Altior went on to take the Arkle Trophy at Cheltenham and while it was not his most impressive victory, he was still far too good for the opposition.

Special Tiara is his main rival and he only just held Fox Norton by a head in the Queen Mother Champion Chase. That suggests he will struggle to hold Altior and repeat last year's success in this race.

The biggest cheer of the afternoon would go to Menorah if he can win the bet365 Oaksey Chase for the fourth year running.

Philip Hobbs' veteran comes good at this time of his year, as illustrated by his performances in this race, and he arrives fresh in his bid for the four-timer.

He had just the two runs in the autumn and both were good efforts behind Irish Cavalier in the Charlie Hall Chase at Wetherby and Unowhatimeanharry in the Long Distance Hurdle at Newbury.

The New One has just been found wanting in both the Champion Hurdle and Aintree Hurdle this spring, but a drop in grade can do the trick.

Nigel Twiston-Davies' stable stalwart goes for bet365 Select Hurdle and his outstanding record at this level makes him difficult to oppose.

Home Of The Brave looks a good bet to repeat last year's victory in the totepool EBF Stallions King Richard III Stakes at Leicester.

Hugo Palmer's five-year-old took this prize in 2016 on the way to facing stiffer company and that is likely to be the case again as he has his first run since travelling to America for the Breeders' Cup Sprint last November.

The best may yet be to come from Afjaan, who can kick start the new campaign with victory in the Best Odds Guaranteed At 188Bet Handicap at Haydock.

The William Haggas-trained five-year-old has always threatened to be a smart performer, but has won nothing of note yet. This race could be the springboard to better things.

Pipers Note, trained by Ruth Carr, looks the one to beat in the Visitattheraces.com Handicap at Ripon following his fine effort to take third place behind Tupi in the Cammidge Trophy at Doncaster at the beginning of the month.

At Doncaster, Fidaawy can repeat a course and distance success last season in the Ziniz Italian Restaurant Of Bawtry Handicap.

It may be worth waiting for the last race at Wolverhampton, where Manchego can confirm debut promise by lifting the Lancaster Bomber Maiden Stakes.

The Punchestown Festival comes to a close and with Annie Power not in attendance, Gordon Elliott's Apple's Jade should prove a cut above her rivals in the Irish Stallion Farms EBF Mares Champion Hurdle.

Elliott, who looks increasingly likely to be crowned champion trainer, can also take the other Grade One on the card, the AES Champion Four Year Old, with Mega Fortune.

The youngster beat everything bar Defi Du Seuil in the Triumph at Cheltenham and can reap his reward back on home soil.

SELECTIONS:

DONCASTER: 4.50 Chaplin Bay, 5.25 Koditime, 6.00 Firefright, 6.35 Fidaawy, 7.05 Baltic Eagle, 7.35 Karisma, 8.05 Lahore.

HAYDOCK: 1.30 Pivotman, 2.05 El Vip, 2.40 Afjaan, 3.15 Royal Headley, 3.45 Western Safari, 4.20 Sidewinder, 4.55 Zain Arion.

LEICESTER: 2.20 Sumou, 2.55 Never Back Down, 3.30 Buzz, 4.05 Home Of The Brave, 4.40 King Of Nepal, 5.10 Splash Around, 5.45 Dose.

RIPON: 2.10 Magnus, 2.45 Gurkha Friend, 3.20 Pipers Note, 3.55 Isharah, 4.30 Tawdeea, 5.05 Marqoom, 5.40 Jack Flash.

SANDOWN: 1.50 Call Me Lord, 2.25 Menorah, 3.00 Altior, 3.35 DOING FINE (NAP), 4.10 The New One, 4.45 Shantou Village, 5.20 Black Corton.

WOLVERHAMPTON: 5.50 Fleckerl, 6.20 Captain Swift, 6.50 Idol Deputy, 7.20 Migyaas, 7.50 Marmajuke Bay, 8.20 Quadriga, 8.50 Manchego.

DOUBLE: Doing Fine and Home Of The Brave.