Charlie Hall feature's roll of honour augers well for select field at Wetherby Racecourse

The Listed contest has a fairly distinguished recent roll of honour, with the last three winners – Langer Dan, Duffle Coat and Porticello – going on to win the Imperial Cup, a Grade Two at Cheltenham and the Grade One Finale Juvenile Hurdle at Chepstow respectively.

Tuddenham Green failed to get his head in front in five starts on the Flat, but won decisively on his hurdling debut at Chepstow three weeks ago to earn himself this rise in grade.

"I haven't done a lot with him since Chepstow, to be honest, but he did it nicely that day and had a good school earlier in the week, so we'll see," said King.

"I think he's a long way from the finished article – he's a big, weak horse. We'll have a look at this and see where we go from there.

"We'll roll the dice at Wetherby and see what happens."

Dan Skelton saddles 35-length Stratford scorer Medyaf, while champion jockey Brian Hughes partners Donald McCain's 17-length course-and-distance winner Vintage Valley, who is fitted with blinkers for the first time.

The small but select field is completed by the Sheena West-trained Mr Freedom.

The most valuable race on day one is the £40,000 Each Way Extra At bet365 Handicap Chase, where Evan Williams saddles Coconut Splash.

The seven-year-old has been placed six times over fences without winning and makes his first competitive appearance since February.

Coconut Splash's rivals include Ann Hamilton's veteran top-weight Nuts Well, Into Overdrive – winner of his last three races for Mark Walford – and Paul Nicholls' recent Chepstow victor Flic Ou Voyou.

Nigel Twiston-Davies is anxious about the weather forecast ahead of the weekend and has warned punters that Wetherby specialist Good Boy Bobby could miss a clash with last season's crack novices Ahoy Senor and Bravemansgame in tomorrow’s bet365 Charlie Hall Chase.

The nine-year-old, whose form figures read 11411 in his five previous Wetherby visits, won the Rowland Meyrick at the West Yorkshire track on Boxing Day. He is one of 10 entries for the race, which also include last season's Scottish Grand National winner Win My Wings and Denman Chase hero Eldorado Allen.

Good Boy Bobby produced his best form with ease in the ground but conditions at Wetherby and at Ascot, where he also holds an entry in the Bateaux London Gold Cup, may not be to his liking.

Twiston-Davies said: "He probably won't run in either race with the ground the way it is. He loves Wetherby, but the ground might be good ground I'd imagine by then, unless there is a lot of rain.

"But at the moment, he won't be going anywhere."

The stable’s Wholestone is similarly an unlikely participant in the Grade Two bet365 Hurdle on the same card – due to ground concerns.