The Gordon Elliott-trained Mange Tout, a Grade 1 winner in the Anniversary 4-Y-O Juvenile Hurdle at Aintree in the spring, will return to the Liverpool track on Saturday for the William Hill Molyneux Hurdle.

The Grade 2 race is a replacment for the Elite Hurdle which could not be staged at Wincanton due to ground conditions.

Just five have been declared for Saturday's race and the two joint favourites are Joe Tizzard's Alexei and Dan Skelton's Mydaddypaddy.

Alexei enjoyed an excellent campaign last season, winning a valuable handicap at Ascot, the Greatwood Hurdle at Cheltenham and the Kingwell Hurdle at Wincanton before finishing fourth in the Champion Hurdle in March and third in the Aintree Hurdle the following month.

Tizzard is looking forward to his competitive return, saying: “He definitely runs (on Saturday) and it looks a lovely starting place.

“He’s in real good form, he summered really well and I’m a bit biased but I think he looks like he’s improved. I couldn’t be happier with him.”

Mydaddypaddy was last seen finishing a close-up third in the Supreme Novices’ Hurdle at the Cheltenham Festival.

Also declared are Lucky Place (Nicky Henderson) and Melon (Oliver Greenall and Josh Guerriero).

The seven-race card also features the Grade 2 Boodles Rising Stars Novices’ Chase, which has attracted five declarations. This two and a half mile contest features Grade 1 novice hurdle winner No Drama and recent chase winner Talk To The Man.