Jimmy Mangan expects to have a clearer idea of where Spillane’s Tower is heading after he lines up as one of four runners in the Betfair Cotswold Chase at Cheltenham on Saturday.

A dual Grade 1-winning novice two seasons ago, the J.P. McManus-owned eight-year-old split Fact To File and Galopin Des Champs in a thrilling John Durkan last term before disappointing as favourite for the King George at Kempton on Boxing Day.

He again failed to fire on his return to action over hurdles at Naas in November, but a third-place finish behind El Fabiolo at Punchestown on New Year’s Eve was a step in the right direction and Mangan is looking forward to running his stable star back over fences on his belated first visit to Prestbury Park.

“All is going well with the horse, I wouldn’t be going over otherwise,” he said. “He seems to be on the way back and we’ve got Jack Kennedy riding him. He’s in the Gold Cup and the Ryanair and we’ll know more after Saturday.”

Spillane’s Tower receives 6lb from Dan Skelton’s Grey Dawning and last year’s winner L’Homme Presse, trained by Venetia Williams.

The small but select field is completed by Gavin Cromwell’s long-absent dual Stayers’ Hurdle hero Flooring Porter.

The Unibet Hurdle stages a fascinating clash, with Sir Gino and The New Lion both testing their Champion Hurdle credentials.

Brentford Hope and Nemean Lion, who were both in action last weekend, are the other runners.

The unbeaten pair of Dan Skelton’s Maestro Conti and the Paul Nicholls-trained look the big two in the JCB Triumph Trial Juvenile Hurdle, while Nicky Henderson’s Long Distance Hurdle and Long Walk winner Impose Toi is the star attraction in a six-strong field for the Pertemps Network Cleeve Hurdle, with Olly Murphy’s Strong Leader and the improving Ma Shantou from Emma Lavelle’s yard seemingly his two biggest threats.

A bumper eight-race card concludes with the Grade Two AIS Novices’ Hurdle, which features Henderson’s Act Of Innocence, Ben Pauling’s unbeaten gelding Taurus Bay and John McConnell’s Champion Bumper runner-up from last season, Heads Up.

DECLARED RUNNERS FOR FESTIVAL TRIALS DAY

Current Going:

New Course (Chase & Hurdle): Soft

Cross Country Course: Soft, Good to Soft in places

12.05 Timeform Novices' Handicap Chase 2m 4f 127y

1 Push The Button (IRE) 7 12 0 The 8 Amigos, Readers & Wiggy, N Skinner Mark Walford Jamie Hamilton

2 Califet En Vol (IRE) 7 12 0 McNeill Family & Stone Family Nicky Henderson Nico de Boinville

3 Quebecois (FR) ts 7 11 12 McNeill,Stevens,McKenzie,Flowers&Walsh Paul Nicholls Freddie Gingell

4 Jordans Cross (IRE) ts 6 11 11 The Steeple Chasers Anthony Honeyball Sam Twiston-Davies

5 Kdeux Saint Fray (FR) ts 6 11 5 Les Bleus Fonces Anthony Honeyball Gavin Sheehan

6 Barlovento (IRE) 7 11 2 Mrs Diana L. Whateley Olly Murphy Sean Bowen

7 Secret des Dieux (FR) 6 11 0 Mr P. H. Betts James Owen Brendan Powell

8 Scorsese (IRE) p 8 10 11 Paul McKeon Neil Mulholland Conor O'Farrell

9 Kaline des Boullat (FR) 6 10 5 Mr Dov Seror Mickael Seror France Bryony Frost

12.40 JCB Triumph Trial Juvenile Hurdle (Grade 2) 2m 179y

1 One Horse Town (IRE) 4 11 5 THE JO COOL SYNDICATE Harry Derham Paul O'Brien

2 Maestro Conti (FR) 4 11 3 Hales, Speelman, Mason, Hogarth Dan Skelton Harry Skelton

3 Chartwell Jock 4 11 0 Mr S. Smode Seamus Mullins Daniel Sansom

4 Hardy Stuff (USA) h 4 11 0 Mr Ray Stokes Gordon Elliott Ireland Jack Kennedy

5 Lord Byron (IRE) 4 11 0 Mr Justin Carthy Faye Bramley Ben Jones

6 Minella Yoga (IRE) 4 11 0 Mr Michael Geoghegan Paul Nicholls Sam Twiston-Davies

7 Sonic Pioneer 4 11 0 Redknapp, Salters & Powell Martin Keighley Sean Bowen

8 Tenter Le Tout (FR) 4 10 12 Mr Ron Watts Chester Williams Gavin Sheehan

9 Miss des Boullats (FR) 4 10 10 Mrs Marie-Gabrielle Boudot Mickael Seror France Bryony Frost

10 La Luna Artista (FR) 4 10 7 The Culverhill Racing Club IV Mrs Jane Williams Ciaran Gethings

1.15 Betfair Exchange Handicap Chase (Premier Handicap) 2m 4f 127y

1 Boombawn (IRE) 9 12 0 Bullen-Smith & Faulks Dan Skelton Harry Skelton

2 Jagwar (FR) ts 7 11 11 Mr John P. McManus Oliver Greenall & Josh Guerriero Jonjo O'Neill Jr.

3 Riskintheground (IRE) ts 9 11 4 3 Sons Dan Skelton Liam Harrison

4 Booster Bob (IRE) 8 11 3 Mrs Diana L. Whateley Olly Murphy Sean Bowen

5 Uncle Bert 9 11 0 James & Jean Potter Ltd Nigel & Willy Twiston-Davies Sam Twiston-Davies

6 Prairie Wolf (IRE) p 9 10 11 Mr G. R. Orchard & Mrs J. M. Gray Joel Parkinson & Sue Smith Gavin Sheehan

7 Donnacha (IRE) 8 10 8 Mrs Marilyn Jane Martin Nigel Hawke James Davies

8 Triple Trade 10 10 7 SJS Racing Joe Tizzard Brendan Powell

9 Moon D'Orange (FR) p 8 10 6 Ian Stuart Griffiths and Gary Evans John McConnell Ireland Alex Harvey (3)

10 Hurricane Bay ts, p 10 10 5 The Hanseatic League Lucy Wadham Bryony Frost

11 Javert Allen (FR) 7 10 4 HoltMacnabbRobinsonMiltonTuckerWeedon Mrs Jane Williams Ciaran Gethings

1.50 Glenfarclas Cross Country Handicap Chase 3m 5f 56y

1 Favori de Champdou (FR) bl 11 12 0 Gigginstown House Stud Gordon Elliott Ireland Jack Kennedy

2 Final Orders 10 11 12 C. M. D. Syndicate Gavin Cromwell Ireland Keith Donoghue

3 Latenightpass 13 11 4 Mrs P. A. Ellis Tom Ellis Miss Gina Andrews

4 Annual Invictus (IRE) 11 11 2 Mr Thomas Michael Smith Chris Gordon Freddie Gordon

5 Homme Public (FR) ts, p 9 10 13 The Nevers Racing Partnership II Oliver Greenall & Josh Guerriero Toby Wynne

6 Iceo Madrik (FR) ts 8 10 9 Prof. Caroline Tisdall D. Cottin France

7 Tommie Beau (IRE) 11 10 7 Simon & Christine Prout Seamus Mullins Paul O'Brien

8 Placenet (FR) ts 9 10 6 Prof C Tisdall & G Thompson D. Cottin France

9 J'Arrive de L'Est (FR) p 7 10 5 Mr P. Byrne Emmet Mullins Ireland Donagh Meyler

10 Where It All Began (IRE) p 10 10 4 Patrick & Scott Bryceland,McNeill Family Gordon Elliott Ireland Sean Bowen

11 Escaria Ten (FR) v 12 10 4 J B Property Investments (Midlands) Ltd Martin Keighley James Best

12 Unanswered Prayers (IRE) 10 10 3 The Morestead Pres Partnership Chris Gordon Charlie Deutsch

13 Some Scope ts 8 10 2 Mark Scott and Nigel Horler Richard Hobson Gavin Sheehan

14 Peaches And Cream (IRE) ts 11 10 2 Gavin Cromwell Racing Ltd Gavin Cromwell Ireland Alex Harvey (3)

15 Miralago (FR) ts 8 10 2 Ms Georgina Nicholls Georgina Nicholls Finn Lambert (3)

16 The Big Breakaway (IRE) v,ts 11 10 2 Three Oaks, a Rose and an Acorn Syd Hosie Paddy Hanlon (5)

2.25 Betfair Cotswold Chase (Grade 2) 3m 1f 56y

1 Grey Dawning (IRE) 9 11 10 Mr Robert Kirkland Dan Skelton Harry Skelton

2 L'homme Presse (FR) 11 11 10 Dfa Racing (Pink,Edwards & Sharman) Venetia Williams Charlie Deutsch

3 Flooring Porter (IRE) ts 11 11 4 Flooring Porter Syndicate Gavin Cromwell Ireland Keith Donoghue

4 Spillane's Tower (IRE) 8 11 4 Mr John P. McManus James Joseph Mangan Ireland Jack Kennedy

3.00 Unibet Hurdle (Grade 2) 2m 179y

1 Nemean Lion (GER) ts 9 11 10 Mr Will Roseff Kerry Lee Conor O'Farrell

2 Sir Gino (FR) 6 11 10 Mrs J Donnelly Nicky Henderson Nico de Boinville

3 The New Lion 7 11 7 Mr John P. McManus Dan Skelton Harry Skelton

4 Brentford Hope ts, p 9 11 4 The Optimists Syndicate Harry Derham Paul O'Brien

3.35 Pertemps Network Cleeve Hurdle (Grade 2) 2m 7f 213y

1 Gowel Road (IRE) p 10 11 8 Options O Syndicate Nigel & Willy Twiston-Davies Sam Twiston-Davies

2 Impose Toi (FR) 8 11 8 Mr John P. McManus Nicky Henderson Nico de Boinville

3 Strong Leader p 9 11 8 Welfordgolf syndicate Olly Murphy Sean Bowen

4 Doddiethegreat (IRE) ts, p 10 11 6 Mr K. Alexander Nicky Henderson Freddie Gordon

5 Kamsinas (FR) ts 9 11 2 Noel Fehily Racing Syndicates Kamsinas Fergal O'Brien Liam Harrison

6 Ma Shantou (IRE) 7 11 2 Mighty Acorn Stables Emma Lavelle Ben Jones

4.10 AIS Novices' Hurdle (Grade 2) 2m 4f 56y

1 Act of Innocence (IRE) 6 11 5 Gordon & Su Hall Nicky Henderson Nico de Boinville

2 Adonedeal (IRE) h 6 11 5 Noel Fehily Racing Syndicate - Adonedeal Olly Murphy Gavin Sheehan

3 Fortune Timmy (IRE) 6 11 5 A J Pegley Chris Gordon Freddie Gordon

4 Heads Up 6 11 5 Mr Darragh McDonagh John McConnell Ireland Danny Mullins

5 Kripticjim (FR) ts 6 11 5 Brocade Racing Joe Tizzard Brendan Powell

6 Open Secret ts 5 11 5 Mr Ray Stokes Gordon Elliott Ireland Jack Kennedy

7 Taurus Bay (IRE) 5 11 5 Redknapp and Hill Ben Pauling Ben Jones

8 The Blue Room (IRE) 6 11 5 Bective Stud Olly Murphy Sean Bowen