Paul Nicholls’ Rubaud will bid for a third successive victory in the BetMGM Elite Hurdle at Wincanton on Saturday.

The Ditcheat-based handler will be bidding to win the race for a record-extending tenth time, while Rubaud, who returned to action with his usual smooth success in the CopyBet Hurdle at Kempton last month, will attempt to become just the second three-time winner of the £70,000 event.

"Rubuad is very much the one for the race as he has won it for the past two years," said Nicholls, who often excels at the meeting having saddled a five-timer on the card last year and four-timers in 2022 and 2023.

"He likes that track and he will like the ground. He comes into the race, like he has done the previous two years having won the Listed race at Kempton beforehand, so hopefully he can follow up that win once again and secure a third successive win in this race."

Rubaud might not be the only representative from Nicholls' yard in this season's contest, with Knappers Hill also still in contention.

A winner of the race back in 2022, Knappers Hill hasn't been seen since winning in Listed company over fences at Wincanton in October 2023, while he missed his intended reappearance in the Silver Trophy at Chepstow due to quick ground.

On the likelihood of him running, Nicholls added: "I put Knappers Hill, who won the race in 2022, at the last minute on Monday as Harry (Cobden) asked me to put him in just in case we had loads of rain or that Rubaud trod on a stone or something like that."

In the other Grade 2 on the card, the Boodles Rising Stars Novices' Chase, Nicholls will rely on the talented hurdler Blueking D'Oroux.

Having won the contest with the likes of Grade 1 winners Frodon, See More Business and Silviniaco Conti, there's no doubt that Nicholls knows what it takes to win the race, and he believes his son of Jeu St Eloi will derive great benefit from his chasing debut defeat at Newton Abbot last month.

He said: "Blueking D'Oroux goes for the Rising Stars. I always like to have a prep race before this, and he had that at Newton Abbot.

"He ran okay there. He was a short-priced favourite, but that was purely on ratings.

"The horse that beat him (Riskintheground) had already had a fair bit of experience over fences, and he was a Grade Two handicap chase winner at Cheltenham.

"It wasn't easy for him, and he jumped a bit novicey, but he will come on for that.

"I've had horses like Silviniaco Conti and Knappers Hill get beat over fences first time out before going on to win this.

"I think you need a run under your belt before going for this, and hopefully he will come on for that experience in this.

"He was a good hurdler as he was rated 151, but we just need him to take it to the next level over fences."