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Grade One-winning novice hurdler expected to take high rank over bigger obstacles.

My Drogo  will face just one rival as he makes his chasing debut in the SSS Super Alloys Novices' Chase on the first day of the November Meeting at Cheltenham on Friday.

The six-year-old was mightily impressive when last seen winning the Grade One Mersey Novices' Hurdle at Aintree in spring, a success that was his fourth in a row and maintained his unbeaten record over hurdles.

Now taking to fences for the first time in his career, the Dan Skelton-trained gelding has scared off all but one opponent and so will line up against only Henry de Bromhead's Gin On Lime for the two-and-a-half-mile contest, after Gordon Elliott withdrew Fancy Foundations due to the ground.

"I feel that we have got to go chasing to make him the horse we think he is and he has always looked like a chaser," Skelton said.

"He is probably the highest-rated horse we have had go novice chasing and the highest profile, but at the end of the day they are all equal at the start.

"He looks great and two and a half miles is a good starting point, so we will see where we are with him."

Gin On Lime is a worthy rival, however, having won four of her seven runs over fences including the Grade Three Dundrum Novice Chase at Tipperary.

There is Grade Two hurdling action on the card with the Ballymore Novices' Hurdle set to be contested by seven runners.

Paul Nicholls' Gelino Bello is highly fancied after winning by six lengths on his hurdling debut at Aintree on October 24.

"He is an exciting youngster who won impressively on his debut over hurdles at Aintree nineteen days ago when he stayed on strongly as he drew clear on the flat," the trainer said in his Betfair blog.

"I don't really like running good young prospects again so quickly and was tempted to wait another week or two with him, but Gelino Bello seems in top form at home, he will be fine on the ground and this race offers an ideal opportunity at this stage of his career.

"Hopefully it doesn't come too soon for him."

Another contender with a flawless hurdling record is Evan Williams' Current Mood, who has struck twice over the smaller obstacles since arriving in Wales from Liam Kenny's yard in Wexford.

"She's had a great start to the season and if she could get a bit of black type that would be invaluable further down the line," said Williams.

"She's been absolutely fantastic, though those races (that she won) aren't very deep, we're not kidding ourselves. But she deserves to go and take her chance to try to find that little bit of black type.

"I've been very surprised by how well she's taken to the good ground because she's a big lump of a mare, but I'd say the good ground seems a big help to her."

Blazing Khal is another runner in good form ahead of the race, with the five-year-old making a winning debut over timber at Galway in early October.

That run was on soft going and as Charles Byrnes' charge has shown a preference for ease in the ground, any rain over the Cotswolds will be appreciated by his trainer.

"I'm just hoping for a nice run, it's a big step up in quality and if the ground softened up a bit that would help our chances," he said.

"He won on soft in Galway, he's a stayer and softer ground would probably bring that out in him – he wouldn't be the fastest.

"Any rain would be welcome, that's the way it is with him."