Racing:Barry Geraghty is excited about teaming up with Exotic Dancer for the first time in the Betfair Chase at Haydock on Saturday.
The Irish ace has been booked for the Jonjo O'Neill-trained gelding as Tony McCoy has been claimed by owner JP McManus for Wichita Lineman at Ascot.
"For sure, I'm looking forward to riding Exotic Dancer. He's a class horse and naturally I'm hoping for a big run on Saturday," said Geraghty.
"Everything was organised through my agent, so I haven't spoken to Jonjo or anybody yet. I haven't sat on Exotic Dancer and I wouldn't think that I will before Saturday.
"Haydock is a track that I like to ride. I won the Tommy Whittle Chase on Jonjo's big horse, Keen Leader, four years ago, and a novice chase for Nicky Henderson on Caracciola, so it has been a lucky enough place for me."
Connections of last season's Cheltenham Gold Cup runner-up were delighted to have secured his services.
"Barry came in for a very good ride for us on three occasions the previous season on Star De Mohaison. We've got great confidence in his suitability for the horse," said Barry Simpson, racing manager to owner Sir Robert Ogden.
"He's a great jockey, but he's also an extremely good big-race jockey and that's a very important factor."
There is also an enforced change on last year's winner Kauto Star with Sam Thomas deputising for the injured Ruby Walsh.
Paul Nicholls' stable star defeated Exotic Dancer in the King George VI Chase and the Gold Cup last term as well as at Aintree last month when they were second and third respectively behind Monet's Garden.
Kauto Star is 10-11 with totesport for a repeat success on Saturday.
It is all change on Beef Or Salmon too with Denis O'Regan getting the mount on Michael Hourigan's prolific Irish winner.
The 10-time Grade One victor has finished second in this race for the past two years.
O'Regan: "I haven't sat on the horse before but it's an honour to be riding him.
"He's been second in the Betfair Chase the past two years, he's a class act and I'm delighted to be riding him.
"Hopefully, all goes well with a bit of luck in running."
O'Regan, who moved to England six weeks ago as stable jockey to County Durham handler Howard Johnson, has had nine winners for Hourigan in the past five years.
"I've ridden a bit for Michael Hourigan over the last few years and two years ago I rode Church Island to win at the Paddy Power meeting for him and the owner," he continued.
"I moved over to England about six weeks ago and it's good to be getting nice horses to ride, but they still have to be ridden."
The seven-strong line-up is completed by Arkle Trophy winner My Way De Solzen, Charlie Swan's Offshore Account, Gold Cup third Turpin Green and Charlie Hall Chase hero Ollie Magern.
The ground at Haydock is currently good to soft and clerk of the course Kirkland Tellwright is anticipating little change before Saturday's meeting.
He said: "We had three millimetres of rain overnight, with the possibility of some further showers throughout the week, so we might have good to soft ground, soft in places on Saturday.
"It doesn't look like we will have any problems with the cold weather forecast."