Tony Dobbin can upstage Tony McCoy and Richard Johnson with a clean sweep of the televised races at Uttoxeter today.

He is in the midst of his best season, his 70-odd winners to date putting him a clear third in the jump jockeys' table.

And he has every chance of closing the gap on the "big two" with a treble in front of the BBC cameras today. Dobbin will need to be at his best to coax Village King home in front in the Singer & Friedlander National Trial, which he won on Lord Gyllene in 1997.

His mount this time is a very different animal to the enthusiastic, bold-jumping Lord Gyllene - Village King needs plenty of driving and is usually one for punters to be wary of.

But he is undeniably well handicapped, showed himself to be in good form when a strong-finishing second to Noble Lord at Haydock last time and runs as though this three-and-half-mile trip could well be just what he needs nowadays.

Dobbin's timing in a finish will also be tested on Sheer Genius, who found little under pressure in the closing stages when third in a Grade Two novice hurdle at Cheltenham in December.

But that race was over an extended three miles in very testing conditions and his stamina may well have given out.

The gelding had shown progressively useful form in winning each of his three previous starts at shorter trips and he should benefit from today's switch back to two and a half miles for the Pertemps Classic Novices' Hurdle.

Super Nomad can ensure Dobbin's day starts on a winning note by taking the opening Ladbroke Handicap Hurdle.

He had more to spare than a half-length winning margin might suggest when scoring at Aintree last time out and can defy a rise in the weights.

Hitman and Behrajan should prove their class with victories in Grade Two races at Wetherby, albeit at short odds.

Hitman is sure to start a hot favourite for the Gerrard Novices' Hurdle, having run an excellent fourth behind Champion Hurdle second favourite Geos in the Bula Hurdle at Cheltenham last December.

Behrajan is a clear form choice for the thanx group Novices' Chase. Last year's Stayers' Hurdle third was an impressive winner of his first two starts over fences here and at Exeter in the autumn, looking every inch a top-notch chaser in the making.

If Sandown beats the serious threat of waterlogging Geos can underline his Smurfit Champion Hurdle claim by taking the Agfa Hurdle and Best Mate will take plenty of beating in the Weatherbys Scilly Isles Novices' Chase.