Weekend Previews: Noel Meade is hoping the ground remains on the good side ahead of Champion Hurdle runner-up Harchibald's run in the totesport Bula Hurdle today.

The six-year-old will be bidding for a first victory at Cheltenham after failing to score in his two visits to Prestbury Park so far. Harchibald will have to give at least 4lb to some smart rivals, including Faasel, Penzance and Royal Shakespeare.

"I just hope the weather stays as it is now as he wouldn't want it too soft," said Meade, who is planning a quick reappearance for Harchibald with a Christmas target already pencilled in.

"Hopefully he will go to Leopardstown at Christmas if the ground allows. He's also in at Sandown so we will see how things work out," he added.

Faasel looks to be one of his main rivals after Nicky Richards' charge finished a short head second to Admiral on his seasonal bow. Penzance, who beat Faasel to take the Triumph Hurdle, was back in third that day but trainer Alan King expects him to have improved for the outing.

"He needed his first run at Haydock," said the Barbury Castle handler. "He was heavy going into it and had a good blow afterwards but it is a very good race tomorrow and I think it will be asking a lot to expect him to win it."

Redemption must be one of the unluckiest horses in training but can finally gain the big prize he deserves in the feature race, Robin Cook Memorial Gold Cup.

A highly capable dual-purpose performer, Nigel Twiston-Davies' 10-year-old started off the season over hurdles, finishing second to the top-class Inglis Drever at Wetherby. He then travelled to Prestbury Park for the Paddy Power Gold Cup where he was in the process of running an absolute blinder alongside eventual winner Our Vic before coming to grief at the second last.

It is difficult to say whether Redemption would have won that day, but was right there in the shake-up and ran respectably two weeks later when not quite getting home in the Hennessy. His record around Cheltenham is lamentable, but the horse remains in good heart.

The Jonjo O'Neill-trained Black Jack Ketchum is fancied to maintain his unbeaten record by winning the Brit Insurance Novices' Hurdle.