And despite the fact the race will take place in Somme-like conditions – if the meeting passes an 8am inspection – Pipe believes his charge will cope with it better than most.

“The conditions will be similar to when he won the Charlie Hall last year,” said Pipe.

“He has got a lot of weight but he deserves it for finishing second in a King George.

“Three miles round there should suit him so we thought we’d give it a go.

“He seems to handle these conditions better than some. None of them really handle it, but I think his form on soft and heavy ground is very good so that is one reason for going.”

Pipe will also saddle the next in the weights, Hennessy fourth Madison Du Berlais.

“He has been very good this year. He has only just turned seven so he is still improving,” said Pipe.

“Johnny Farrelly takes 5lb off and once again he’ll like conditions and the step up to three miles doesn’t seem to have been a problem to him.

“All he was doing in the Hennessy was staying on and he ran a good race under a big weight behind Vodka Bleu at Ascot last time.”

Nigel Twiston-Davies is hoping Knowhere can put a disappointing performance at Cheltenham behind him.

The 10-year-old had been a model of consistency before the Boylesports Gold Cup, as he had won at Prestbury Park in October before finishing third in the Paddy Power Gold Cup and fifth in the Hennessy.

However, running in first-time blinkers, he was pulled up before the home straight by Paddy Brennan.

“He has a bit of an advantage tomorrow as a lot of the runners will be out of the handicap whereas he’ll be off his correct mark,” said Twiston-Davies.

“He was fine after the Boylesports. Paddy pulled him up because he thought he had gone lame but he must have just knocked himself because he was fine straight away after.

“He won’t have the blinkers on tomorrow. He’s been a victim of his own consistency this year really as he was going up the handicap without winning, he’d had a hard time of it.

“The heavy ground should be no problem so hopefully he will run well.”

Idle Talk reverted to type last time by getting rid of his rider.

The nine-year-old has unseated his rider five times in his last seven races and trainer Donald McCain is hoping a pair of cheekpieces will help aid his concentration.

“I’ve put a pair of sheepskins on him as I thought it might just help him along the way a little bit,” said McCain.

“It will be more his sort of race tomorrow in a smaller field.

“It’s on hearsay that he will handle really deep ground and this is going to be awful tomorrow so that would be a worry. But he’s very well and ready to run.”