Northern racehorse owners are set to make a bold bid to keep the prizes on one of the most valuable jump racing days of the year at Haydock Park on home territory.

Horses will arrive from all over the country - and the Continent - for "Peter Marsh Chase day" on Saturday.

More than £200,000 in prize-money is up for grabs and in addition to the big three-mile steeplechase, the Bonusprint.com Champion Hurdle Trial is a major pointer to the Cheltenham Festival as well as being a sought-after prize in its own right.

Blackpool Tower owner Trevor Hemmings likes nothing better than to have winners at his 'local' racecourse, and he has a strong hand in both the major contests.

Afsoun - the winner of the corresponding race 12 months ago and subsequently third in the Champion Hurdle - is his representative for the £50,000 Bonusprint.com-sponsored race, while Grand National fancy Idle Talk, trained by Ginger McCain's son Donald in Cheshire, is poised to go for the Peter Marsh Chase.

Northern businessman Paul Beck and Lancashire and England cricketer Andrew Flintoff own the horse appropriately named Flintoff, another contender for the steeplechase.

Graham Wylie, the founder of the Sage software empire, counts Haydock Park as his favourite racecourse. One-time Derby runner Percussionist is his horse in the Champion Hurdle Trial.

It was this day at Haydock Park five years ago that inspired Mr Wylie's love of horse racing when he watched his first racehorse - Lord Transcend - win.

He and his wife Andrea are also represented in the J W Lees Novices' Chase by Tidal Bay which is going for a fifth victory in a row during a career in which he hasn't finished outside the first two in any of his 11 races.

Dickon White, Haydock Park Racecourse's managing director, said: "Peter Marsh day is always one of the highlights of the jump racing season. Once again, we look certain to attract some of the most talked about horses in the sport, making for a superb attraction for all our visitors."

An added incentive to visit Haydock Park on Saturday is an admission price reduction in all enclosures. The Newton Enclosure is £7 (down from £8 last year); Tattersalls £14 (down from £16); the County Enclosure £23 (down from £27); and the Premier Enclosure £34 (down from £41).

Accompanied children under 16 enter free. Senior citizens and students, with appropriate identification, enter Tattersalls and the Newton Enclosure at half price.

The first time is scheduled for 12.55pm, with the last race at 3.40pm.

More details about racing at Haydock Park are available on web site www.haydock-park.co.uk