ONE of the best days of jump racing in years is expected at Haydock Park on Saturday.

The second favourite for the Cheltenham Gold Cup is certain to appear - and the current Champion Hurdler has been entered in Haydock's major Cheltenham trial over hurdles.

And - in a bonus for North West racing fans - the first major novice steeplechase of the year has been re-scheduled for Haydock after last weekend's meeting at Newcastle Races was abandoned due to frost.

Kingscliff - the talk of steeplechasing at present and fancied by many pundits to give Best Mate a run for his money in the Gold Cup at Cheltenham in March - is the big attraction in the £60,000 Peter Marsh Chase over three miles.

The 2003 race was won by Truckers Tavern who subsequently finished runner-up to Best Mate at Cheltenham.

The Peter Marsh Chase has also attracted entries from Haydock specialist Kingsmark, strong Grand National fancy Gunner Welburn, and the racecourse's own horse Streamstown, a stable mate of Truckers Tavern at Ferdy Murphy's Yorkshire yard.

The major entry in the Red Square Vodka Champion Hurdle Trial over two miles is Rooster Booster. The horse has yet to find his true form after winning the Champion Hurdle last March.

And the Haydock race won't be straightforward with last year's winner Flame Creek possibly defending his crown and Jonjo O'Neill unleashing legendary Irish owner J P McManus's Specular - a horse purchased for almost £300,000 in Australia and that country's best hurdler in 2003.

Added to that pool are two horses owned by the founder of the Sage software empire Graham Wylie.

The magnet paid millions of pounds during 2003 on a string of expensive horses. One of them - Chivalry - was winning one of the big flat handicaps - the Cambridgeshire - at Newmarket in the autumn. Now he's going over hurdles at Haydock.

Graham Wylie also has an interest in the Commhoist Premier Stayers' Hurdle. His Royal Rosa is a major threat in the event run over just under three miles.

The North West Racing Club Novices' Steeple Chase has had its prize money boosted to £30,000 to replace The Dipper Novices' Chase abandoned at frozen Newcastle last Saturday.

Racing gets under way at Haydock at 12.35pm on Saturday, and the racecourse's managing director Adam Waterworth is relishing the prospect of a great day's sport.

"The entries for all our major races are quite simply superb. There'll be plenty of pointers to the championship races at Cheltenham. It is one of those days that National Hunt followers love - and it could be one of our best days of jump racing in recent times," he said.

More details about racing at Haydock on www.haydock-park.co.uk.