Haydock Park stages one of its biggest jumps meetings of the year tomorrow and a superbly competitive field of 15 has been declared for the featured £100,000 handicap chase.

This will be a real slog over three-and-a-half miles in heavy ground and with nine of its runners entered for the Grand National, the likelihood is that a leading contender for the Aintree marathon will emerge.

Top weight is Our Vic, whom I tipped to win the Peter Marsh Chase at the last Haydock meeting at odds of 20/1. I certainly shot myself in the foot with that one.

David Pipe’s veteran will love the conditions and is sure to make another bold bid from the front, but he has risen 6lbs in the handicap for that success and goes into unknown territory regarding the longer distance.

It’s a much stronger race this time too, and I think the presence in the line-up of Le Beau Bai is one reason why it’s worth taking on Our Vic.

Le Beau Bai is a rapidly improving young chaser who goes really well on heavy ground and looks to have a very bright future in the top staying events.

Richard Lee’s seven-year-old bolted up at Chepstow in December and then was far from disgraced when third in the Welsh National, for which he started favourite.

All the first six home in the Welsh National re-oppose at Haydock and although Le Beau Bai is not weighted to reverse the placings with the two ahead of him, Dream Alliance and Silver By Nature, there are good reasons for thinking he can turn the tables.

Firstly, as the youngest horse of the Chepstow principals, Le Beau Bai is open to the most improvement. Secondly, he has subsequently confirmed his well-being by landing a competitive Bangor handicap hurdle.

While I don’t see Le Beau Bai winning the Grand National this year as he may not be experienced enough yet for the hurly burly of Aintree, I can see him landing this big prize. He is likely to go off around 5/1 tomorrow and is currently 33/1 for the National.

Of the dangers, apart from Our Vic and Dream Alliance I could see According To John running his best race of the season. He has been given a chance by the handicapper, looks to be coming to hand and has his favoured testing ground.

Nicky Richards, trainer of According To John, sends his stable star Monet’s Garden down from Cumbria to Ascot for the big two-and-a-half mile conditions chase and the popular grey could win this prize for the second time.

Monet’s Garden won it by eight lengths in 2007 and finished second to the great Kauto Star a year later, and looked as good as ever when romping home under tomorrow’s rider Barry Geraghty at Aintree in October.