Aintree opens its doors on its winter campaign with the start of a two-day meeting, and Penzance promises to make a big impression in the Intercasino.co.uk Molyneux Novices' Chase.

Trained by Alan King, Penzance was a top juvenile hurdler two seasons ago, when he won the Triumph Hurdle at Cheltenham, although he struggled against more seasoned rivals last season.

Switched to fences when winning at Hereford in May, he now represents an exciting proposition over the larger obstacles and he is fancied to cope with this rise in class.

Also worthy of note is Pouvoir (1.10), a highly-rated stablemate of Penzance, and the useful de Soto (3.20), who is set to make his eagerly-awaited reappearance.

Meanwhile, Horse of the Year contender Young Mick could attempt to sign off his season in spectacular style with an assault on the Japan Cup, writes PA Sport's Nick Robson.

George Margarson's admirable four-year-old has risen an astonishing 50lb in the handicap since he took a banded race at Wolverhampton in January and now lists a Royal Ascot success on a burgeoning CV.

The King's Theatre gelding has ten wins to his name and even though he has been on the go for nearly a year, Margarson is loathe to rough him off for the season in case he does not return in the same spectacular form.

"I have my doubts as to whether he is the same horse that won at Wolverhampton," said Margarson. "He has probably come back in a former life!

"He has improved rapidly, as we know, he is in really good form and I'm happy to take him out there.

"He is one of those horses that I always thought was pretty decent as a two and three-year-old, but then he just went wrong completely and went the wrong way.

"We somehow managed to get him back, but I still didn't think he would be anything more than a 75-rated horse.

"He has spent a bit of time in the paddock, but he is a creature of habit who likes a routine and he doesn't like to be taken out of it.

"When I have tried to give him a break after a race it has taken a while for him to come back to himself but when he is firing on all cylinders he is enjoying himself," Margarson told At The Races.

"I don't know how far this horse can go and in an ideal situation I would like to wait until next season (to go to Japan) and try and step him up slowly in trip.

"I would have liked to have freshened him up and bring him back for the start of next season and then go through the gears with him in that way.

"I have seen these horses millions of times before, but probably not improve as much as he has, and you don't know when they are going to stop.

"When you give them a break they find it hard to come back at the same level, they sometimes lose their form completely.

"That is why with him, he has had a lot of racing but it has been over a period of time with a bit of a break in between."

Tomorrow's selections

Aintree (National Hunt)
1.10 Pouvoir; 1.40 Penzance; 2.10 Unjust Law; 2.45 Another Native; 3.20 de Soto; 3.55 Minella Tipperary.

Tomorrow's other National Hunt meetings: Chepstow (National Hunt), and Kelso (National Hunt).

Today's National Hunt meeting: Fakenham.