Harry Fry has confirmed that his high-class seven-year-old Gidleigh Park will take on both Il Est Francais and last year’s winner Pic D'Orhy.

The son of Walk In The Park was pulled up on his chasing debut last season but went on to claim the notable scalp of Caldwell Potter in the Fitzdares Lightning Novices' Chase at Windsor before finishing an excellent second to Willie Mullins' Impaire Et Passe in the Grade 1 EBC Group Manifesto Novices' Chase at Aintree in April.

Connections also had the option of running in the Graduation Chase at Haydock on Saturday, but Fry confirmed that his talented and unexposed chaser will head to stick to racing over two and a half miles at Ascot.

"We've decided to run in the 1965 at Ascot," said Fry on Nick Luck's Daily Podcast. "He obviously showed good form over both two and two and a half last season, and it was really a case of what the ground was doing.

"We had options earlier in the month, but we've had to wait for the rain and with Ascot being good to soft, good, we've decided to run him over the two-mile five."

Whilst Gidleigh Park will be making his first appearance at the Berkshire venue on Saturday, Boothill will return to his happy hunting ground in a search for a fourth course success in the Castello Banfi Hurst Park Handicap Chase.

A three-time winner from four starts over the Hurst Park course and distance, Boothill only ran three times last season, finishing second and fourth behind Jonbon in both the Shloer Chase and Clarence House Chase either side of suffering an eighth-flight tumble in the Ladbrokes Desert Orchid Handicap Chase.

Fry added: "We couldn't be more pleased with him and he's in great order.

"He was entered in the Shloer last week but conditions in the end were never going to suit him. He's got a great record around Ascot, obviously, he's not getting any younger and will carry topweight but we're really looking forward to seeing him back in action."

Fry will also be represented in the Ascot Hurdle as fellow course regular and two-time scorer Altobelli looks set to make his seasonal reappearance having been last seen finishing well-beaten in the Liverpool Hurdle at Aintree.

"He's more than ready enough to do himself justice," said Fry. "This has been the plan all along with him and again he's another with a really good course record,"

"Depending on how we get on will decide if we stick to hurdles or go over fences but he's in good form and we couldn't be more pleased with him."