FROST covers are on at Cheltenham this week as a precaution to protect today’s Trials Day Meeting.

With four Grade 2 races on the card, the meeting gets underway with the JCB Triumph Hurdle Trial, a Juvenile Hurdle run over two miles, one furlong.

Local trainer Alan King will be looking for a good run from his charge Smad Place, who ran well to finish third in a Grade 1 event at Chepstow earlier in the month.

However, he looks sure to face stiff opposition from the Nicky Henderson-trained Grandouet, a winner at Ascot last week, and the Paul Nicholls-trained Empire Levant.

Also looking to lower the colours of the big guns is the Colin Tizzard-trained Third Intention, who could be worth an each way interest.

The Argento Chase, the second of the grade 2 events, has attracted some top performers headed by the Paul Webber-trained Time For Rupert.

Unbeaten in two starts over the fences this season, both at Cheltenham, the seven-year-old could well be up against the Nicky Henderson-trained Punchestowns, Tidal Bat, who was second to Imperial Commander at Haydock and the Nigel Twiston-Davies-trained Little Josh, winner of the Paddy Power Gold Cup.

Time For Rupert is bidding to justify his favourite tag for the RSA Chase at the Festival meeting and is this column’s selection.

The Cleeve Hurdle, run over three miles, has attracted its usual high-class field of staying hurdlers, headed by the Philip Hobbs-trained Fair Along. Among the opposition is the Alan King’s Bensalem, recent winner Mobaasher and the David Pipe-trained Grands Crus.

A tricky race to try and forecast a winner but with the Alan King stable going well, perhaps it could pay to go along with Bensalem.

The final Grade 2 race, the Neptune Investment Management Novices Hurdle, could be at the mercy of the Jonjo O’Neill-trained Backspin, the mount of champion jockey AP McCoy although Champion Court, Rock On Ruby and Bobs Worth are worth considering.

The Channel 4 cameras will also be at Doncaster for their two feature races, the Listed Sky Bet Chase and the Grade 2 Albert Bartlett Novices Hurdle.

Paul Nicholls’-trained Take The Breeze travel from Somerset for the Sky Bet, with promising conditional jockey Ian Popham taking 5lb off the top weight.

Swindon jockey Wayne Hutchinson rides recent winner Blazing Bailey for the Barbury Castle yard while Fistral Beach, another Nicholls entry, is ridden by Nick Scholfield.

However, King Fontaine, the mount of Graham Lee, could keep the valuable prize in the north.

Balabriggs is the selection to outsmart his younger opponents in the Albert Bartlett.

Uttoxeter stages the other Saturday jumping card with all-weather flat fans catered for at Lingfield, where the best bet could be Buaiteoir in the mile handicap.