The seasonal highlight at Exeter Races on Friday sees six declared for the Grade Two Haldon Gold Cup. For the second year running 'Devon's richest raceday' is being run on a Friday to tag along with the Badger Beers Day at Wincanton on Saturday - in what has been dubbed 'the Westcountry weekend'.

There will surely be plenty of racing fans doing the 'double header,' but all early eyes will be fixed on the Grade Two contest in Exeter that has huge stars of the sport including Best Mate, Cue Card and Politologue among its former champions.

Run over 2m1f with a post time of 3:30pm, betting suggests a tightly run-race and all with chances - and among those hoping to emulate the past heroes is the nine-year-old Elixir de Nutz for trainer Joe Tizzard.

Despite not showing the same form over fences that saw him become a Grade One winning hurdler, Joe said his stable stalwart still ticked plenty of boxes and had long been targeted for the race.

He said: "We’ve had this in mind for a while and it is a limited handicap chase, so it ticks a lot of boxes for him. I think the extended two miles and one furlong trip around Exeter will be perfect for him.

"He has been a good lad for the yard. After his novice hurdle season, and that injury he had, he was kind of fragile for a couple of years.

“The last couple of seasons we have had a lot of fun with him and arguably his final run last season up at Ayr when he finished second was as good as he has ever performed."

Elixir de Nutz has jockey Freddie Gingell on board, claiming 7lbs, and looks well weighted if he can replicate his hurdling form.

Joe added: “He has run well around Exeter in the past and that gives him a chance of going well.”

The Milborne Port handler is also represented by War Lord, who finished third in the race 12 months ago.

Solo for champion trainer Paul Nicholls is surely going to head many shortlists.

The seven-year-old will bid to give Nicholls a record-extending ninth win in the race and the Harry Cobden mount will hope to build on the significant improvement from his second year over fences last season.

Solo won two of his five outings over the larger obstacles, with the highlight coming on his penultimate start in the Grade Two Coral Pendil Novices’ Chase at Kempton Park in February.

Although Solo failed to complete on his final start in the Grade Two bet365 Oaksey Chase at Sandown Park on the last day of the season, Cobden believes he can leave that outing behind on his return to action in the £80,000 limited handicap chase.

Cobden said: “Solo has a nice weight in the Haldon Gold Cup with Editeur Du Gite running.

“He won a terrible renewal of the Adonis Hurdle and then got given a mark of 157. He spent the next 18 months trying to get that mark down and eventually got down to 135 before he got the ball rolling again last season.

“He had one season where he didn’t win anything over fences, but he was quite highly campaigned and then last season he won a nice novice chase at Sandown and then he won the Pendil at Kempton Park.

“His jumping improved no end last season and he was brilliant when I rode him around Kempton. He was very good at Sandown as well which is a good jumping test.

“I’m not saying he is going there with loads in hand, but Paul historically does well in this race and that is why I think he has got a nice chance.”

It will be the first time that Solo has run over a trip as short as the one he will tackle on his next assignment in more than 18 months, however Cobden does not foresee that, or the prospect of soft conditions, being any issue to his mount.

The jockey added: “That trip should suit him as it is a lovely galloping track so I can’t see that being an issue.

“The ground is going to be fairly testing at Exeter on Friday, but it was fairly soft at Sandown when he won. He has got a good few things going for him."

Heading the weights and having to give more nearly a stone to his nearest arrival (with a three-pound claimer on board) is Editeur du Gite.

But the nine-year-old does bring the best bits of form into the race having landed the Desert Orchid Chase last year and followed it up by taking the Grade One Clarence House Chase.

A disappointing end to the season and concern over lack of a prep run are negatives and it would take a huge run to score off his current mark - but he is not to be discounted.

Venetia Williams trains Brave Seasca, an eight-year-old who is close back to his former winning mark at 148 after a promising start to last season with a win at Aintree ended with three disappointing showings.

This is normally the time of the season when Venetia's horses start coming alive - so could be one to keep onside.

Indiana Jones, a seven year old Irish raider for trainer Mouse Morris will have to defy a career high mark to land the spoils - but looks open to further improvement/

He mixed it well in graded company last season - including landing a Grade Three at Navan - and should be primed after a prep run in Cork last month.

OUR SELECTION

Brave Seasca - back to a competitive winning mark and watch out for Venetia as the temperatures drop and the mud arrives.

OUR OTHER SELECTIONS FOR HALDON GOLD CUP DAY

12:35PM Wrappedupinmay

1:10PM Lady Wilberry

1:45PM Diamond Ri

2:20PM Imperial Measure

2:55PM Grey Dawning

4:00PM My Silver Lining

Down the A30 and A303 at Wincanton on Saturday is day 2 of the Westcountry weekend with the highlights being the historic Badgers Beer handicap chase, the Elite Hurdle and a Grade 2 "Rising Stars" Novice Chase.

PICKS OF THE MEETING

1.50PM - Knappers Hill, another for the Nicholls/Cobden partnership, was a beaten favourite on his first start over fences, but looks the classiest horse based on previous hurdle form and could come on from the run in the 'Rising Stars'.

2.25PM - The hugely popular Frodon, the ride of Bryony Frost, will be hoping to retain their crown in the Badger Beer and will surely have plenty of backers. But carrying top weight at the age of 11 is going to be a huge ask, but the pair will bring the house down if they can land in front.

The Big Breakaway, last seen falling at the second in the Grand National, for Joe Tizzard, could be among those to make the places and has been a consistent performer and proven stayer - with a second in the Welsh Grand National among his formbook last season.

3PM - Rubaud, a five year old for Paul Nicholls, looks set to go off a short-priced favourite for the Elite Hurdle over 2m. Hansard for the Gary Moore team will have 15 lengths to make up from when they matched-up at a Grade Two in Kempton in February but was impressive in a Grade One last time out and won twice last season so looks the closest challenger.