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Owner John Hales is expecting big things from Ibis Du Rheu ahead of his appearance in the William Hill Lanzarote Hurdle at Kempton.

A half-brother to stable companion Saphir Du Rheu, who won this prestigious event in 2014, the Paul Nicholls-trained five-year-old failed to cut much ice on his first two starts in Britain, but fared much better when touched off on his seasonal reappearance at Newbury.

Hales will be watching the race alongside the champion trainer on holiday in Barbados and is confident of a bold show.

He said: "He was three, rising four, when he arrived last season and he seems to have improved significantly for having a summer break.

"He's come back a much stronger horse and he ran a really good race first time out at Newbury.

"He won't mind the ground and I would have thought he's quite well weighted.

"We're going there trying to win and I think he could be a seriously good horse one day."

With the prolific Unowhatimeanharry declared a non-runner, Ibis Du Rheu disputes favouritism with Nicky Henderson's Bivouac, who mixed it with esteemed company as a juvenile hurdler last season and won with something to spare when last seen in action at Huntingdon in early November.

"He is in very good form and he's done some things in soft ground," said Henderson.

"He's not a horse you'd want to be turning out too often, which is why you haven't seen him for a while, but I am very happy with him at the moment and he needs to be having a run if we're going to be thinking about Cheltenham and things like that with him.

"It's a difficult time of year and we have a lot of horses all dressed up with no place to go, but the ground isn't going to change much for the next couple of weeks and sometimes you just have to bite the bullet and let them run, even if it might not be exactly what they want."

Brother Tedd is burdened with top weight after finishing third behind Fry's former stable star Rock On Ruby in the Coral Hurdle at Ascot.

However, he is three from three at Kempton and with trainer Philip Hobbs in excellent form, title-chasing jockey Richard Johnson is expecting a bold show.

He said: "I'm hoping he goes there with a good chance.

"That weight on the ground is obviously the question mark and we always thought he was a horse that doesn't want the ground too soft, but you'd have thought the ground at Kempton will be better than it is anywhere else at the moment.

"He's been in great form this year and is probably just in between being a conditions race and a very good handicapper.

"It's a valuable race and Philip's horses are in great heart, so hopefully he'll run really well."

The prospect of testing conditions will hold no fears for Westren Warrior, who devoured the mud when winning by a wide margin at Lingfield last month.

Grand National-winning trainer Dr Richard Newland said: " He'll enjoy the ground and is an improving young horse.

"Whether he's up to this level, only time will tell.

"He goes there in good nick and we're very much looking forward to running him.

"He only has 10st on his back, which means poor old Will (Kennedy) is going to have to go on a diet."

Kim Bailey feels Un Ace could run well at rewarding odds.

The eight-year-old raced exclusively over fences last season, but has reverted to smaller obstacles for his first two starts of the current campaign, running with credit at Cheltenham and Aintree.

Bailey said: " He ran a blinder when he was fourth at Cheltenham first time out.

"He's an out-and-out chaser, but he's got a really good attitude towards racing.

"He doesn't like soft ground, but he manages to handle it over hurdles to a certain degree more than he does over fences.

"He's incredibly well at home. I'm more than happy with him and if he can fly through the ground on Saturday, he could well surprise."

David Pipe has declared Gevrey Chambertin and Dell' Arca, but the former is due to head to Chepstow, weather permitting.

Gevrey Chambertin won his first race in almost a year at Lingfield last month, while Dell' Arca is back over hurdles for the first time this season.

Pipe said: "Gevrey Chambertin will go to Chepstow if it's on. The Lanzarote is his second preference.

"He won a small race at Lingfield last time and is back up in the handicap again now, so we're back to square one.

"We're giving Dell' Arca a confidence-booster as he didn't jump as well as he can over fences at Newbury last time.

"He's rated 142 over hurdles and fences and it's tough for him off that mark."

The Venetia Williams-trained Yala Enki, Suzy Smith's Little Boy Boru and Deep Trouble from Ben Case's yard complete the field.