NIGEL TWISTON-DAVIES is expecting to launch a double-pronged attack on the Ladborke Hurdle at Ascot on Saturday with Khyber Kim and Leamington Lad.

The Naunton trainer has opted to run Khyber Kim in the handicap hurdle rather than the rescheduled Boylesports.com International, now to be run at Ascot on the same day.

The six-year-old was due to run in the race at Cheltenham last weekend, before it had to be be abandoned,

But Twiston-Davies is happy for Khyber Kim to shoulder a big weight rather than tackle the Grade Two hurdle.

The Naunton handler said: “Khyber Kim will run in the Ladbroke – he is in the Boylesports race only because he was in it originally.”

Twiston-Davies is hoping for drier conditions to allow Leamington Lad to take his chance.

He added: “Leamington Lad might run in the Ladbroke as long as the ground’s not too soft.”

Meanwhile owner David Johnson is hoping for a big run from the David Pipe-trained Ashkazar, who despite having to carry top weight is currently the 7-1 second favourite with totesport and BlueSquare.

Johnson said: “Ashkazar is very well. He was meant to run in the Greatwood Hurdle at Cheltenham but we decided to wait for this race and we will learn a lot after Saturday.

“The vibes from the camp are very good and I think if he turns up on Saturday, we will all be disappointed if he is not on the premises. He’s got 11st 12lb but he has earned that weight and we think he is a very good horse.”