Daddys Round, trained by Richard Yeates, carries local hopes in the heats of the £1,000 Blanchford Building Supplies Oxfordshire Stakes at Oxford Stadium tonight.

The High Wycombe-based handler has won this event before and will be looking to his black dog to get the home crowd cheering when he takes his place in heat three over 450 metres.

Daddys trotted up in good style last time out to overcome highly-rated kennelmate Born To Survive by a length and a quarter in 27.19secs and, with the red jacket, is ideally drawn.

The big danger is Kevin Hutton’s Swindon challenger Kilmalady Biffo, who is already a prolific winner at Sandy Lane.

Hutton has a better chance of success with his Glenbane Air in the first heat, where he has the Oxford-owned Droopys Betson, trained by former Cowley incumbent Paddy Curtin, now at Monmore, to overcome. Oxford’s other hope, Ten Bob, trained by Richard Baker, has won three on the bounce and is in tip-top form.

The second heat looks an ideal chance for the Norah McElistrim runner, Zodiac Zeus, although the black dog has done little since beating Aegean Bullet by four lengths in 26.96 here in July. Curtin can also get another runner through to the final with Farloe Ashes in the striped jacket looking good enough for the runners-up spot.

The final will take place a week tonight and will be supported by open races.