Fast-ground specialists should be in their element at the Old Berkshire Hunt meeting at Lockinge, near Wantage, on Easter Monday.

Moscow Court showed he appreciated a sound surface when landing the mixed open for Celia Plunkett’s Wigginton yard, near Chipping Norton last year.

The 13-year-old justified 1-2 favouritism when beating two rivals, and could seek to follow up.

However, he has an alternative entry in the Point-to-Point Owners and Riders’ Association Club Members’ race for veteran and novice riders won last year by Strong Weld, who could go for a repeat or step up to the mixed open.

Owner-rider Rhys Jenkins’s 14-year-old has won his last two starts at Hackwood Park and Howick.

Rowdy Yeats, another top-of-the-ground performer who has an alternative entry in the confined, and Mysaynoway, dual winner of the Southern Grand National at Kingston Blount for Aston Rowant trainer Alan Hill, are other possible contenders in the feature race.

Snakebite, second to none other than Denman during his novice chasing days when trained by Carl Llewellyn, is now with Grace Muir at Fawley, near Wantage.

Now an 11-year-old, he holds an entry in the confined.

The dry spell has led to organisers taking extra measures in a bid to produce safe ground amid fears that owners could bypass the fixture with their horses.

An Aeravator, which aerates and loosens compacted soil, has been employed.

And plans are in place for the machine to be used twice again over the weekend ahead of the meeting, which always attracts a bumper crowd.

Clerk of the course Geoff Bosley said: “We are doing everything possible to ensure the course is good for racing.”

The first race is at 1.30pm.