DORSET star Sir Rembrandt will take on his old rival Best Mate in the William Hill Chase at Exeter on Friday.

The Robert Alner-trained charge is a confirmed runner in the coveted £65,000 showdown.

Sir Rembrandt finished second to Best Mate in last year's Cheltenham Gold Cup and is currently a 10-1 shot to take the 2005 title in March.

Alner, who operates at Droop near Hazelbury Bryan, is confident of a decent showing in Devon and says the horse will have benefited from his debut, when he finished runner-up to Grey Abbey in the Charlie Hall Chase at Wetherby a fortnight ago.

"We're on course for Friday and the horse is very well indeed," he said. "He'll have come on for his debut at Wetherby but I would like it to rain because that would help his chances.

"The theory was to get a run into him before we took on Best Mate, so we'll just have to see how it works out. I've not seen the final entries yet but obviously Best Mate will be the one we have to beat, and first time out may give us a better chance.

"The distance might be the one disadvantage as he stays very well. But it's an uphill finish and that should suit him.'"

William Hill Chase betting: 4-5 Best Mate, 9-4 Sir Rembrandt, 7-1 One Knight, 8-1 Hand Inn Hand, 20-1 Seebald, 25-1 Upgrade, Frenchman's Creek.

* Bob Buckler is considering a crack at the Coloroll Hurdle at Windsor on Friday with his talented novice Keepthedreamalive.

The two-and-a-half-mile contest, usually known as the Ascot Hurdle but moved across Berkshire for this year, has attracted a decent field of proven hurdlers.

But with a number having been involved at Cheltenham's Open

meeting last weekend, the Bridport trainer may run the youngster if it appears enough will drop out.

The six-year-old also holds an entry in the Pertemps Hurdle qualifier at Market Rasen tomorrow.

"He was put in at Windsor speculatively because the owners could struggle to get to Market Rasen," said Buckler.

"But the race could well cut up, as some of the other entries like Monkerhostin, Trouble At Bay and Geos ran at the weekend. We will certainly have a look, as he has run best going left-handed, but he would like softer ground."

Keepthedreamalive has won both his starts over timber this season, firstly in facile style at Plumpton, and then with a gritty defeat of Moorlands Again at Cheltenham last month.

"He's great," added Bucker. "He will make a brilliant chaser one day."