The improving eight-year-old has won three of his four starts this season, unseating his rider on the other occasion, and ran out a thoroughly impressive winner on his most recent appearance in the Rowland Meyrick at Wetherby on Boxing Day.

Joel Parkinson, who trains Konfusion in partnership with Sue Smith, admits the Gold Cup entry looks speculative at this stage, but it might not appear so fanciful if he can take care of the Cheltenham Festival winner Myretown and course specialist Royale Pagaille on Merseyside this weekend.

“He’s in good form and we’re looking forward to it,” said Parkinson.

“It’ll be a tough race and it’s a step up again, but we’re hopeful of a good run so hopefully we can do that.

“We know we’ve got to go on Saturday and improve again, but if you’re not in it (Gold Cup) you can’t go can you?

“It’ll be a good race on Saturday and hopefully the best horse will win on the day.”

Myretown was a brilliant winner of the Ultima Handicap Chase last March, but suffered a heavy fall as the 4-1 favourite for the Coral Gold Cup at Newbury on his November reappearance.

Connections had hoped to get his season up and running in last weekend’s Classic Chase, but the abandonment of Warwick’s high-profile fixture has forced them reroute to Haydock.

Like Konfusion, Myretown holds a Gold Cup entry, and joint-trainer Michael Scudamore said: “He’s in great form, we’re really happy with him, the ground should be ideal and you’d think Haydock will suit him. Obviously it’s a competitive race, but we’re hoping for a clear round and hopefully he can get his season back on track and we’ll learn a bit more.

“He wants to be winning and winning well if he’s a Gold Cup horse. That probably looks a little bit pie in the sky at the moment, but you’ve got to dream sometimes, I suppose, and we’ll see where we are after Saturday.”

Royale Pagaille claimed this prize in 2021 and 2022 and while he was pulled up in his hat-trick bid 12 months ago, he returns after finishing a fine second to Grey Dawning when bidding for a third Betfair Chase win here in November.

Jonjo and AJ O’Neill’s Johnnywho, a close third in the Silver Cup at Ascot four weeks ago, also features in a competitive renewal.