Boley Bob can prove himself to be worth the hype when he lines up for the Church House Investments Buccleuch Cup at Kelso on Monday.
Trained by Joe O'Shea and ridden by Henry Crow, the six-year-old comes from the same stable as the brilliant and undisputed champion hunter chaser Barton Snow.
The latter provided trainer and jockey with a memorable Cheltenham-Aintree double as he took the amateur contests at both, most recently cantering home on the bridle in the Foxhunters' at Liverpool by a comfortable 7 lengths.
His trainer naturally speaks very highly of the nine-year-old but speaks even more highly still of his stablemate Boley Bob, who is three years his junior.
He makes his hunter chase debut having contested only point-to-points so far, winning his two most recent outings by a combined 18 lengths.
Considering Barton Snow is plainly good enough to move beyond the amateur sphere and this chap is reportedly even more talented, he should account for his rivals at Kelso with little trouble.
Nick Kent's Erne River went off 11-4 for a Grade One as a novice chaser but he fell that day at Aintree and he has never quite hit the heights since.
He has been capable of some decent form, and last season he was fourth in the Great Yorkshire Chase and third in the Freebooter.
However, from a peak rating of 144, he is now down to 126 so is clearly not the force of old.
Pulled up on his first run of the season at Doncaster in December, he shaped promisingly last time out when fourth back on Town Moor in a veterans race and that might just spark him back to life.
On the Flat at Lingfield Ed Walker's Golden Brown is the pick in the Follow @attheraces On Instagram Maiden Stakes.
A gelding by Galileo Gold, the three-year-old ended last season on a high note when finishing second in the Listed Two Year Old Trophy at Redcar - beaten only 0.5-lengths in a run that gave plenty of cause for optimism this term.
He was also sixth in the highly competitive Harry's Half Million at York and makes his return to action at Lingfield when looking to hold plenty of promise.
William Knight's Startled Lady has already run encouragingly at this track and last season looked to be closing in on a win that she can claim in the Free Race Replays On attheraces.com Fillies' Restricted Novice Stakes.
Fourth when beaten 2.25-lengths over 1400m here in October, she returns to action over course and distance having looked to be making progress when signing off for the term here in autumn.
Bay Of Myths fairly bolted up on his debut at Chelmsford and looks a good thing in the Watch Live On Racing TV Novice Stakes at Redcar.
Sent off favourite to beat an 800,000gns Godolphin newcomer, connections knew exactly what they were dealing with and the result never looked in doubt.
He can take this en route to something bigger. - Press Association
TAB is betting on 4 UK meetings on Monday. Here are the tips.
KELSO: Race 1: 15.00 Smoke Trail, Race 2: 15.30 Rauzan, Race 3: 16.00 Breizh River, Race 4: 16.30 Erne River, Race 5: 17.00 Struth, Race 6: 17.30 Lester Mail, Race 7: 18.00 BOLEY BOB (NAP), Race 8: 18.35 Dilrisk.
REDCAR: Race 1: 15.12 Vollering, Race 2: 15.42 Wild Thoughts, Race 3: 16.12 Perfidia, Race 4: 16.42 Double Parked, Race 5: 17.20 Bay Of Myths, Race 6: 17.50 Imperial Trooper, Race 7: 18.20 Belling The Cat.
LINGFIELD: Race 1: 15.21 Little She, Race 2: 15.51 Dr Strangelove, Race 3: 16.21 Twilight Moon, Race 4: 16.51 Golden Brown, Race 5: 17.25 Startled Lady, Race 6: 17.55 Lion Ring, Race 7: 18.25 Double Red.
NEWCASTLE: Race 1: 18.30 The Gay Blade, Race 2: 19.00 Analogical, Race 3: 19.30 Mimi's Magic, Race 4: 20.00 Nebulon, Race 5: 20.30 Enter Sandman, Race 6: 21.00 Anthropologist, Race 7: 21.30 Ridgemaster.
ALL TO COME: Golden Brown (Lingfield, Race 4) and Boley Bob (Kelson, Race 7).