With just a week to go to the Cheltenham Festival, it would be a turn-up if there were any stars in action tomorrow, but it certainly cannot be ruled out where Bannow Strand is concerned.
The ex-Irish gelding arrived at Martin Pipe's Devon yard with a big reputation and was thrust straight into Grade One company on his debut in the Challow Hurdle at Newbury last December.
With Tom Costello declaring Bannow Strand could be the best horse he had ever sold to champion owner David Johnson - and they include Our Vic and Celestial Gold - there was intense interest in his performance.
There was to be no fairytale start, however, as the five-year-old fell three out when still in contention though looking held in a race won by Brewster.
Connections appear to have taken a deep breath and opted for a wildly different approach with the point-to-point winner as he turns up in the class E cantorspreadfair.com Maiden Hurdle at Fontwell tomorrow.
The dogs may have stopped barking his name around Nicholashayne, but Bannow Strand could set them off again with the type of command performance he is capable of, and he cannot be opposed.
Floreana has started out well since arriving in Charlie Mann's yard from Germany and can win another one for the Upper Lambourn yard in the cantorspreadfair.com Novices' Hurdle.
Best bet at Catterick could be the George Moore-trained Beamish Prince in the Weatherbys Bank Novices' Hurdle.
The six-year-old has done nothing but improve this season and has rewarded connections with victories at Haydock and Wetherby as well as a couple of second-place finishes.
He appeared to be as well as ever last time out when going down by a length and a quarter to Supreme Leisure at Wetherby, and a repeat of that standard of battling performance would put him in the firing line again.
