That ended his season and from this early stage of his career, it seems as though he hasn’t been the easiest to get to the track. However, there is clearly plenty of ability there and if he is ready to do himself justice, he ought to be too good for Thursday’s rivals.

The obvious dangers are the two Henry de Bromhead runners, both of which have won a point-to-point. Native Speaker has two track runs to his name, both with promise but neither worth writing home about, but he can improve.

Mullins’ It's For Me was a promising sort in the second half of last season and while he is going to have to curb his enthusiasm if he is to realise that potential, he can make a winning return in the Ladbrokes Maiden Hurdle.

Having won a point-to-point for Stuart Crawford before joining his current yard, he was well touted prior to his track debut, and certainly did not disappoint. A wide-margin winner that day, at Navan, despite being keen throughout, he went straight to Cheltenham for the Champion Bumper and ran a huge race to finish a close fifth behind A Dream To Share. He filled the same place but was beaten much further when behind the same horse at the Punchestown festival, where he again raced keenly.

It is little surprise that connections have reached for the hood for his first start of the new season and if it has the desired effect, he will be hard to beat as he has considerable ability and should improve going back over obstacles.

This is a cracking race, though, with Triumph Hurdle fifth Ascending bringing a mark of 133 to the table. Useful on the Flat, he was a close second to Tekao on his hurdling debut, in a Leopardstown Maiden, and then finished fourth in a Grade One at the Dublin Racing Festival. From there he went to Cheltenham and finished a decent fifth behind Lossiemouth. He has the hurdling experience, sets a good standard, and must be respected.

Caldwell Potter, a full brother to the ill-fated Mighty Potter and half to French Dynamite, Indiana Jones, and Brighterdaysahead, showed potential as a bumper horse and is also worth considering.

Lazer Wolf can make a winning handicap debut in the Ladbrokes Handicap Hurdle. Runner-up in both point-to-point outings, he was well backed on a couple of his outings in bumpers and while he didn’t manage to get his head in front, there was promise in them. Late last season, he picked up some hurdling experience and just recently he earned his handicap mark with a third run over obstacles.

On that most recent outing, he was never a danger to the front two but ran a nice race to finish third to a couple of smart sorts. He starts off with a mark of 109 and looks more than capable of being deeply competitive off that figure. Miss Pronunciation, Ellaat, and Realism are others worth considering.