NOBELIX has the class to firmly establish himself as one of this season's leading novice hurdlers by maintaining his unbeaten record at Leicester today.

Any National Hunt fan worth his or her onions could not have failed to be impressed by the manner of the selection's Kempton debut success, a race in which once Tony McCoy let out an inch of rein, the selection shot clear in a matter of strides.

Nor was the James Fanshawe-trained gelding mugging a field of has-beens on that occasion, in fact given the quality of one or two of his opponents, it would not be fanciful to believe McCoy's mount is potential Cheltenham Festival material.

Between now and next March there's more money to be won and vital experience to be gained with Nobelix, starting with the Robert Browell Birthday Novices' Hurdle.

Ian Williams is having a pretty miserable time of things at present, a state of affairs compounded by Donovan's final-fence fall at Stratford when holding every chance of beating the eventual winner, Jarro.

It was the second time in three starts he'd hit the deck so his backers are in for a white-knuckle ride.

However, considering Donovan (2.00) was a 109-rated hurdler, he's fantastically well handicapped over fences off a mark of just 96.

Fortune sometimes favours the brave and at what promises to be a good-value price, the seven-year-old is worth a nibble in the two-and-a-half-mile Vale of Belvoir Handicap Chase.

Soggy Market Rasen needs to pass a 7.30am inspection but if it does Kitski (1.50) makes stacks of appeal for the Hemswell Handicap Chase.

This three-and-a-half-mile marathon is not for the faint-hearted because most of the horses will be running on empty when the post comes into view. Kitski, on the other hand, brings bags of stamina to the party, which should stand him in good stead during the closing stages.

Although Geoff Harker's Thirsk outfit is pretty quiet by their own high standards, Custom Design (3.20) might be about to spark a welcome revival.

Third home on his seasonal reappearance at the beginning of the month, Custom Design should theoretically have come on in leaps and bounds for the outing, helping to put the gelding spot-on for the AJ Glassfibre Handicap Hurdle.