IF the early exchanges are anything to go by, this season’s novice chasing division could well be a strong one again. At present, Delta Work and Le Richebourg lead the way on time on 152, followed by Dynamite Dollars on 150. But there is a host of promising individuals snapping at their heels at this stage and a few of them were in action away from the big meetings in the last week.

Last season’s Supreme Novices’ Hurdle runner-up Kalashnikov is shaping up nicely over the larger obstacles with wins at Warwick and Plumpton, the latter – a week last Monday – resulting in a 142 timefigure. It is possible he will need further than two miles in time.