Notebook horse Kilcruit couldn't have been more impressive when bolting up for this column in the charity bumper at Navan on Saturday.
Patrick Mullins' mount raced towards rear but was always going easily and led after two-out. Pushed out for a very comfortable and impressive victory, he looks a big player for the Champion Bumper at Cheltenham.
True, the classy gelding might have beaten little in this race but there's no denying the authority of the performance.
Navan is a very stiff track and the ground was testing but I've rarely seen a horse bolt up the final climb to the line with such ease.
Across the card, fellow Notebook horse Faustinovick ran a mighty race when beaten a whisker by gambled-on winner Supreme Escape in the extended 2m3f handicap chase at Chepstow.
Backed from a morning price of 8/1, the winner was sent off at 7/2 and got up on the post to beat Faustinovick, despite being three lengths down at the second last.
The runner-up can be considered a little unlucky, as he had jumped the better of the two but wasn't suited by the field bypassing the last.
The front two are very smart and should progress throughout the season.
Supreme Escape was fitter for his previous start, which was his first since a break and had been his first start over fences under rules.
The winner also benefited from very testing conditions.
Here are three more additions to the Naughton Notebook, who could pay their towards Christmas expenses.
Glasvegas didn't enjoy the run of the race when held up and racing keenly in the 7f handicap at Wolverhampton on Monday.
David Evans' well handicapped three-year-old was receiving weight from exposed older rivals but stall nine was far from ideal as the field turned into the first bend a few strides after the start. This gelding has a touch of class and was third in the Windsor Castle when trained by Keith Dalgleish last season.
Not beaten far at Wolverhampton over 6f on his second start for Evans two weeks ago, the son of Zebedee looks ready to win off his mark.
Newbolt bolted up in the 1m handicap at Southwell on Sunday and looks set for highly productive campaign on the all-weather.
Very capable in soft ground on turf, the talented son of Bated Breath won a couple of novice events before running into a well treated winner when second (front two clear) to Count Of Amazonia at Chelmsford on handicap debut two weeks earlier.
Although raised 3lb, the well bred gelding has room for plenty of improvement and proved his liking for Fibresand. Equally effective on other all-weather surfaces, connections have options in valuable events over the coming months.
Fox Duty Free confirmed himself a fully reformed character with a fine success in the 7f handicap at Lingfield on Wednesday.
Formerly quirky, the classy son of Kingman justified strong support on his first start for Ralph Beckett a month ago and defied an 11lb rise in the weight when up in class here.
Travelling very strongly, Rob Hornby had to take a pull on the home turn before his mount found plenty when asked to quicken two-out.
He galloped right through the line and the jockey insists there's more to come, especially when stepping up to 1m.
