IT’S a great time of the season this, when last season’s bumper horses take on hurdles in public for the first time, when last season’s hurdlers take on fences for the first time, when last season’s novices step into open company.

We had it all last weekend.

Elixir D’Ainay, not a hurdling debutant but still a novice, won his maiden hurdle and Tornado Flyer won his beginners’ chase at Naas last Saturday, and Embittered got the better of Blackbow.

Cilaos Emery is almost a novice. He is unfortunate, in that he won on his only run over fences in a truncated season last term and that, therefore, he has to ply his trade in open company this term, without having had the experience that his fellow second-season chasers have had.

He would have been a big player in the Arkle picture last year for sure, but he could still climb high up the two-mile ladder this season, despite his inexperience, and he looked good in winning the Poplar Square Chase.

At Wincanton, Reserve Tank was impressive in winning the Rising Stars Novice Chase, and we were spoiled on Sunday at Navan.

Andy Dufresne’s jumping in the maiden hurdle was superb, and Fakir D’Oudairies’ jumping in the beginners’ chase was similar, and Abacadabras danced in in the For Auction Hurdle. Bags of potential all over the place.