While Barters Hill looks to be trainer Ben Pauling's stand-out hope at the Cheltenham Festival, he may have unearthed another contender after Drumacoo made an impressive stable debut in the Racing UK Profits Returned To Racing Novices' Chase at Huntingdon.
Despite not being seen out in 412 days the seven-year-old, a winner of his final three starts for Michael Hourigan in Ireland, cast aside a number of well-respected rivals in the extended two-mile-seven-furlong event with consummate ease.
Although his task was made easier by the early departure of Value At Risk, who like on his debut at Newbury fell at the second fence, the 12-1 shot had little problems in mastering even-money favourite Fletchers Flyer, with 38 lengths the distance between them at the line.
Drumacoo was introduced at 25-1 for the RSA Chase by Paddy Power, and 20-1 for the same race by Betfred.
Pauling said: "He's done that very well indeed and you can't expect to beat that sort of company as easily as he did first time out. I know Value At Risk fell early on, but Fletchers Flyer is a good yardstick.
"The RSA might be an option, but he'll probably want another run between now and then and that will tell us whether or not he's an RSA horse.
"He's not devoid of speed, so the JLT might be another option but he didn't look to be stopping at the line."
A trip to Cheltenham may not necessarily be on the cards for Potters Legend, but a potential outing at the Grand National Festival moved a step closer following his victory in the opening division of the racinguk.com/winterseasonticket Maiden Hurdle.
After finding only Champion Bumper third Wait For Me too good on his hurdling debut at Newbury last month, the Lucy Wadham-trained six-year-old justified his 2-13 price tag when pulling out plenty in the two-mile event to defeat Muthabir by two and three-quarter lengths.
Wadham said: "There was a bit of pressure on at 2-13 but he did it nicely in the end. He didn't do a lot in front. Leighton (Aspell) did have to give him a squeeze, but he then flew.
"I'd like to win another novice hurdle with him to see whether we can take something better on. He will probably have an entry at Cheltenham but it's so difficult to win there so we might wait for Aintree. He has got to win his next start first, though."
The Philip Hobbs-trained Allee Bleue (4-1), who finished behind Potters Legend last time out, gave the form an immediate boost when making all in the second division of the two-mile event to edge Richard Johnson nearer to his 3,000th jumps winner.
Johnson said: "He has improved with every run. He was perfectly nice at the start of the season, but he was a bit disappointing in his first couple of runs. He kept going all the way to the line and it was nice that he put his head in front."
Nicky Henderson bolstered his 40 per cent strike-rate at the track when Clemency (7-4) defied a penalty to follow up her Ffos Las victory in the TurfTV Mares' Novices Hurdle.
Winning rider Andrew Tinkler said: "When the other horse (Alizee Javilex) came at me at two out I thought for a moment she was going to scoot on by, but my filly is tough and that's her strongest asset.
"It was a good performance and she was very professional. Having that previous experience over hurdles has won her the race."
Alan King was out of luck with his first two runners but Kings Bayonet (14-1) made sure his journey was not a wasted one with victory in the rewards4racing.com Handicap.
The James Evans-trained Tanners Hill (85-40) got the better of a slow-motion finish to finally open his account in the racinguk.com/anywhere Handicap Chase, and t he concluding Racing UK Day Pass Just £10 Novices' Handicap Hurdle went the way of the Tom George-trained 11-4 shot Dandy Duke.