Anthony Bromley, who has purchased the likes of Big Buck’s, Kauto Star, Master Minded and Politologue amongst others for Team Ditcheat, recruited Good Ball for owners Sir Alex Ferguson, Ged Mason and John and Lisa Hales, and he looked a smart prospect when quickening up to win an Introductory Hurdle at Newbury over Christmas.

Fitted with a hood and in receipt of nearly a stone from the majority of his eleven opponents, his lack of experience was evident on the home turn but the Nicholls runner warmed to his task and showed a good turn of speed on the run-in to win comfortably by a length and a quarter.

Good Ball can only improve with experience and the form of the Newbury race is already beginning to work out with both the fourth (Gowel Road) and fifth (Grumpy Charley) winning since. The latter-named had forced subsequent Grade 2 winner Adrimel to pull out all the stops at Haydock earlier in the season.

Given all that, the four-year-old’s opening mark of 126 looks generous and his connections must surely be eyeing a tilt at the Boodles.

In the meantime, Good Ball needs to have one more run between now and March (must have raced three times over hurdles), in order to qualify – he has been declared at Wincanton on Wednesday with a first-time tongue tie but no hood.

The 25/1 on offer with bet365 and Unibet looks tasty, especially if his next run produces a favourable outcome.

Published at 0950 GMT on 25/01/21