An excellent weekend’s National Hunt racing served up several performances that could serve as significant pointers to later in the season.

Firstly Willie Mullins unleashed a couple of excellent prospects at Naas and Navan and the champion trainer’s Footpad produced a superb display on his first venture over fences at the latter venue. Even at this early stage of the season the 16/1 on offer for the Arkle at Cheltenham looked very tempting. Meanwhile the Mullins-trained Next Destination looked a potentially top notch novice hurdler when he bolted up in a good maiden at Naas the previous afternoon.

A superb two days for Gordon Elliott was headed by a winning return for Apple’s Jade in the Grade 2 Lismullen Hurdle. On the same card the trainer’s Megli Khan looked a class act in landing the For Auction Novice Hurdle and it will take a rival of some substance to lower his colours this winter.