Ben Pauling's youngster showed plenty of promise on his hurdling debut when third at Ludlow – so much so that connections threw him in at the deep end next time out.
Lining up in the Grade Two Triumph Trial at Cheltenham he was an unconsidered 50-1 shot but he massively outran those odds when finishing a 12-length fourth to Comfort Zone and Scriptwriter.
The first two are quite rightly heading to the Triumph Hurdle and while Active Duty is not in that class, a victory here could set him up for a crack at the Boodles Fred Winter.
Chris Gordon can do little wrong at the moment and his Presenting A Queen is worthy of an interest in the Follow Us On Twitter @betrhino Mares' Handicap Hurdle.
She won two bumpers last season before making a winning hurdling debut at Chepstow in October.
Despite finishing second on her next outing she had to be checked over by the vet as she never looked likely to win at any stage, showing signs of temperament in the process.
She had gained her wins by front running and different tactics were employed next time at Warwick but at least she ran straight and true.
Perhaps more of note was there was cut in the ground and she has done most of her winning on a sounder surface.
With the yard in such good form and quick ground assured, Presenting A Queen is given another chance.
Dan Skelton's Kateira should be able to defy a double penalty in the Premier League Offers At Rhino.bet EBF Mares' 'National Hunt' Novices' Hurdle.
She showed up well in the Aintree mares' bumper when fifth of 20 and has had no trouble landing two starts over hurdles this term.
Having barely been off the bridle it is difficult to know what is under the bonnet, but ratings suggest there will have to be something way above average to lower her colours, despite the weight concession.
Dancing Harry can take advantage of a very lenient opening mark in division two of the Racing To School Blackbrook Primary Novices' Handicap Hurdle at Taunton.
Roger Teal's six-year-old was a decent performer on the level, earning a mark as high as 85 when winning at Newmarket in 2021.
He landed a handicap at Salisbury off 82 last summer and only ran twice more before going hurdling.
Fancied on his debut at Stratford he was a well beaten fifth before finishing a fair third at Fontwell.
He faced a very stiff task last time out when taking on Rubaud at level weights, who went off second-favourite for the Betfair Hurdle recently.
Given the handicapper has allotted him an opening mark of just 97, 1lb lower than that he has on the Flat, he looks thrown in given many say a decent rule of thumb is a jumps mark should be 40lb higher.
The best horse in action on the all-weather at Southwell is Kevin Ryan's Elvenia.
She has only had two races but has already shown a high level of ability.
A winner on her debut at Newcastle in May, she went to Royal Ascot as a massive outsider in the Albany but beat more than beat her when seventh of 16 to Meditate.
It will have been a blow to connections that she never made it back to the track in the summer but she is clearly ready to roll again now in the talkSPORT Powered By Fans Fillies' Novice Stakes.
If she runs anywhere near to her official rating of 90 then she will be tough to beat.
SELECTIONS:
MARKET RASEN: 1.45 ACTIVE DUTY (NAP), 2.15 Presenting A Queen, 2.45 Kateira, 3.15 Gentleman Valley, 3.45 Hiway One O Three, 4.15 Large Action, 4.45 Borodale.
SOUTHWELL: 4.55 Tollerton Forest, 5.30 No Saint, 6.00 Big Narstie, 6.30 Seagrave Fox, 7.00 Elvenia, 7.30 Made Of Lir, 8.00 Wee Fat Mac, 8.30 Secret Potion.
TAUNTON: 2.00 Almost Gotaway, 2.30 Dancing Harry, 3.00 Stormy Flight, 3.30 Galice Macalo, 4.00 Danton, 4.30 Dancingontheedge, 5.05 Not That Fuisse.
DOUBLE: Active Duty and Dancing Harry.
