Five horses who caught the eye on Racing TV at the weekend

The table at the top of the two-mile hurdle division has plenty of vacant chairs currently and, while last season’s outstanding juvenile came up short on his seasonal reappearance on Saturday, you would surely take more positives than negatives.

On his first start in senior company, Pentland Hills took a ferocious hold and did not settle until turning into the straight.

Either way, his jumping certainly looks Champion Hurdle class and the slick, fast accuracy over his obstacles, given his exuberance, was notable.

He is a best-priced 9-1 with sponsors Unibet for the Champion Hurdle and I would not want to lay that price with potential significant improvement forthcoming.

Pentland Hills was not the only horse to catch the eye and here are five more who shaped with the promise of more to offer at the weekend.

Progressive on the Flat this year with a liking for soft ground and a trip, he showed his considerable engine with a creditable third on his hurdles debut in Grade Two company.

His jumping was very novicey, he never took a cut at his hurdles and failed to pick up with any momentum on landing. This was most apparent after the final flight, yet he still showed his inherent ability to run up the hill to finish an unlikely third.

While his technique would leave doubts in similar company next time, Elysian Flame is entitled to improve too and has large scope for potential improvement. This experienced Flat campaigner just looked more unsure at his flights rather than showing disrespect or clumsiness at his obstacles, so I would be inclined to be more forgiving than not at this early stage.

The Triumph Hurdle Trial back here on Trials Day is an option, but more galloping tracks could suit better. Doncaster hosts a Listed race for juveniles on January 24, while Musselburgh stages the Bet365 Scottish Triumph Hurdle Trial on February 2.

The four-year-old has finished down the field at big prices in four runs in maiden hurdles over the past couple of months, but the market clearly expected much more on his handicap debut and he finished his race very strongly in desperate ground.

Nudged along on the turn for home, Fighting Fit made nice ground before the final flight before charging home inside the final half furlong and he will surely prove competitive from his mark on his next few starts.

His jumping is very sound and will benefit from more of an emphasis on stamina.

This four-year-old showed promise in the valuable sales bumper at this track last season behind Uhtred and the bumper scorer was unlucky here on his second start over hurdles.

This was a decent maiden hurdle - winner Run Wild Fred has good bumper form and rates a fair prospect, while Gordon Elliott was complimentary afterwards about the third-placed Last Minute Man.

Joshua Webb was disadvantaged in the straight and got squeezed up before the final flight, not finding the right stride and bungling the obstacle before the short run to the line.

He looks quite a nice type and can land his maiden hurdle plus pay his way for the Noel Meade yard this season.

This likeable type jumped nimbly once again on his third hurdles start and posted a career-best in Grade Two company and his first attempt over three miles.

Keen to get on with things, Adrian Heskin allowed Kiltealy Briggs to go on and they were still in front on the turn for home despite hitting the second last.

Redford Road and Champagne Well pressed on to fight out the finish but Kiltealy Briggs came up the hill nicely and this relation to Ballabriggs would have liked a better pace and more emphasis on stamina.

His rating of 125 looks very exploitable given the right conditions if connections wish to pursue the handicap route.

The grey was last of the finishers on chase debut and by a yawning 60 lengths. He has something to prove now, but there are several reasons to think he is better than this.

Champagne Platinum is entitled to improve after eight months away from the track and he was always at the back of the field plus never really got into a rhythm.

The actual shape he made over his fences was not too bad and he certainly has scope, while he looked to be going nicely and in close contention down the back straight at the ninth and tenth fence.

Nicky Henderson had a fine crop of novice hurdlers last season and Champagne Platinum looked one of the best, making a big visual impression at both Newbury and Newcastle before failing to give his running at Grade One level at the Punchestown Festival.

Perhaps a flatter, more galloping track will once again suit over fences in addition to a more prominent ride after this belated comeback, but the impression of last season’s truncated campaign is still strong enough to give him another chance, potentially with a view to handicaps further down the road.