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Paul Nicholls’ Champion Bumper third will make his eagerly-awaited hurdling debut in the Unibet Persian War Novices’ Hurdle at Chepstow on Friday.

The five-year-old Irish point-to-point winner created a nice impression when making a winning debut under rules at Plumpton in December and completely outran his 40/1 odds when fairing best of the British when third in the Champion Bumper at the Cheltenham Festival.

Speaking on his Betfair blog, Paul Nicholl said: "This is a tough race to pitch him in on his debut over hurdles, but he is smart and was our leading bumper horse last season,"

"It's encouraging that he won his point-to-point before joining us, he's done plenty of schooling at home and is a solid jumper at home.

"He was a bit difficult to train last winter as he suffered from sore shins at times, but this year he is more of a man. All of our runners on this card have done plenty of work and look fit. I'm very happy with his preparation."

The Dan Skelton-trained Worcester winner Rock House looks a likely danger, while Milton Harris steps his progressive handicapper Mullinaree up in grade on the back of five-straight wins.

Harris said: "He's battle-hardened and he knows what to do. He might not be as sexy as Paul's horse and one or two others, but he knows how to race, and he'll put it to them.

"He's very, very well. I nearly got him ready a bit too early, so he won't be wanting for fitness – and if one of two of these sexier ones are lacking a bit of fitness, they're in trouble I'd say.

"The owners are new owners to me; they've won five in a row and the horse is going to go novice chasing when his novice status over hurdles runs out.

"He's a chaser really, but I think he's a competitor on Friday in what looks an open race."

Olly Murphy, who will be represented by Perth novice hurdle winner Resplendent Grey, told Sky Sports Racing of his runner.

"He's a horse who has got a lot of ability. He's been given a mark of 120 and I'd like to think he's a lot better than his mark,"

"I'd probably be better off running in a handicap, but this is good prize-money, he's only a novice until the end of November and if he relaxes in the early part of the race, I think the step up to two and a half miles is going to suit him really well.

"It looks a competitive race, as you'd expect, but I don't see any reason why he hasn't got a really nice each-way chance."

Paddy Power make Captain Teague a 4/6 shot to land the Unibet Persian War Novices' Hurdle on his hurdling bow.