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Irish import Aquileon, with a heavyweight influence, is the best-graded galloper at Monday’s Armidale TAB meeting and just about anywhere else at present regional meetings.

With the clout of Kris Lees, Aquileon ($1.55 favourite on TAB), formerly with the Maher and Eustace stable and with Sandown form, understandably is odds-on at a seven-race program where Lees and Tamworth's Cody Morgan, have strong form and numbers.

Aquileon, a five-year-old Gleneagles (Ire) gelding owned by Australian Bloodstock has compelling credentials. He's way back in grade off a Sandown placing in July of last year and a Werribee win when odds-on, as he resumes from a three-month spell, forward after successive sprint trials.

His Victorian form in far stronger races is in the 1600m to 1800m range as he contests the Maria River Cattle, Class 1 and Maiden (1900m) placed to perfection as a winner and six minors.

Significantly, he has been placed twice first-up as he has 59kg for Lees stable rider Aaron Bullock and is understandably at a short quote.

Over to Lees after a winning week state-wide: "Really nice type, he does look better than them under the weight scale and what he's shown," Lees offered.

"He handles rain-affected, at those odds, I'll only be cheering him home, if there's a slight doubt it's the 1900m first-up but he's forward enough off the trials and this is the starting point, hopefully, for better races."

Lees is also buoyed about the chances of consistent Dawnburst, a short-priced $2 favourite in race six: "Super consistent filly, race fit and back in grade, she close to another win."

At present Armidale is soft 5 in overcast weather.