HUNT Ball, arguably the biggest revelation of the National Hunt season, may step up to Grade One company for the Betfred Bowl at the Grand National meeting.

Trained by first-season handler Keiran Burke and owned by the enthusiastic Sturminster Newton dairy farmer Anthony Knott, the seven-year-old was awarded one of the biggest receptions of the week at Cheltenham after his win in the Pulteney Land Investments Novices’ Handicap Chase.

Having started the season with a rating of 69, he scored under Nick Scholfield off a mark of 142, and connections are now targeting the big guns.

Knott said: “He’ll either go to Aintree now or there’s a race back at Chelten-ham (Silver Trophy) in about a month’s time.

“If he went to Aintree it would be for the Grade One Bowl, we’ve got to step him up to see whether he can get the trip or not but we’re not worried about the trip.

“I think we’ll see major improvement when he goes up in trip. He was only just coming to himself about two out at Cheltenham over two and a half miles.

“I think we had to find about 2st to shake up the Gold Cup and we know we had that in hand and that is still there now.

“We’re just going to have a look, see if the horse is really well and see what Keiran says and go from there.”