The hurdle clash between Black And Bent and his stablemate Brungle Cry will capture most attention at Bendigo on Sunday.

But reigning jumper-of-the-year Bashboy can also play a starring role in his seasonal return to the jumps in the Mosstrooper Steeplechase.

Trainer Ciaron Maher tends to agree with champion jumps jockey Steven Pateman that the gelding could be better than last year.

"He's just really well and with that two years off (before last season) there would have been a bit of ring rust there last year," Maher said.

"He possibly could be going better than last year."

Maher had made a late decision to run Bashboy in the Australian Steeplechase two weeks ago but when that meeting got called off he reverted to his original plan.

Bashboy won his only three steeplechase starts in comeback from injury last year including the Crisp Steeplechase and Grand National Steeplechase.

Maher said connections decided after last season they were pretty keen to aim at the Grand National again in July, hence the gelding is only making his jumps return now.

"I gave him a break and have brought him back pretty much with the National in mind again," Maher said.

Bashboy is the best chance of Maher's two runners, especially with a wet track expected.

Maher, however, said stablemate Man Of Class had been "a marvel" this year with his win in the Great Eastern Steeplechase at Oakbank and his second in the Grand Annual at Warrnambool.

"Normally after a Great Eastern or a Grand Annual you've got to put them in the paddock, but he came through those races like they were 2000-metre flat races," Maher said.

In the Brendan Drechsler Hurdle, the Robert Smerdon-trained Black And Bent - unbeaten in his last 10 jumps starts - takes on Brungle Cry, last year's Grand National Hurdle winner, for the first time.