And they're off! The tape is up and the runners and riders in this year's city council elections are hurtling down the starting straight heading towards Becher's Brook.
As ever, the race for the Guildhall features several course and distance winners, a couple of decent each-way bets and a sprinkling of novices.
In the latter category is Johnny Pat, legendary Hull musician and now unlikely UKIP candidate in Drypool ward.
Johnny told me he was a late entry, joining the field as a favour to his old clubland pal Ken Hordon, who just happens to be a UKIP activist in Hull.
"I don't expect to win," Johnny told me. "If I get more than ten votes I'll buy you a pint."
Another UKIP candidate Sergi Singh is better known as one of Hull's most hard-working corner shop bosses.
He was getting a bit carried away with all the excitement last week when the list of candidates was officially published.
"I'm throwing my hat into the ring!" said the turban-wearing Sikh.
Meanwhile, Simon Kelsey's decision to stand as an Independent has put an interesting slant on the contest in St Andrew's ward.
TV property makeover addicts might recognise him as the man behind an ambitious on-going facelift of a grand old house in Coltman Street that recently featured on BBC2's Restoration Home series presented by Caroline Quentin.
Talking to him about his chances, he mentioned having previously stood as a paper candidate for Labour.
For those not in the know, paper candidates are usually there to make up in the opposition numbers in seats regarded as generally unwinnable.
Quick as a flash, he was being given a bashing on the Mail's website's comments section.
"Charming for Mr Kelsey to say he was a paper candidate for Labour years ago. He didn't say that when I was leafleting for him," posted someone under the title of Hesslelabour.
Elsewhere on social media, Labour city councillor Chris Sumpton was getting stuck into Jackie Dad, the Lib Dem candidate in Holderness ward, and her leaflet claiming she had helped secure funding for a new path in Peppleton Close and the revamp of a park in Cullen Close.
"Complete lies," he fumed on Twitter.
"Must be paying for a path and a soft play park herself."
All this and there's still three weeks to go until polling day.
