Named after Leicestershire village Burrough-On-The-Hill,[2] he competed in National Hunt races and won seventeen times from twenty-seven runs in steeplechases.

Burrough Hill Lad was a big, powerfully built[3] brown gelding, bred by his owner, Stan Riley.

In what has been described as one of the great weight-carrying performances, he survived a bad mistake at the seventh-last fence to win by four lengths from RSA Chase winner Canny Danny, who was carrying 147 pounds.

He then took the weight-for-age King George VI Chase at Kempton Park on Boxing Day, narrowly defeating Combs Ditch over a course and distance which Francome felt was unsuitable for the horse.

Burrough Hill Lad returned in February 1986 with a win in the Gainsborough Chase, but a leg injury ended his season shortly afterwards.