TIS the (jumps) season to be jolly!
As another six months of National Hunt excitement looms, we’ve put together ten horses that could light up the jumping scene.
Extremely talented four-year-old has only had two starts for Nicky Henderson – but made an immediate impact in both.
A nine-length demolition job in last season’s Adonis set him straight to the top of the market for the Triumph, before an emphatic victory in the Grade 1 4yo Hurdle at Punchestown confirmed him as a horse of the highest order.
Injury meant he had to miss the Cheltenham Festival but he showed no ill effects in Ireland and he’s a very exciting prospect for this season.
Henderson reckons he’s a Champion Hurdle horse and we could well see him line up in the Christmas Hurdle at Kempton.
Paul Nicholls has long thought the world of his lightly-raced eight-year-old, who’s only had three starts under rules.
Two easy wins over hurdles gave an indication of his engine, but it’s over fences that connections reckon he’ll explode into life.
Unfortunately a fall at Chepstow on his first start over fences put paid to last year’s campaign, but he’s reportedly working well again now and is surely set for big things over the larger obstacles.
Last season’s star bumper performer should have an exciting career over hurdles.
Perhaps the most promising runner from Cheveley Park’s burgeoning National Hunt operation, he went unbeaten in four bumpers last season, including a fine success in the Champion Bumper at the Cheltenham Festival.
A novice hurdle campaign is on the agenda now and Gordon Elliott’s classy performer is sure to be bang there in all the big Grade 1 events.
Jessica Harrington usually has at least one star chaser every season, and this fellow could well provide her with another.
Not quite top class over hurdles, he’s built for the big stuff and some of his form against the best makes nice reading given there’s sure to be more to come this season.
He’s a scopey type who could relish a test of stamina.
One of the surprises of the Cheltenham Festival, Henry De Bromhead’s stamina-laden six-year-old ground out a decisive victory in last season’s Albert Bartlett.
A 50/1 shot that day, he was well on top at the line and showed it wasn’t a fluke with a fine win in the three-mile novice at Punchestown.
De Bromhead has always though his six-year-old will be a fine chaser and the plan is to over fences with him straight away.
Expect to see him strutting his stuff around mid-November time.
Willie Mullins’ seven-year-old has had some very good form in his youth and bettered that at the end of last season with a stunning win in the Topham.
The handicapper raised him to 162 for that and Mullins’ hand will be forced in that he’s too high in the weights for handicaps, so we should see him running in graded races.
Another crack at the Topham is possible (he’d almost certainly carry top weight), though connections may be tempted to go up in trip for the Becher.
A Grand National tilt is not beyond the realms of possibility, for all that he’ll need to prove he stays 3m+.
Named well and certainly started to live up to it last season, finishing second in the Neptune at the Cheltenham Festival before going one better at Aintree.
His form looks very solid and his rate of progression suggests he’ll have even more to come this term.
Considering he ran pretty free on most of his starts the fact he stayed three miles shows just how much talent he has, and if containing his energy better he could be very smart indeed.
A campaign over fences is the plan and he’s sure to be seriously competitive in races like the Kauto Star Novices’ and RSA at the Cheltenham Festival.
A fair amount of hype has centred around Paul Nicholls’ exciting youngster, who’s all set for a breakthrough campaign over fences.
Despite not setting the world alight as a hurdler he still had some very respectable form, including an impressive victory in the Novices’ Final at Sandown.
Rated 155 over the smaller timber, he won’t need to improve much to become a major player over fences – and the rumours are he’s a natural.
Nicholls is ‘very excited about him’ and he’s sure to take high ranking in novice chases.
No prizes for finding this one, but he deserves to be put in.
Successful in the Supreme Novices’ Hurdle at Cheltenham and then the Champion Novice Hurdle at Punchestown, last season was a fine one for Willie Mullins’ five-year-old.
Making all on both occasions, the son of Dream Well clearly has bucketloads of ability and is very much a contender for the Champion Hurdle this year.
The Morgiana could be a starting point, and wherever he goes he’s sure to take some beating.
Gordon Elliott’s six-year-old has already had a start over fences, bolting up at Gowran earlier this month.
That was the perfect beginning to his chasing career and considering his talent over hurdles, he’s sure to be up there with the best over the bigger obstacles.
Second in the Martin Pipe, he has the speed for the minimum trip and is likely to be aimed at the Drinmore.
