With the National Hunt Season just around the corner, I have put together a list of some horses that have caught my eye that excite me ahead of their upcoming campaigns. There are plenty of these lists around at this time of year , lots with the same horses involved, so I have tried to select a few that may surprise you or you might not have come across.
Of course, myself and everybody are most excited for the Racing Club horses. I have included a few words on each just to add to the excitement!
A Path To Ronda
Recently, our owners enjoyed a fantastic morning visiting Jamie Snowden’s Folly House Stables. One of many highlights was A path To Ronda. She looked stunning and had a great presence and temperament. As an impressive winner of a Uttoxeter bumper , she could take high rank in novice hurdles, especially within the mares’ division. She could lineup in the Grade 2 Mares’ Novices’ Hurdle at Sandown in February, previously won by Jamie’s You Wear It Well before a shot at the Mares Novices’ Hurdle at The Cheltenham Festival.
Jukebox King
One of two striking Ballycrystal point-to-point winners within our ranks. Kim Bailey and Mat Nicholls were impressed with his jumping, movement and general attitude. Mat described him as a very straightforward horse who jumps well and we are all very excited to see him novice hurdling.
Legendary Luke
Luke was very impressive in his point-to-point at Ballycrystal, jumping and travelling well to win by a length in the fastest time on the day. Jamie has been very impressed with him and expects he has the ability to win a bumper before progressing over hurdles then into a chasing career. Jamie describes him as looking a proper staying chaser. Everything suggests we have a very exciting horse on our hands.
Wendigo
This is a big season for our superstar and everything Jamie has said indicates that he has always looked forward to his chasing career. He looks just the type to make a top level chaser and was very impressive over the smaller obstacles , winning four times and finishing an unlucky fifth at the Cheltenham Festival. Hopefully he can have a successful season culminating in a tilt at the Brown Advisory Novices’ Chase (Grade 1) (Registered As The Broadway Novices’ Chase) over 3m½f.
Ammes – James Owen
There may be a bit of recency bias here as he only ran on Tuesday, but I couldn’t help but be impressed by James Owen’s son of No Nay Never on hurdles debut at Sedgefield. The race will likely turn out to be a pretty weak contest but visually he was very pleasing, jumping and travelling nicely for a horse in a new discipline. He has shown plenty of ability on the flat, finishing sixth of nineteen in the King George V Stakes at Royal Ascot and second at Glorious Goodwood. James Owen excels with these types and I expect him to win plenty of races in both codes. From a jumping perspective, he could string together a series of wins if carefully placed, before a crack at the Triumph Hurdle and/or the 4-Y-O Juvenile Hurdle on the first day of the Grand National Festival.
Doctor Du Mesnil – Willie Mullins
Not many things are more exciting than an eye-catching bumper winner are they? The raw potential, possible opportunities and speculation surrounding what could be next. This son of Doctor Dino could hardly have been more impressive on debut at Cork in April, winning by 11 lengths under Jody Townend. He responded nicely when asked for effort and could well be unbeaten come March for a tilt at one of the festival Novice’s Hurdles. To me the 2m5f trip of the Turners (Baring Bingham) looks about right for him.
Kalif Du Berlais – Paul Nicholls
An impressive novice hurdler, it was always apparent that chasing was likely to be his main aim and there could be exciting targets for him this season. He made all in good style in the Maghull Novices’ Chase at Aintree, jumping beautifully under Harry Cobden to win by 3 1/2 lengths. He is only a 5yo and likely has some improvement to come.
Meetmebythesea – Ben Pauling
Ben Pauling’s gelding won three times over hurdles before a close third in a Premier Handicap at Sandown in March. He showed a good attitude to win at Doncaster, making all into a headwind, hanging on to win by a neck from Mythical Moon who is a smart horse in his own right. Meetmebythesea looks set for an exciting novice chase campaign where he could compete in graded events and top end handicaps between 2 and 2 1/2 miles.
Not So Woolly – Joe Tizzard
Sometimes the best way to form an opinion on a horse is to have a few quid on them, and you find yourself watching every move much more closely. I backed Not So Woolly in a maiden hurdle at Ascot in December where he finished a decent third behind two other interesting horses to follow for this season (Belliano and Tommy The Tank). In all his runs over hurdles he has looked a horse crying out for three miles and a fence, which he should get this season. He looks built for chasing and I am excited to see what he can do over the larger obstacles.
Mydaddypaddy – Dan Skelton
This son of Walk In The park was well-supported on debut at Huntingdon and won in impressive fashion by 11 lengths. He travelled strongly and quickened with very little fuss. How strong that form is remains to be seen, but visually he was incredibly impressive. The Skelton’s have spoken very highly of him , his ability and his jumping , making it clear he will be aimed at Cheltenham. It seems likely it will take a high class horse to lower his colours and he could arrive at the festival unbeaten, maybe for the Supreme Novices’ Hurdle.
Union Avenue – James Moffatt
James Moffatt’s six year old has been off the track for a while, with the yard having a little issue with a bug for a short period. If retaining his ability, he is a very interesting individual to follow as a novice hurdler and also looks likely to make a good chaser. He was a very respectable ninth of nineteen when last seen in the Champion Bumper, finishing infront of a host of subsequent winners and faring second best of the British. He also won bumpers at Kelso and at Aintree on Boxing Day. It is a testament to his natural ability being able to perform well in bumpers over 2 miles as he looks in need of a good bit further.
I hope you’re as excited as I am for the season ahead. With plenty to look forward to, I’m confident it will be a successful one for our Racing Club team, and I hope this list brings both enjoyment and profit along the way!
