10 HORSES TO FOLLOW PART ONE - IRELAND
10 HORSES TO FOLLOW PART TWO - UK [FLAT]
5yo [Trained by Nicky Henderson]
When starting the task of compiling this list Angels Breath was probably the first horse that sprung to mind from last term (pictured above). A Point to Point winner back in the Spring of 2018, before joining the Nicky Henderson stable later in the year, bringing with him a fairly tall reputation. He didn’t disappoint on his debut at Ascot in December, where he comfortably beat the useful Danny Kirwan by four and a half lengths – in a race in which only four flights of hurdles were jumped. That run marked him down as a potentially smart performer in the making, and he soon appeared in the long-range lists for some of the Novices events at the Cheltenham festival before being sidelined by injury. He looks a chaser in the making, and Henderson may well decide to send him over the larger obstacles this season. Last seen back in December 2019, winning a two runner match at Ascot @1/5f whatever his future I feel he will require a minimum of 2m 4f to be seen at his best, and should not be ground dependent when he returns from a season ending injury, but we'll keep him in the list hopefully will be back by November / December this year.
5yo [Trained by Ben Pauling]
Made giant strides in four starts over hurdles last season, winning a Maiden at Newbury over two miles in November, a Novices race at Leicester over just shy of two miles, was then runner up to the smart Nicky Henderson trained Mister Fisher in a Grade Two Novices event at Haydock, before ending his season with a solid third place at the Cheltenham Festival in the two miles five and a half furlongs Ballymore Novices Hurdle, beaten two lengths and two and a quarter lengths by City Island and Champ. Bright Forecast look every inch a chaser in the making, and I will be very surprised if he fails to reach a decent standard over fences. I think he will be better served by at least 2m 4f than shorter and will be worth a try over further in time as he gains experience, giving him the options of both the JLT Novices Chase and the longer RSA Chase should he prove good enough. A really nice sort to go in to the winter of 2019 with, Bright Forecast acts on both good ground and soft underfoot conditions.
7yo [Trained By Tom George]
Won a couple of small field Novice Chases at Leicester and Huntingdon in the early part of 2019, but found the step in to Grade 1 company at Cheltenham and Aintree a little too much at this stage of his career. He’s not overly raced for a horse of his age, with just the twelve starts under rules, plus two in the Point to Point fields. He’ll start the new season on a mark of 144 over fences, and I am confident that his trainer will find opportunities for him in handicap company during the months ahead. He’s untested over much further than two miles under rules, but his Point win was over three, and I would imagine he maybe given a try over 2m 4f at some stage. Clondaw Castle appears to act on most types of going, and hopefully there will still be some improvement to come.
5yo [Trained by Nicky Henderson]
Winner of the Adonis Hurdle at Kempton and the Champion four-year-old Hurdle at the Punchestown Festival, was always going to be a better five and six-year-old as he matured physically and mentally. Entering the senior ranks his performance in landing the Elite Hurdle at Wincanton was followed by a poor run at Kempton (pulled up) and was 11th in this year's Champion Hurdle. Is a beautiful physical specimen will only improve as he becomes more experienced and perhaps being thrown into a Grade 1 contest with limited experience wasn't the ideal campaign but he is with the best trainer to develop into something special in the next season or two. He hurdles very quickly and efficiently, has a high cruising speed and picks up well at the end of his races.
10yo [Trained by Nick Alexander] A long-distance stayer that still has potential for either Aintree and/or Cheltenham, despite blowing out in the Liverpool show piece last year. Lake View Lad was a big gamble for the 2019 Grand National, backed from 33/1 into 14/1, but simply found the pace to hot to handle on the first circuit. In all of his previous 13 chases, he had raced prominently and put his fabulous jumping technique to good use. Previously a huge eye-catching running on third behind Beware The Bear in the Ultima Handicap Chase at Cheltenham, he may have found the big one coming too early on the back of that effort. A typical Trevor Hemmings' staying chaser, plenty of give in the ground and a severe test is what he wants and if it comes up soft will be one to get stuck into.
6yo [(pictured left) Trained By Rebecca Curtis]
Has already achieved a fair standard over hurdles, ending the season winning the Stayers Hurdle (50/1) at Cheltenham an improvement on last season having won two and also finishing runner-up twice from six starts. The wins came at Chepstow in January over two miles three and a half furlongs – beating another of this season’s fifty (Dickie Diver) by a head in a driving finish, and the following month when impressively beating Ask Ben by an easy looking ten lengths at Haydock over three miles and half a furlong. The latter win prompted connections to have a crack at the Albert Bartlett at the festival in March, and he didn’t disgrace himself in finishing fifth – beaten over fifteen lengths behind the shock 50/1 scorer Minella Indo, with Dickie Diver on place and around five lengths in front of him that day. At Aintree a few weeks later he once again ran well, but found Champ and Emitom three lengths and seven lengths too good. Lisnargar Oscar is an attractive individual who looks every inch a chaser in the making, and I will be surprised if he doesn’t go straight over fences this term. He stays three miles well, and will probably start off low-key to gain some experience before being raised in class. A likeable type that will continue to pay his way for his talented handler.
7yo [Trained by David Pipe]
The incredible Main Fact (pictured above) who fairly bolted up in a valuable hurdle at Uttoxeter when last seen in March. Stepped up in trip to 2m4f for the first time since joining the Pond House team, he travelled supremely well under in-form amateur Fergus Gillard and quickly pulled clear of his rivals to win by an effortless 15 lengths, in the process notching his fifth success on the spin. This was undoubtedly his best performance to date despite his reassessed rating of 132 and that looks sure to take another considerable hike when the ratings changes are announced tomorrow. Who knows what the limit of his potential may be, but he clearly loves testing ground and is still thriving.
6yo (pictured right)[Trained by Harry Whittingham]
This is a very nice, staying, novice hurdler under the care of the shrewd Harry Whittingham. He made his timber topping debut at Chepstow and ran well behind the well regarded Potters Venture, then won two of his five hurdle races to date before ending the season with a second placing to Lieutenant Rocco at Warwick over 2m 3f in February. However, he will only come into his own over three miles, on testing ground on a galloping track.
6yo Mare [Trained by Alan King (above)]
The Glancing Queen looks a smashing mare for a novice hurdles campaign this season. Trainer Alan King has already gone on record to say that he thinks the world of her and it’s not difficult to see why. The Glancing Queen went on to record two successes in Bumpers last season, and finished 8th in this years Champion Bumper at Cheltenham, behind the Willie Mullins trained Ferny Hollow. She has won on Good ground, and is also well served by soft underfoot conditions. I’ll be very surprised if The Glancing Queen doesn’t prove up with the best of her sex as a novice over timber this season and she should also hold her own with the boys.
THE KING OF MAY6yo [Trained by Brian Ellison]
It always pays to have a northern-trained horse on your side when making these lists as they tend to be over-priced when meeting their Southern counterparts. I loved the way that The King Of May jumped around Carlisle last time out on his chasing debut and there is bags more to come from this son of High Rock. He has that great combination of speed and stamina and Brian Ellison is a genius at placing young talent to the best of their potential.
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