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* Odds quoted on the widget are Future Racing / Antepost prices which means that if your selection does not run in the race for whatever reason – you will lose your stake under traditional Antepost rules
1. AURORA VEGA (W Mullins)
When you are bred as well as this filly is, then results will be expected, but that blood potential has already turned into racing reality following just the three runs under rules in bumpers for Willie Mullins.
Those victories were very straightforward, the last of them in a Listed race at Gowran Park. That day she beat five previous winners and did it in wonderfully fluent style under Patrick Mullins, merely nudged out when taking command just inside the quarter mile pole. Bred regally from an NH perspective, being by Walk In The Park out of the mighty Quevega, this athletic mare is already priced up as low as 12/1 for the Dawn Run Mares Novices Hurdle at the Cheltenham Festival next March. Only Dysart Enos (brilliant winner of the mares bumper at Aintree and also three from three) and Brighterdaysahead (unbeaten in two starts for Gordon Elliott) ahead of her in the ante-post listings.
She certainly has a huge engine judged on her initial season on the level and if she manages to handle a hurdle as well as her mum and dad did we could be in for a real treat this season.
2. BALLYBURN (W Mullins)
This is one of the more obvious young horses to include as I was not only impressed by the bare win in the Punchestown Festival bumper, but the way he glided through the race showing great athleticism and a cracking attitude despite running quite freely early on.
Despite the high cruising speed he showed both that day and on his previous bumper success at the same track, his breeding suggests that staying power will be his main weapon this season as he goes through the novice hurdling ranks, indeed he powered through the winning line on both occasions last season and was pretty hard to pull up both times. The Albert Bartlett Novices Hurdle is the obvious call for his long-range Cheltenham target, but such is the speed he showed on the bridle last season it wouldn’t surprise me if he ended up in the Ballymore; a hugely exciting prospect.
3 DALAMOI (T Vaughan)
I love to follow second-season novice chases as they only just begin to make a mark over he larger obstacles following their initial season and Tim Vaughan’s charge fits the bill nicely. Who would have known when Pour Moi landed the Epsom Derby with his last gasp win in 2011, that he would have such a wide range of ‘kiddies’ race in his name both on the level and over obstacles, but his flexibility as a sire is only just coming to fruition.
This six-year-old is two from five over fences, but from everything I have seen, he looks like a galloper that could land a lovely handicap prize this season and perhaps be a contender for the Welsh National at Chepstow. The only time he tackled three miles was when a faller at the sixth at the South Wales track on the National card and he then found the field going a stride too quick when seventh of 11 to Stage Star at Cheltenham in January, backing out very quickly after turning for home. That run kind of protected his handicap mark and I wouldn’t be surprised to see run up a sequence this season before a shot at a nice staying pot.
4. DIAMOND RI (J TIZZARD)
I was at Warwick when this chestnut gelding made his debut in his one and only run under rules in a bumper and I couldn’t have been more impressed. Racing in midfield under restraint, but with great fluency, the son of Diamond Boy started to make gradual progress through the field from the half way marker. Tracking the leader, Tout Sur Moi off the home bend, he simply glided into the lead under Brendan Powell and once his partner pushed half a button he fairly pinged clear for a 13 length success.
From limited follow ups, those in behind have hardly advertised the form, but I still think we could have a superstar on side here with many pundits having compared his career starter to that of stable great Cue Card when he so famously, in hindsight, hacked up for the yard at Fontwell Park in a NH race; was it really 13 years ago? I suspect he will also get three miles in time, but two and a half miles could well be his optimum trip this time around and I await his return to the track with anticipation.
5 FERONILY (E MULLINS)
Emmet Mullins is unconventional as a trainer, so trying to second guess him is a hard read, but as a young and unexposed chaser, that this six-year-old Feronily can go places this season and long term I definitely see him as a probably Aintree Grand National type as he jumps very efficiently and I am sure will stay a marathon trip.
Indeed he looked all stamina on his seasonal debut at the beginning of October at Galway when a running on second behind My Design, only really getting into gear once the race was done and dusted, the sharp track hardly playing to his strengths. Winner of the Grade One staying novice chase at the Punchestown Festival, he could well be aimed at graded races from here on in, but Mullins will surely be eyeing one of the valuable staying handicap chases either in Ireland or the UK with the Coral Chase at Newbury possibly on the agenda.
6 FIREFOX (G ELLIOTT)
I really like some of the Gordon Elliott novice hurdlers this season, but for me none is more fascinating than this son of the fabulous Walk In the Park. He has kind of started his career in the reverse practice, running in a maiden hurdle at the back end of 2022, before participating in the three bumper races, winning two of them in decisive style at Navan and Fairyhouse.
On each occasion he has looked a bit more professional and although you could say he had the second of those wins set up for him by the Willie Mullins’ trained Ile Atlantique, the runner-up wasn’t stopping that day and Firefox found plenty under a drive from JJ Codd and never looked in danger of defeat as he ranged up alongside his market rival. As he strengthens up, 2m 4f could be his calling card and is quoted for the Ballymore Hurdle at Cheltenham, but for the time being a stiff two should be his domain.
7 GALA MARCEAU (W MULLINS)
Blatantly head strong in her first season in Ireland, but as the campaign went on this daughter of Galiway gradually learnt to relax during her races and then fulfilled that promise when two and a half miles was put in front of her when landing the very valuable Prix Alain du Breiul on her final start in France, which commanded a career best performance.
That Grade One success followed on from a win in the Grade One at the Leopardstown Festival and a strong finishing second to the pocket rocket Lossiemouth in the Triumph Hurdle at the Cheltenham Festival. I think that run was a huge bonus, as she looks sure to improve again for another summer on her back and the step up in trip. The one area which could be improved is her hurdling in the early phases of a race when because of her tendency to run freely she does jump less than fluently. She also has the scope to improve physically so she can use that huge engine a lot more efficiently.
The Mares Hurdle at the Cheltenham Festival in March looks a logical long term aim and then in time either fences or possibly three miles could well be on the agenda.
8 WEVEALLBEENCAUGHT (N Twiston-Davies)
I think that the Nigel Twiston-Davies charge will go somewhat under the radar this season and as there are so many top class prospects in Ireland for the staying novice chase division.
I say overlooked because he looked like the second coming initially in his career with emphatic victories in the early part of his career sandwiched between that was a cracking second to Hermes Allen in a Grade Two at Cheltenham in November, the trip being too sharp and his jumping moderate. But my endearing memory from that run was the way he fired up the hill late on. Thereafter three Grade 1 events at Leopardstown, Cheltenham and Aintree were just too much for this unfurnished and scopey individual. Another summer under his belt will surely do this son of Getaway a world of good and I suspect he will only begin to fulfil his true potential when a fence is put in front of him.
9 STAGE STAR (P NICHOLLS)
When it comes to having a bet ante-post when that big stage is some five months away, I want to have as many factors on my side as possible and this Paul Nicholls’ charge fits the bill. He has a good record in spring and acts wonderfully well over the ups and downs at the headquarters of jumping. Rated in the low 140’s over hurdles, including a runway win in the Grade One Challow Hurdle at Newbury, that only laid the ground work for what was to come over fences last season.
A bit awkward at his obstacles on his initial runs, visiting Prestbury Park didn’t seem to hinder him one bit, in fact it seemed to suit his free wheeling style of running. He jumped like an absolute stag when landing a novice handicap off 143 at the back end of January and then had his day in the sun when apart from a slight mistake four out, he dominated his rivals in the Turner Novices Chase, coming home very strong at the finish. His last run at Aintree can be safely forgiven as he looked over the top when last of five in the Manifesto Novices Chase and with more improvement to come allied to a return to his favourite venue and he looks a fair each-way shout for the Ryanair Chase at the Cheltenham Festival.
10 THELEME (A Chaillie-Chaillie)
This is a bit of a shot in the dark for me, but I feel it is worth having a go with this French trained son of Sidestep in the hope that he is aimed at the Stayers Hurdle at the Cheltenham Festival this year. The 2023 edition was a write off for the French after 7/1 shot, Gold Tweet, was given a hugely horrific ride in the event, being held up off a soft pace in the main and coming down the hill and still on the bridle, he wasn’t given a chance to stake his claim.
Nine wins from 16 in his native France, all in graded races and four at the highest level at Auteuil, Theleme’s performances kept on taking gradual steps forward the deeper the stamina test, culminating in a decisive two length win over old advisory Hermes Baie in the valuable Racing TV Grande Course de Haies. Yes, he’s not unexposed, but with Gaelic Warrior set to go novice chasing, this looks one of the weakest divisions around and he is worth taking a chance on at double figure odds.
* Odds quoted on the widget are Future Racing / Antepost prices which means that if your selection does not run in the race for whatever reason – you will lose your stake under traditional Antepost rules
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