Jumpers To Follow 2023/2024

 National Hunt - Jumpers to Follow 23/24

National Hunt Fences 

It's been hit & miss with my flat bets this season and I can’t deny it, I do prefer the jumps racing. 

Here are 5 horses I think you should keep your eye on this upcoming season 🏇

Novice Hurdler to Follow 

CAPTAIN TEAGUE 

T: Paul Nicholls

Nicholls, often associated with his talented chasers, surprised a few by entering CAPTAIN TEAGUE in last year's Champion Bumper, an uncommon move for him.

A Dream To Share - Champion Bumper 2023#CheltenhamFestival pic.twitter.com/mZObeNobXS

— Cheltenham Festival Fans (@cheltfestfans) July 22, 2023

Despite being a 33/1 outsider, he impressed with a strong 3rd place finish, the only UK-trained horse in the top 10. With just two starts under his belt, his potential is evident.

Considering he is trained by Paul Nicholls, having obstacles in his path should only enhance his performance. A 2m4f Point-to-Point win hints at his stamina, possibly leading to a target of the Challow Hurdle at Newbury & the Ballymore at Cheltenham, similar to the Nicholls' trained HERMES ALLEN's path last season. 

If his Champion Bumper performance holds weight, he's a solid contender in both races. 

He is currently priced around 16/1 for the Ballymore in March.

Novice Hurdler/Bumper Horse to Follow 

APPLE'S OF BRESIL

T: Barry Connell

Emerging on debut in the Punchestown bumper last April, this horse generated quite the buzz. The dramatic shift in odds from 16s to 3/1 hinted at his potential, but a green performance that saw him finish down the field. But that outing hardly reflects his promise. 

I seem to remember an interview with Michael O’Sullivan, stable jockey for Barry Connell, where he mentioned a promising "BLUE BRESIL at home" alongside accomplished horses GOOD LAND and MARINE NATIONALE, the latter impressively winning 2 Grade 1s, including the Supreme Novices at Cheltenham. The backing on debut could point to APPLE'S OF BRESIL being that prospect.

Barry Connell's confidence in MARINE NATIONALE proved well-founded for the Supreme, and if the same regard extends to APPLE'S OF BRESIL, another promising contender could be in their midst. 

He might follow the MARINE NATIONALE route with a prep run before the Royal Bond, his first Grade 1 challenge. Alternatively, he could take the bumper route, setting sights on the Dublin Racing Festival (DRF) and Cheltenham. 

He's a horse worth keeping a close watch on.

He is currently priced around 50/1 for the Supreme in March.

Novice Chaser to Follow 

IRISH POINT

T: Gordon Elliott 

An integral part of rock-solid Royal Bond form last year, which yielded the Supreme winner and Ballymore 3rd. IRISH POINT displayed his mettle by pushing the eventual Supreme victor all the way to the line in that Royal Bond, despite the distance not being his optimal trip. 

Following that solid 2nd, he was upped in trip to 2m4f in the Lawlor's of Naas, securing another 2nd place due to a tactically astute ride from Danny Mullins on the winner, CHAMP KIELY, a horse who finished behind IRISH POINT in the Royal Bond.

A Subsequent attempt at 1m showcased that distance was not his forte. However, returning to his preferred 2m4f at Aintree for the Turners Mersey Novice Hurdle, he shone brilliantly with Davy Russell guiding him to victory. He outpaced formidable contenders, including Challow Hurdle winner HERMES ALLEN & Mares Novice Hurdle winner YOU WEAR IT WELL.

On his final day in the saddle, Davy Russell rides a Grade One winner aboard Irish Point at Aintree!

pic.twitter.com/BSH5qcSPco

— Betfair Racing (@BetfairRacing) April 15, 2023

While you can argue that those rivals may have felt the fatigue from Cheltenham, IRISH POINT's performances & the form of those races from the previous season are undeniable indicators of his quality. 

His strongest showings were over the 2m4f distance, and considering Gordon Elliott has won 2 of the last 6 Turner's Novice's Chases at Cheltenham, this could be his ultimate goal.

Should he embrace fences, he could potentially target the Drinmore at Fairyhouse and the 2m5f race at the DRF before the Turner's at Cheltenham. In the event that fences don't prove suitable, Gordon could have another Stayers' Hurdle option in hand.

He is currently priced around 16/1 for the Turners in March.

Novice Chaser to Follow 

IROKO

T: Oliver Greenhall & Josh Guerriero

I had the pleasure of backing IROKO to victory in last year's Martin Pipe, and he didn't disappoint, marking a significant progression from his previous two handicap triumphs that season. 

He then clinched a commendable 3rd place in his debut Grade 1 outing at Aintree. While fatigue might have played a role, considering the horses that finished ahead of him didn't participate at Cheltenham, I still view his performance as robust, especially as he outpaced the Albert Bartlett winner STAY AWAY FAY.

🍎 Apple Away digs in to win the Winners Wear Cavani Sefton Novices' Hurdle@lucindavrussell gets her first win of the week!@MulqueenStephen is a Grade One winner!#ITVRacing | #GrandNational pic.twitter.com/Mwx7iMC62e

— ITV Racing (@itvracing) April 14, 2023

The Martin Pipe tends to crown promising horses, and IROKO looks poised to become an exciting chaser in the making, having unmistakably showcased his Grade 1 mettle at Aintree. What particularly impressed me was his victory at Cheltenham, where he demonstrated an ability to shift through the gears uphill, surging past the leaders and crossing the line in triumphant style.

Based on his Aintree performance his aptitude for 3m distances is evident, and he handled Cheltenham well. So I would say It's likely that his connections have the Brown Advisory in their sights for March. 

He is currently priced around 25/1 for the Brown Advisory in March.

Novice Chaser to Follow 

WEVEALLBEENCAUGHT

T: Nigel Twiston-Davies

The Twiston-Davies stable held lofty aspirations for WEVEALLBEENCAUGHT, a sentiment not kept under wraps. His potential shone through as he secured a noteworthy victory in the Ballymore Maiden Hurdle at Cheltenham in January. The form took a promising turn when the runner-up ROCK MY WAY triumphed at Cheltenham in his next outing.

Weveallbeencaught and Rock My Way feature among 23 entries for the Ballymore Novices' Hurdle at @CheltenhamRaces on Saturday.

Watch all nine races at the meeting on Racing TV.#RTVFlashback pic.twitter.com/KxZsNYdhHQ

— Racing TV (@RacingTV) January 23, 2023

 

The connections then showed optimism by sending him to Ireland for the Grade 1 Nathaniel Lacy, where he entered the fray well-backed at 7/2 odds. Unfortunately, he found himself fading in the race, ultimately finishing out of contention. His performances since have been underwhelming, leaving the question, what next?

Well, the stable has held a long-standing belief in his potential as a chaser, initially envisioning him as a possible contender for future Gold Cup races. I anticipate that tackling larger obstacles will be instrumental in shaping his career. The regard in which the yard holds him suggests they retain hope that he can surpass handicap standards.

While I personally assess his ability to be just shy of Grade 1 level, there's no denying his 3m chasing aspirations for this season are fortified by a previous 3m point-to-point victory. 

It's conceivable that his optimal distance could be to be 3m or over, putting races like the Grade 2 National Hunt Chase at Cheltenham as a potential Target. 

Even if he falls short of graded level, I remain would still be considering him a contender in handicaps throughout the season.

He is currently priced around 40/1 for the National Hunt Chase in March.