The 2023/24 Jumps Season is underway and we’ve got all our team to give their ’10 to follow’ for the NH season.
Next up it’s the turn of GG’s chief editor Tom Aldridge to give his selections, which include one he thinks could take on Galopin Des Champs in the Gold Cup, plus one he has down as ‘one of the best ante-post bets for the 2024 Cheltenham Festival’.
BALLYBURN (Willie Mullins)
First up and perhaps unsurprisingly I’m going with a Willie Mullins horse! Ballyburn avoided Cheltenham last season, but he ran out an emphatic winner at the Punchestown Festival in April, making it 2/2 in bumpers. He looks an extremely exciting recruit to Willie Mullins’ Novice Hurdlers ranks, and the master trainer has already hinted he could aim him for the Ballymore Novices’ Hurdle at the 2024 Cheltenham Festival. I can’t wait to see him over hurdles, he really could be something special.
BO ZENITH (Gary Moore)
Gary Moore’s Bo Zenith looks one to keep on side with this season, having improved with each run last season. Having started the season with a disappointing effort on his UK debut, when finishing third at odds-on, it didn’t look like he was going to be a horse to follow last year. However, two easy wins followed and he was next seen in the Grade 1 4-Y-O Juvenile Hurdle at the Aintree Festival. He put in a career-best performance, where he was in front before and after the line but unfortunately for him, Zenta had her head in front when it mattered and he lost by a short head. I think he’ll improve even more this season and I wouldn’t be surprised if they step him up in trip, with connections seeing him as a future chaser over two and a half miles.
CAPTAIN TEAGUE (Paul Nicholls)
Paul Nicholls doesn’t send many to the Champion Bumper, with just three runners in the last 10 renewals, so it shows you how highly he regards Captain Teague. He put in a huge performance to finish a 40/1 third behind A Dream To Share and Fact To File, with both of those expected to have big careers ahead of them. Paul Nicholls’ 5YO made the dream start over hurdles, with a comfortable nine length victory in the Grade 2 Persian War Novices’ Hurdle, a race won by the likes of Thyme Hill and McFabulous in recent years. He looks to have a huge future ahead of him, with trainer Paul Nicholls already stating his plan to send him to the Challow Hurdle, a race which the top trainer has won for the past three years (Bravemansgame in 2020, Stage Star in 2021 and Hermes Allen in 2022), so he clearly has high hopes for him. I have to agree with him – I have Captain Teague marked as one of the leading hopes for the Brits in the Novice Hurdle division.
DYSART ENOS (Fergal O’Brien)
Dysart Enos absolutely blew me away with her turn of pace in the Mares Bumper at Aintree in April, and her trainer Fergal O’Brien is already planning her route to the Mares’ Novices’ Hurdle at the Cheltenham Festival next year. The way she got to the front effortlessly before pulling well clear of the chasing pack was so impressive, and the fact her closing sectional was faster than Constitution Hill’s finish in the Aintree Hurdle just goes to show how good she could be. Providing she jumps a hurdle well, I think she could already be one of the best ante-post bets for the Festival.
FACILE VEGA (Willie Mullins)
After going unbeaten in all four of his bumpers, big things were expected of Facile Vega over hurdles, and he didn’t disappoint, although some may disagree! Two Grade 1 victories and a runner-up effort behind Marine Nationale in the Supreme Novices’ Hurdle counts as a pretty good season to be, and I fully expect him to be even better over fences. His dam Quevega got better with age, and I’m expecting that to be the case with him too, which makes his future look extremely exciting considering what he’s already achieved. Willie Mullins has marked him down for the Arkle, in what already looks like it could be a rematch against Marine Nationale, and of the two I’m expecting Facile Vega to reverse that form over fences.
GERRI COLOMBE (Gordon Elliott)
Galopin Des Champs is a clear favourite to follow up his 2023 Gold Cup success at the 2024 Cheltenham Festival, but I do think he’ll have a serious challenger in Gerri Colombe. Gordon Elliott’s 7YO has only tasted defeat once in his career, when just failing to catch The Real Whacker in the Brown Advisory Novices’ Chase at Cheltenham back in March, where he would’ve undoubtedly won if the race was a couple of yards further. He proved his class next time out, running out an easy winner in the Mildmay Novices’ Chase at Aintree the following month, and he’s now expected to be contesting all the major staying chases this season. He seems to have stamina in abundance so I wouldn’t be surprised if he is the biggest challenger to Galopin Des Champs in the Gold Cup next year.
GIOVINCO (Lucinda Russell)
Lucinda Russell is making a serious name for herself in the trainer ranks, with the likes of Ahoy Senor, Apple Away and Grand National winner Corach Rambler highlighting her excellence in recent years. I think you’ll be able to add a new name to that list soon, and that’s Giovinco. The 6YO gelding wasn’t seen at a racecourse until March this year, but made light work of his three races, with the most notable coming in Listed company in Perth on his final start. His three races so far have seen him win by a combined 32 lengths, and I think he’s going to prove even better over fences. His trainer has said he’s schooled really well and she’s hopeful he’ll end up racing at a couple of the bigger festivals towards the end of the season. He’s been declared to make his chase debut at Carlisle on Thursday (also entered at Cheltenham on Saturday) and I’m fully expecting him to make it a winner start over fences. He looks one of the standout options in the staying novice chase division this season, with his trainer already eyeing up the Brown Advisory as his long-term aim.
IROKO (Oliver Greenall & Josh Guerriero)
The star of the Oliver Greenall & Josh Guerriero yard was undoubtedly Iroko last season, and I’m confident he’s going to improve for going over fences this season. Having started the season off a mark of 121, four races later he signed off on a mark of 145, showing how much he progressed throughout the season. That included an excellent win in the Martin Pipe Handicap Hurdle, before stepping up in trip and putting in a huge effort to finish third in the Sefton Novices’ Hurdle. The step up in trip looked to have suited him perfectly and considering the recent list of Martin Pipe winners to go Novice Chasing (Galopin Des Champs in 2021 and Banbridge in 2022), he looks to have a huge career ahead of him over fences.
MY DROGO (Dan Skelton)
My Drogo could be a bit of a forgotten horse, having missed the whole of 22-23 season due to an injury sustained in December 2021, but trainer Dan Skelton has come out and said “he’s doing all the work you’d want him to do and looks fantastic”, and I’m backing him to have a big season. Asides from his agonising fall at Cheltenham when looking the likely winner over Gin On Lime, he’s unbeaten over obstacles and he looks to have a big season ahead of him, providing he stays injury free. He’s entered in the Old Roan Chase at Aintree on Sunday and I’d be confident he would win there, considering he’s 2/2 at the course. Connections are desperate for him to go for the King George, where he’s a current 33/1 shot, and I wouldn’t put people off that if he returns at the same level he was at before his injury.
YOU WEAR IT WELL (Jamie Snowden)
Jamie Snowden’s star mare You Well It Well looks set for another campaign over hurdles (which looks a wise move to me) after a superb first season, and I’m expecting her to be even better this year. She had a tough season, with six races that included a solid runner-up effort in the Challow Novices’ Hurdle, before wins in the Jane Seymour Mares’ Novices’ Hurdle and the Jack De Bromhead Mares’ Novices’ Hurdle at the Cheltenham Festival. Her last effort in the Turners Mersey Novices’ Hurdle was just one race too many and I’m willing to forget her that effort. There’s plenty of stamina in her pedigree, which should help her as she takes the step out of novice company. She looks a good bet for the 2024 Mares’ Hurdle, which looks to be her target for the season.
Tom’s 10 To Follow
- BALLYBURN (Willie Mullins)
- BO ZENITH (Gary Moore)
- CAPTAIN TEAGUE (Paul Nicholls)
- DYSART ENOS (Fergal O’Brien)
- FACILE VEGA (Willie Mullins)
- GERRI COLOMBE (Gordon Elliott)
- GIOVINCO (Lucinda Russell)
- IROKO (Oliver Greenall & Josh Guerriero)
- MY DROGO (Dan Skelton)
- YOU WEAR IT WELL (Jamie Snowden)
Check out all our other tipsters ’10 To Follow’ for the 23/24 Jumps season here:
- Andrew Mount’s 10 To Follow
- Dave Young’s (Cheltmental) 10 To Follow
- Matt Sutcliffe’s 10 To Follow
- Jake Russell’s 10 To Follow
- Dan Corbally’s 10 To Follow
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