The jumps season is into its stride, but there are plenty of winners to be had in the months ahead. Here are ten horses Andrew Mount believes will be returning to the winners’ enclosure regularly, including a potential Gold Cup hope.
BUTCHER HOLLOW – Thomas Cooper
BUTCHER HOLLOW changed hands for £200,000 after landing his sole point-to-point outing by 16 lengths from One More Stroke, a dual winning hurdler for Donald McCain last season, and maintained his 100% record with victory in a bumper at right-handed Galway last October on his debut for Thomas Cooper. He placed in all four starts over hurdles but was far from convincing in the jumping department, often jumping out to his right when racing on left-handed tracks at Navan, Leopardstown and Naas in the first three of them. I had expected improvement from the five-year-old when he lined up in a maiden hurdle at right-handed Fairyhouse in the spring, but he again jumped poorly out of the heavy ground in a race run at a crawl. There are more races in him, probably when encountering a stronger pace on faster going, and longer term, the switch to fences will suit.
FAMOUS BRIDGE – Nicky Richards
Progeny of the sire Fame And Glory tend to improve with age and eight-year-old FAMOUS BRIDGE, who has recorded two wins in each of the past three seasons, looks set for another successful campaign. He didn’t reappear until January in the 2022/23 season, having reportedly lost his action when pulled up at Perth on his final outing in the previous campaign, and looked in need of the run, finishing a modest third at Doncaster. He disappointed at Ayr next time, trailing home last of the four runners on soft ground but signed off with a pair of wins at Wetherby. Nicky Richards’ gelding began last season in good fashion, going down by just three-quarters of a length in fourth place at Ayr before a pair of Haydock wins in November/December. He caught the eye on his reappearance at Kelso on October 26th, finding only course expert Elvis Mail too good and, if we discard his seasonal debuts, his record reads 12U1P411PU4 (4-11). His three runs at Haydock produced form figures of 11U (2-3) and there are plenty of options for him at his favourite venue this winter.
FAVOUR AND FORTUNE – Alan King
Having voiced the opinion (usually to howls of laughter) on the Cheltenham festival preview night circuit that Alan King’s FAVOUR AND FORTUNE would run a big race in the Sky Bet Supreme Novices’ Hurdle it was pleasing to see the six-year-old finish less than ten lengths behind winner in a 28-1 sixth of 11. He fared easily best of the British-trained runners despite jumping like the proverbial snooker table and returned to winning ways in the Scottish Champion Hurdle at Ayr next time where he clearly appreciated the big field and strong gallop. His record away from Cheltenham now reads 1111221 (5-7) and there should be plenty more to come this season.
GREY DAWNING – Dan Skelton
Dan Skelton’s GREY DAWNING looked a genuine Gold Cup contender in his early chase starts and confirmed that with victory in the Turners Novices’ Chase at last season’s Cheltenham festival, coming home two lengths to the good from old rival Ginny’s Destiny. If we ignore his hurdle and chase debuts (he needed the experience on each occasion), the seven-year-old has form figures of 11111F121 3 (7-10), with the runner-up effort by three-quarters of a length after making a bad mistake at the second-last fence. He was a little underwhelming at Aintree on his final outing last term, finishing over nine lengths behind the winner when third as the 11-10 favourite but the 2m4f trip on a flat track provided an insufficient test of stamina and it might have come too soon after his Cheltenham heroics.
JET LEGS – Martin Todhunter
After JET LEGS won a 3m2f handicap hurdle at Kelso in March 2023, trainer Martin Todhunter described the gelding as a “laid-back character”, hinting that he’s hard to get fit at home. He certainly looked in need of his comeback run when a 27-length six of nine in a 3m2f handicap chase at Carlisle in early November where the seven-year-old weakened from three out to finish last of the six finishers to take his seasonal debut figures to 6646 (0-4). He’s very consistent when he’s had the benefit of at least two runs in the previous three months, recording form figures of 53221112123 (4-11), and another run or two will put him spot on for a successful campaign. Something like the Eider could suit.
KINGSTON PRIDE – Nicky Henderson
Nicky Henderson’s KINGSTON PRIDE changed hands for 200,000 euros after winning an Irish point from The Enabler in the spring of 2023 and the runner-up was seen to good effect in bumpers, including a Listed win at Navan. The five-year-old was sent off as the 8-11 favourite when making his rules debut in the Winter Million Open National Hunt Flat Race on January 21st but, not for the first time at Lingfield, lack of Polytrack knowledge among the jumps fraternity led to a jolly being turned over. Always prominent under Nico De Boinville, he took up the running two furlongs out and stayed against the ‘dead’ rail in the straight, allowing 15-2 shot Tripoli Flyer to score down the middle of the track under Paddy Brennan. Kingston Pride was the only one of the first four home not to come from midfield or further back, beating the next prominent racer by more than 11 lengths, and it was a huge effort in the circumstances. He went one better on good ground at Exeter next time and is going to make a smart hurdler.
KNIGHT OF ALLEN – Jane Williams
Jane Williams’ runners usually improve markedly for their reappearance efforts and that looks likely where KNIGHT OF ALLEN is concerned. The four-year-old was weak in the market prior to his third place in division one of the British EBF “National Hunt” Novices’ Hurdle at Uttoxeter on October 18th, racing keenly under stable jockey David Noonan before keeping on well without threatening to finish just over five lengths behind the winner (Olly Murphy’s unbeaten Wade Out). He’s been dropped 3lb to a mark of 120 and, having placed in Listed company last term, looks sure to exploit that in handicap company sooner rather than later.
MAKIN’YOURMINDUP – Paul Nicholls
MAKIN’YOURMINDUP didn’t jump with his usual fluency in the 3m1f BetGoodwin Free Bet Nose Losers Handicap Chase at Plumpton on his final outing last term and lost out in the final strides to 11-year-old Cap Du Nord. Paul Nicholls’ seven-year-old has form figures on left-handed tracks, since his debut under rules, of 111112 (5-6) and will appreciate a more galloping track this term. He’s unbeaten in two starts at Chepstow and the Welsh National has already been mooted as a likely target.
PINOT ROUGE – Susan Corbett
The Susan Corbett-trained PINOT ROUGE looked in need of the experience when making her chase debut over an inadequate 2m4f trip at Hexham last month and will also come on for her 13-length last of six in a Listed mares’ chase over the same distance at Carlisle on November 3rd.
She caught the eye on her reappearance last term when a close-up 40-1 third in a 2m4f novices’ hurdle at Newcastle before causing a 20-1 shock in a 3m Listed contest at Doncaster. The step back up to 3m will suit and she could upset on or two bigger names in Listed/Graded mares’ chases.
SIR ROCK – Toby Lawes
SIR ROCK had a couple of spins over hurdles at the start of last season before enjoying a good spell over fences and the market drift prior to his reappearance 9-1 seventh of nine in division one of the BetGoodwin Best Odds Guaranteed Handicap Hurdle at Fontwell on October 4th suggested that the run was badly needed. Slower ground will suit the son of Shirocco and he’s one to follow when returned to fences, which could be as early as Fontwell on Friday November 8th where he’s entered in the 1.25.
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