HORSES TO FOLLOW 2024/25
Anticipation for the new National Hunt season is hotting up and our local trainers will be looking to win some of the biggest prizes in the best races.
The Cheltenham Festival is the pinnacle for every trainer, and Ben Pauling and Kim Bailey flew the flag for the Cotswolds there last season.
Ben was victorious with Shakem Up'arry in the Plate on the Thursday to jubilant scenes in the parade ring with owner Harry Redknapp, with Kim winning the Ultima on Day One with the impressive Chianti Classico.
However, this guide is all about finding some youngsters and unexposed horses to follow for the upcoming season.
Now in its 18th year of publication, Paul Ferguson's Jumpers To Follow is an essential tool to guide you through the entire National Hunt season.
In last year's exclusive guide for The Cotswolds Gentleman, nine out of the ten horses won!
We have managed to tie him down again to give you his 10 horses from the Cotswolds that you should be following this season.
BILL JOYCE
JONJO & AJ O'NEILL
The winner of bumpers at Warwick and Exeter, this five-year-old is a former winning Irish Pointer and can be expected to make up into a smart staying novice hurdler this winter. At home on deep ground, he went on to run in the Champion Bumper at Cheltenham and although he finished down the field on that occasion, it should be remembered that the race came just two months after he made his debut under Rules and it might well have come too soon for him on the back of a heavy-ground win at Exeter. The son of Mahler ought to improve as he steps up in trip.
BUGISE SEAGULL
CHARLIE LONGSDON
A good-looking six-year-old by Mount Nelson, he won novice hurdles at Catterick and Southwell during the first half of last season and ended the campaign with a career-best third in the Mersey Novices’ Hurdle at Aintree. Yet to race beyond 2m4½f under Rules, he threatens to improve again over a staying trip and could develop into a smart novice chaser for the Charlie Longsdon stable.
DIVA LUNA
BEN PAULING
Ben Pauling enjoyed a fine season with his bumper horses last term and this mare was probably top of the pile. The daughter of Diamond Boy was probably outstayed when beaten in an Irish Point and had clearly been working well at home, as her trainer pitched her straight into Listed company for her Rules debut. She made all and won in a professional manner at Market Rasen and bettered that when running out a dominant winner of the Grade 2 Nickel Coin at Aintree. Although there is plenty of stamina in her pedigree, she looks to possess plenty of speed and should make up into a smart novice hurdler over the minimum trip.
DYSART ENOS
FERGAL O'BRIEN
A mare who featured in this list last year, she was unbeaten in three starts over hurdles but was forced to miss the Dawn Run at Cheltenham (lame) and the Top Novices’ Hurdle at Aintree. Her form over hurdles isn’t too strong but her bumper form worked out well, with Queens Gamble unbeaten in three starts and recording a Listed success and Golden Ace – who had finished 9 lengths behind her at Aintree – developed into a very smart novice and won the aforementioned Dawn Run and again at Cheltenham in April. Now rated 131, the six-year-old looks to be on a fair mark and it seems that her connections are targeting the Greatwood Hurdle at Cheltenham in November. If she wins that valuable early-season handicap, it could be that she is back into pattern-class company before too long.
MOON CHIME
DAVID KILLAHENA & GRAEME McPHERSON
The winner of a couple of good-ground bumpers either side of his 2023 summer break, he finished third in a Listed bumper at Cheltenham and after filling the same position on hurdles debut at Kempton, won his last two starts. Successful at Huntingdon, he was a fortunate winner on heavy ground over 2m4½f at Newcastle (left in front) and perhaps, his stamina was stretched in that contest. Dropping back to a stiff 2m might prove to be ideal and from an opening mark of 117, he looks capable of making his presence felt in handicap company. Despite winning on a right-handed track, he has shaped as though he would be better racing left-handed and he can continue to improve as he matures.
PUSH THE BUTTON
NIGEL TWISTON-DAVIES
Off the track since winning at Warwick in November, the grey is expected to return in the coming months and is another who will appreciate stepping up to 3m or thereabouts. The winner of a bumper at Bangor-on-Dee in April 2023, he won at Worcester in late-September and made it two-from-three over hurdles at the expense of Cherie d’Am when last seen. The runner-up advertised the form by winning a handicap next time and ended the campaign with a third placing in the Sefton Novices’ Hurdle at Aintree and this son of Kingston Hill remains open to any amount of improvement. Officially rated 132, it could be that he is aimed at a decent handicap hurdle to begin with, but he could come into his own once sent chasing further down the line.
SEATOIT
KIM BAILEY
A newcomer to the Kim Bailey stable, he ran in a couple of bumpers in Ireland before the turn of the year and was subsequently bought for £120,000. A five-year-old by Affinisea, he has been given plenty of time to adjust to his new surroundings and looks capable of making an impact as a novice hurdler for his new connections. He shapes like he will appreciate a stiffer test of stamina.
TELLHERTHENAME
JONJO & AJ O'NEILL
A horse who was trained in the county last season but has since moved stables to be trained by Jonjo and A J O’Neill. Collared late-on at Ascot on his Rules debut, he has an enthusiastic way of going and twice won with ease at Huntingdon, on the first occasion beating the 140-rated Lucky Place by 14 lengths. Disappointing on soft ground at Aintree on Boxing Day, conditions were again probably softer than ideal when he faded out of contention in the Supreme at Cheltenham and he is likely to be seen at his best when the emphasis is on speed and the ground isn’t too bad. Officially rated 135, he could be aimed at a good handicap hurdle – something like the Welsh Champion Hurdle or the Greatwood would appeal as a possible early-season target – or go chasing. Another Irish Points winner, the Wayward Lad at Kempton over Christmas could prove to be an ideal objective, if that route is chosen. A keen-going five-year-old, he remains an exciting prospect and could be well-handicapped at present.
THE JUKEBOX MAN
BEN PAULING
A highly-progressive six-year-old, he won his first two starts over hurdles before finishing third in the Challow at Newbury and appreciated the longer trip when finishing runner-up in the Albert Bartlett at Cheltenham and Aintree’s Sefton Novices’ Hurdle. He ended the campaign rated 148 and promises to develop into a high-class staying novice chaser and given that he is unbeaten in three starts at the South Wales venue, don’t be surprised to see him sent back to Ffos Las for his chasing debut. A horse who loves deep ground, he can be expected to gain a much-deserved Graded success at some stage this season and although he clearly stays 3m well, should be more than capable of starting off over an intermediate trip, especially when the ground is in his favour.
TRIPOLI FLYER
FERGAL O'BRIEN
Although he was beaten by stable-mate Horaces Pearl in the Grade 2 bumper at Aintree, he came out of the race with great credit and in fact, travelled through the contest like much the best horse. The fourth placed Valgrand won a couple of hurdle races during May to give the form a small boost and his earlier defeat of Kingston Pride (won next time) and Castle Ivers (also won next time, before finishing a long way back at Aintree) at Lingfield also reads particularly well. A strong-travelling son of Getaway, he looks sure to appreciate a truly-run race over the minimum trip as a hurdler and is likely to be one of the horses who new stable-jockey Jonathan Burke is most looking forward to riding for trainer Fergal O’Brien.
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