British novice chasers could be capable of challenging Irish domination

Both Marine Nationale (170), and Il Etait Temps (169), have overtaken Jonbon (168) in the two-mile chase division courtesy of events in the BetMGM Queen Mother Champion Chase at Cheltenham, and the bet365 Celebration Chase at Sandown, with Nicky Henderson’s Jonbon slipping from that same figure of 170 in 2023/204. Worryingly, there is also a great deal of uncertainty with regards the future career of the top British-trained novice chaser Sir Gino (163).

However, while acknowledging that, overall, the British have “a bit of catching up to do” with regards their chasers, it is the same novice division which offers some hope for the future. Chris Nash, Handicapper at the British Horseracing Authority (BHA) says:

“This time last year (2023/24) only six British-trained novice chasers featured in the Classifications (150+), but that number has increased to thirteen this year. They include three Grade One winners in Caldwell Potter, Jango Baie, and Kalif Du Berlais who, along with a few others, provide some hope that, if they continue their progression next year, they might be capable of challenging the Irish domination in the chase rankings.”

Even though Fact To File (173) is well ahead of Ahoy Senor, and Protektorat (both 165), in the middle-distance division – Grey Dawning (166) being labelled as a two-miler - Nash was looking to younger, up-and-coming rivals to potentially raise their game yet further.

Handstands (157), winner of the Grade One Virgin Bet Scilly Isles Novice Chase at Sandown, beating Jango Baie by a short head, the improving Caldwell Potter (155), and the lightly-raced Gidleigh Park (155) all nominated as “interesting horses with an upside.”

Over shorter distances the Rosconn Group Maghull Novices' Chase winner Kalif du Berlais (156), and L’Eau du Sud (third, but “competitive in a variety of races last season”), were offered as likely candidates to progress onwards in 2025-26.

However, it is inescapable that things are far more challenging in the stayers’ division, with the National Hunt Chase and BoyleSports Irish winner Haiti Couleurs (152) still some way off being able to compete against the likes of Galopin des Champs and Inothewayurthinkin in a Boodles Cheltenham Gold Cup.

Inothewayurthinkin not only thwarted Galopin Des Champs in his hat-trick mission in the Boodles Cheltenham Gold Cup, but Gavin Cromwell’s seven-year-old has now joined his illustrious rival at the top of the Anglo-Irish Chase Classifications, earning a rating of 176.

The pair have become the first horses to share top honours since 1999/2000 – the debut year of the Classifications – when Looks Like Trouble and See More Business were unable to be separated on 174.

Shay Quinn, Senior National Hunt Handicapper at the Irish Horseracing Regulatory Board (IHRB), said:

“Ireland’s domination of the steeplechase Classifications continued for the 2024/25 season with all six categories topped by horses trained in Ireland.

“Galopin Des Champs was the highest rated horse in training for the third consecutive year, although this year he shared the honour with the impressive Gold Cup winner Inothewayurthinkin.

“Fact to File (173) was the clear winner of the middle-distance division thanks to a scintillating display in the Ryanair, while Marine Nationale (170) cemented his position as the top two-mile chaser around following wins in both the Cheltenham and Punchestown Champion chases.”

Ireland also led the way in the novice chase division with Majborough (164) bouncing back from his My Pension Expert Arkle Challenge Trophy defeat to Jango Baie (158) with what IHRB Handicapper Shay Quinn described as “a devastating performance” in the Barberstown Castle Novice Chase at the Punchestown Festival.

That figure of 164, while below the likes of El Fabiolo (170), and Gaelic Warrior (166) in previous years, was labelled as “above average”, with Quinn stating:

“Majborough is a gorgeous big horse. He’s a lightly-raced five-year-old who can only improve next year, and if he can keep his jumping together, it’s hard to see where the ceiling of his ability could be.”

The Irish were also responsible for both the top middle-distance, and staying novices,’ with Ballyburn and Lecky Watson earning end of season figures of 159.

However, Quinn was more slightly more reserved in his praise for the Willie Mullins duo. Ballyburn failing to justify favouritism at Cheltenham (Brown Advisory) and Punchestown (Dooley Insurance Champion Novice), and Lecky Watson falling early in that same Punchestown contest, also bringing down Impaire Et Passe, which left Quinn asking some basic questions about that form.

“Lecky Watson is a very likeable horse with a great attitude who should continue to progress, but to put his figure in context, Fact To File was 162 last year, and you’d expect these high-class novices to be in the 160s. In fairness to him, his fall early at Punchestown probably deprived him of the opportunity to improve upon that figure.”

Quinn’s overall assessment of the staying Irish novice division, which also included ChampKiely (158), Better Days Ahead, Croke Park, and Stellar Story (all 154), was being “strong numerically, but not sure how many superstars we have.”