Racing TV's presenters and pundits Jumps horses to follow this season

This time last year our presenters and pundits picked out winner after winner. Top accolade goes to Steve Jones, whose selection, Golden Ace, enjoyed an incredible season, culminating with her 25-1 win in the Unibet Champion Hurdle. 

Mark Howard pinpointed The New Lion, a four-time winner last season, including the Turners’ Novices Hurdle, and who is now vying for favouritism for the Champion Hurdle. Peter Naughton selected three-time scorer Mr Hope Street, dual winners included Catch Him Derry, including at 10-1, (John O’Connell), Jade De Grugy (Angus McNae), Regent’s Stroll (Martin Dixon) and Romeo Coolio (Niall Hannity). Firefox (Lisa O’Neill), Gustoso (Nick Luck) and Strong Leader (Alex Steadman) were also on the board. 

Our expert team have again compiled a list of horses to stay on the right side of during the 2025-26 Jumps season. Simply click on the horse’s name and then the binocular icon. You can keep track of your horses via the tracker page (click here). 

Horse: Wolf Moon.

Trainer: Ben Pauling.

History is littered with strapping physical standouts who don’t have the agility for chasing but the way Wolf Moon jumped hurdles – including brush obstacles in his win at Southwell – during a productive novice campaign gives rise to the belief he’ll prove something of an exception. Not many seen on the track last season impressed as much, in terms of size and scope, as Wolf Moon. 

Horse: Kaiser Ball.

Trainer: Willie Mullins.

He made an impressive start to his career when winning on debut at Fairyhouse. He showed plenty of inexperience once hitting the front but when he got it together he powered through the line marking himself down as a smart hurdling prospect. 

Horse: Glenville.

Trainer: Ewan Whillans.

It’s fair to say that this is a horse well under the radar. Last season, he barely beat a rival in a bumper and then on his debut over hurdles, but showed a glimmer of promise next time as an unconsidered 100/1 chance. He then suffered a small stress fracture when falling two out at Ayr in January when his trainer reckons, without the mishap, he would have been second. Described as a “cracking, big, raw horse” he is bred to stay well and is a prospect connections are quite excited about. 

Horse: No Questions Asked.

Trainer: Ben Pauling.

Ben Pauling could have a smart handicapper on his hands, or maybe even something better. His form last season in novice hurdles reads well, with three victories flanking a second in the Sidney Banks. A winning pointer, he’ll be a force to be reckoned with if tackling fences this season and should be a fine sight flying along from the front – wherever he goes. 

Horse: Good N Kind. 

Trainer: Henry de Bromhead.

He is a gorgeous big horse with real presence – and has scope in abundance. He looks made for fences, and chasing could bring out the very best in him. A very exciting contender for the big novice chases. 

Horse: Captain Guinness.

Trainer: Henry de Bromhead. 

Why, you ask, am I putting up a 10, rising 11-year-old? Because, while he doesn’t show up in the early months of the season, it means he’s overlooked come March and the spring festivals. The Champion Chase winner in 2024 was 3rd at 25/1 last year and is 100/1 currently for 2026’s renewal, a truly insulting price for a solid gelding like him. You know this is the aim for the  year and the race routinely cuts up to a single-figure field. Despite his rising years, he’s greatly underestimated. 

Horse: Beggar’s Nap.

Trainer: Dan Horsford.

Ran once in a bumper at Southwell in May when chasing home a more forward horse of Nicky Henderson’s in Eremenko. A gelded son of Wings Of Eagles, ideally he will start out in novice hurdles around mid-October. He has schooled well and has the physique and temperament for a successful season. 

Horse: Mydaddypaddy.

Trainer: Dan Skelton.

Once again, Dan Skelton is blessed with a formidable team of youngsters and this unbeaten four-year- old could spearhead his challenge on the top novice hurdles this winter. An 11-length winner of a bumper at Huntingdon in March, the Walk In The Park gelding cruised into contention before bounding clear. Speedy enough for two miles, he could be top class and looks Sky Bet Supreme Novices’ Hurdle material. 

Horse: Not So Woolly.

Trainer: Joe Tizzard.

The Tizzard family have been responsible for some smart chasers and Joe looks to have another fine prospect on his hands. Not So Woolly was hampered early in the EBF Final at Sandown and couldn’t get into the right position, but he still ran well to finish fifth. A lovely big six-year-old, he looks sure to do very well over fences. 

Horse: Our Boy Stan.

Trainer: Ben Pauling.

We haven’t seen that much of Our Boy Stan but I hope he’s going to have a good season as a novice hurdler. The half-brother of dual Imperial Cup winner Go Dante has raced only twice but I liked the way he mixed both ability and tenacity to win what is traditionally a reasonable bumper at Kempton when last seen in late February. I hope he’s a talent and this 4yo has been in the Racing TV tracker ever since Kempton. 

Horse: Bud Fox.

Trainer: Gavin Cromwell.

An impressive “point” winner at Belharbour, he was particularly eyecatching in a bumper at the Punchestown Festival. By Walk In The Park, he could be one of the leading novice hurdlers for a yard that continues to step up the ladder. 

Horse: Rocky’s Diamond. 

Trainer: Declan Queally. 

Rocky’s Diamond made remarkable progress last season as a young staying hurdler. Winner of a handicap hurdle at Gowran Park in October off a handicap rating of 123, ending the season in the Stayers’ Hurdle at Cheltenham in March. He finished fourth then in a race that no five-year- old has won since its inauguration in its current guise in 1972. He was impressive in winning his beginners’ chase at Galway on his seasonal return. Racing over a trip that should have been shorter than ideal, his jumping was superb for a debutant, and he left the impression that he could be even better over fences than over hurdles. He could take a high rank among the top staying novice chasers this season. 

Horse: Dexter.

Trainer: Oliver Greenall & Josh Guerriero.

Benefited from a drop to an extended 2m1f in a handicap chase at Cartmel’s August Bank Holiday fixture. The very well treated French import was in touch with the leaders and made headway after two-out. He was ridden confidently over a furlong out and led towards the finish to beat fancied market leaders Prospect House and Rory’s Story. Expect progress when granted a good gallop over similar trips.

For more of Peter’s free notebook horses, click here. 

Horse: No Drama This End.

Trainer: Paul Nicholls.

Bought for current connections after winning an English Point decisively, he made an impressive rules debut at Warwick, comfortably seeing off a well-fancied Dan Skelton runner. He followed that with a promising effort in the Champion Bumper, where he ran with credit and gained valuable experience. He’s thrived over the summer and looks an exciting prospect for the novice hurdle ranks this season. 

Horse: Just Ennemi. 

Trainer: Harry Derham.

A son of Kamsin, who won two of three over hurdles in France. He got a mark of 128 and has been given plenty of time, and seems likely to go novice chasing this season. He is in training with Harry Derham who has a strong team. 

Horse: Begorra Man.

Trainer: Gavin Cromwell. 

This Flemensfirth gelding was an eye-catching fifth behind subsequent Cheltenham winner Kopek Des Bordes on his debut at Leopardstown last Christmas and again performed creditably when runner-up to Gameofinches on his only other start in a Punchestown bumper. He should do well over hurdles this winter. 

Horse: Carrigmoornaspruce.

Trainer: Declan Queally.

I hope this one actually makes it to the track in the right country, as my one to follow for the Flat season was sold to race in Hong Kong about a week after I pressed ‘send!’ Carrigmoornaspruce had quite a busy first campaign, winning three of her six bumpers, culminating in a Grade 3 at the Punchestown Festival in April. Yet to race beyond two miles, she should stay a bit further, though deep winter ground may not be ideal as she has displayed a telling turn of foot, one which will hold her in good stead when sent hurdling in the coming months. 

Horse: Mange Tout.

Trainer: Gordon Elliott.

She put in a decisive performance in France on her only start to date, looking very professional and exciting. She took the eye of shrewd connections and joins the Gordon Elliott team. A half-sister to multiple Grade 1-winning Impaire Et Passe with a good physique, she looks like she could be highly competitive in the juvenile sphere over the winter months. 

Horse: Anzadam.

Trainer: Willie Mullins.

Unbeaten in four career starts, he is clearly already a serious talent. I have no idea whether he will go over fences or remain over hurdles, but I feel certain that wherever and whatever Willie Mullins targets with this son of Authorized, he is going to be a big player. 

Horse: Heldam.

Trainer: Willie Mullins.

Sourced by the same team behind Final Demand, this €110,000 Derby Sale buy made a strong impression when winning his Punchestown point-to-point, beating the well-regarded Lord Rouge. Described as a speedier version of Final Demand, he’s laid-back, sharp when asked, and looks another exciting prospect for Bryan Drew and Willie Mullins. 

Horse: Vanderpoel.

Trainer: Ben Pauling. 

Impressive winner at Huntingdon on January 2, he duly bolted up at very short odds at Ludlow subsequently. Bigger targets were mentioned but he disappointed when he pulled up quickly, when up in grade at Kelso, and was then put away for the rest of the season. He’s fine according to his trainer and set to go chasing. Having missed major festivals and disappointed last time, he might just slip under the radar a little but I expect he’ll be very capable of challenging up in grade over fences. 

Horse: Caldwell Potter.

Trainer: Paul Nicholls.

His price tag is likely to precede him for a while though ultimately Jonbon managed to outrun that public predicament and in time Caldwell Potter will do so too. He delivered at both Cheltenham and Aintree last season with the latter confirming he’s a stayer more than anything and potentially a good one in time. He’d look a good fit for the Coral Gold Cup with normal improvement giving him a shot at the big Grade 1s as the season rolls on. 

Horse: Quai De Bourbon.

Trainer: Willie Mullins.

In hindsight, Nick Rockett wouldn’t have been too hard to put here last year if I’d looked closer. A second-season novice who faced lofty targets in his novice season and had the potential to improve with age. It’s easy looking backwards, but Quai De Bourbon has a similarish profile and could be well handicapped if he irons out his sticky jumping.