Racing TV's presenters and pundits jumps horses to follow

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This time last year, our presenters and pundits picked out some beauties to follow over the Jumps, including the likes of dual winners Greaneteen and Mcfabulous, in addition to Klassical Dream, Two For Gold, Escaria Ten, The Big Getaway, The Big Breakaway, Captain Guinness and Saint Roi.

Our expert team have compiled a list of horses to stay on the right side of during the 2021-22 Jumps season, with My Drogo proving especially popular.

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Trainer: Willie Mullins.

Age: 7.

Unfortunately, Energumene missed Cheltenham but was ultra-impressive when making it four from four over fences at the Punchestown Festival.

An exciting second season awaits and, while 5-1 might seem short for the Champion Chase now, I can, with a clear run, see him going off favourite on the day in a clash that will hopefully include Shiskin, and stable companion Chacon Pour Soi.

A possible ante-post double would be him, and Klassical Dream for the Stayers’ Hurdle.

Trainer: Ewan Whillans.

Age: 6.

Ewan Whillans made an instant impact after taking over the reins from his father Alistair in August, and I hear this is a horse he is looking forward to over the winter months.

A tenacious little gelding, he has been given a lengthy break and has slipped back to a winning mark of 114. Three miles is probably just beyond him, so handicap hurdles from 2m to 2m6f are being targeted on soft ground from November onwards.

Trainer: Richard Bandey.

Age: 4.

He started life in France for Francois Nicolle and is a horse that first came to my attention when a strong-finishing second at Newbury in March, finishing ahead of subsequent dual-winner Herbiers, despite seeming to find the two-mile trip too sharp.

He then stepped up in trip and again shaped promisingly, beaten just half-a-length by Winged Isle (who won again next time) – despite his rider losing an iron approaching the third last flight which cost him some momentum. He already has experience over fences, so don’t be surprised if connections try to make use of the handy 4-y-o allowance in chases before the turn of the year.

Trainer: Willie Mullins.

Age: 6.

Kilcruit was all the rage for the Champion Bumper at the Cheltenham Festival but was beaten by new stablemate Sir Gerhard. Kilcruit continued his upward trend, reversing the form with the same horse at Punchestown in April, winning the Grade One bumper impressively.

It seems Kilcruit is earmarked for either the Supreme or, more likely, the Ballymore, for which he has already been backed ante-post. Previous Willie Mullins winners of the Ballymore include Faugheen and Yorkhill, so he knows exactly what is required.

Trainer: Olly Murphy.

Age: 5.

I think Olly Murphy is set for a good season, particularly in the novice hurdle department with a host of horses who won or shaped well in bumpers last term.

One of them is Bombs Away who finished runner-up on his only start at Southwell, after being well-backed. A full brother to Ribble Valley, he looks the part on paper and can develop into a smart hurdler this season.

Trainer: Oliver Greenall.

Age: 4.

Raced only once in France, when trained by Francois Nicolle, finishing just over a lengths second in an extended 2m 1f hurdle at Auteuil in June.

The winner that day, Sonigino, has since joined Paul Nicholls, but this horse was far more eye-catching having been dropped right out the back of the 15-runner field until well past halfway, before making serious headway in the final half-mile.

He looks a really exciting novice hurdle prospect for an up-and-coming yard.

Trainer: Willie Mullins.

Age: 5.

This horse might yet be a little underestimated owing to his patchy record in the early part of last season. He made amends where it mattered and his Punchestown win suggested he could elevate to genuine star rather than simply be another nice horse off the Closutton production line.

Trainer: Nicky Henderson.

Age: 6.

This half-brother to top-class Simonsig was forced to miss much of last season after his impressive hurdles debut, so it was some effort to finish third in a Grade One at Aintree’s Grand National meeting. He could go all the way to the top.

Trainer: Henry de Bromhead.

Age: 6.

No prizes for originality but why stray away from the obvious when they are this good? Awesome over hurdles and a natural chaser in waiting, considering his point form and pedigree, Bob Olinger could be the best novice chaser this season over the intermediate distance.

Henry de Bromhead’s horses tend to excel over fences, many actually improve, so who knows how good this horse could be? Let’s not start talking Gold Cup just yet though. A fruitful novice campaign will do just fine for this season.

Trainer: Dan Skelton.

Age: 6.

I hope My Drogo goes right to the top and proves to be one of those horses that quickens the pulse when running in top level races this season.

His performance when winning a Grade One novice hurdle at Aintree in April was hugely exciting and, when one considers this six-year-old only made his debut in October 2020, looks all the more meritorious given his monstrous progression in such a short space of time.

My Drogo might, given time and a little bit of luck, make up into a Cheltenham Gold Cup horse further down the line.

Trainer: Henry de Bromhead.

Age: 5.

Magic Daze did really well to finish second in the Mares’ Novices’ Hurdle at last year’s Cheltenham Festival, given how freely she raced through the early stages of the race.

Still only five, Henry de Bromhead’s mare should improve as she matures and, as a winner of her only point-to-point and from the family of Kicking King, she could be an exciting novice chaser this season.

Trainer: Henry de Bromhead.

Age: 6.

Henry De Bromhead has the brightest Jumps prospect for next season. He was a most impressive winner of the Ballymore Novices' Hurdle at the Cheltenham Festival, thrashing his useful rivals.

He tanked through that race and clearly has a big engine. What’s more, he has had just five five career starts, winning four of them, and could improve some more. The obvious move would be to go chasing with him, a discipline that should really suit this athletic individual.

There is no better chasing prospect around and more Grade One success awaits before maybe one day being pointed at the Cheltenham Gold Cup.

Trainer: Fergal O'Brien.

Age: 5.

She was impressive in the way she quickly went away from modest rivals at Worcester in the summer and I suspect she will be well placed by her trainer Fergal O’Brien, who has made another cracking start to this season.

She has been placed in point-to-points and is related to chasers, so could even go over fences in the spring. I like to pick a mare for these lists as I feel the opportunities are greater for them to win a handful of races. Mulberry Hill is effective over 2m4f, and will get further.

Trainer: James Walton.

Age: 5.

I am told by a very well-connected source that West Lawn could be the best Jimmy Walton has trained.

This home-bred five-year-old mare shaped well when sixth of ten on debut against some more experienced rivals in a Kelso bumper. Her dam, Garden Feature, won seven and was placed seven times from 17 pointing starts in Walton’s colours.

She is enjoying a summer out at grass, so remember the name.

Trainer: Henry de Bromhead.

Age: 7.

Henry has a well-earned reputation for turning useful hurdlers into better chasers and this one will hopefully be another in that mould. A progressive handicapper over the smaller obstacles last season, he wound up with a good second to a well-treated rival at the Punchestown Festival and should do well over staying trips when tackling fences.

Trainer: Dan Skelton.

Age: 6.

Considering My Drogo only made his debut last autumn, when sent off 50-1 for a “Bumper”, he has come a long way in a short space of time and, having maintained his unbeaten record over hurdles at Aintree on Grand National Day, is expected to take high rank among the British trained novice chasers.

Seemingly fine at 2m, or 2m4f, he is likely to appear around November and could run up a sequence prior to the Festivals come spring.

Trainer: Dan Skelton.

Age: 6.

He only made his racecourse debut in October 2020 but created a deeply positive impression through a hugely progressive first season that began with a second place in a Cheltenham bumper before winning his next four starts over hurdles.

Expected to go novice chasing and, while I’m certain you have heard the following predictions before, he’s got the size, scope and class to go to the top over fences. He’s my Arkle horse. Or maybe my Marsh horse. But he’s definitely got future Cheltenham Festival winner written all over his handsome frame.

Trainer: Gordon Elliott.

Age: 4.

He was a high-class juvenile hurdler last year, winning his first three runs over hurdles. I firmly believe we didn’t see the best of him at both Cheltenham and Punchestown on his last two runs.

He has reportedly done extremely well over the summer and filled into his big frame. He could start off in the Grade 2 WKD Hurdle at Down Royal towards the end of October. I think we could see more improvement as he steps up in trip as the season progresses.

Trainer: Paul Nicholls.

Age: 6.

His sole defeat over hurdles came in the Albert Bartlett but he still ran creditably against the best opposition he’s faced.

He should relish a fence and looks an exciting staying novice chaser for the season ahead.

Trainer: Paul Nicholls.

Age: 6.

A classy novice hurdler for Paul Nicholls, he was well placed by his master trainer last year to win four from five hurdle races.

He is a big staying chaser in the making, by the now late Shantou who was responsible for great stayers like The Storyteller. I think this horse can make up into a useful novice chaser this term.

Horse:Bob Olinger. and Appreciate It.

Trainer: Henry de Bromhead and Willie Mullins.

Age: 6 (Bob Olinger) and 7 (Appreciate It).

With the strength in depth right now in Ireland’s open chasing division, picking one from that bracket is hard so the easy option is to pick either of the star novice hurdlers of last season who are going chasing, Appreciate It or Bob Olinger. You can follow both blind. Simple.

Trainer: Gordon Elliott.

Age: 7.

In Galvin, we have a Randox Grand National aspirant who can pay his way in the big handicap chases. Turning eight, he’s actually a third season chaser despite winning the National Hunt Chase at the Festival in March.

That was Galvin’s first try beyond three miles, but he flourished for it and remains unexposed over staying distances. He’s versatile regarding ground, too, though probably best on decent surfaces.

Galvin would be high on my Aintree shortlist already but he looks on a fair mark, so it will be interesting to see how he’s campaigned beforehand. Either way, he’s a horse they can go to war with throughout the season.

Trainer: Nicky Richards.

Age: 6.

Named after a distinguished Donegal beauty spot, Murvagh Beach looks the type to make a splash in modest northern novice handicap chases for his renowned outfit.

He was runner-up to a cannily-ridden winner on his handicap hurdle debut at Newcastle in March, when he appeared to improve for both the step up in trip to 2m4f, and wind surgery, following his previous run.

Although nudged up 5lbs for that, this low-mileage chestnut remains eligible for 0-100 races and, being out of a half-sister to 2005 Gold Cup winner Kicking King and the useful Four Commanders, he should improve again for switching to fences.

Trainer: Henry de Bromhead.

Age: 7.

He is hitherto best known for being the horse who did his best to put Monkfish off at the final fence of last season’s Brown Advisory Novices’ Chase at Cheltenham.

He was loose at the time, of course, having unseated Rachael Blackmore at the 12th fence, but he had impressed in his two previous starts over fences and looks set for a fruitful second campaign as a steeplechaser.