Winless Ones To Watch part two: five more Jumps horses to follow

Trainer: Tom Ellis

Ideal conditions: Handicap hurdles over two miles

With Tom Ellis making the transition to training under Rules last year, this season promises to be a big one; particularly since a brand-new gallop has recently been installed and the stable has doubled in size since he first took out his licence. 

While Anariza didn’t get her head in front last season, she looks like a mare with plenty of potential. Interestingly, she was also Ellis's last winner in the pointing sphere. Following her win in a Point-to-Point Flat race, he said: “she’s a very smart filly. This one is not for sale… we could go to the Aintree bumper with her."

She duly ran at Aintree, finishing a fair fourth under a very patient ride. While no match for Bear Market and the high-class Miami Magic, she shaped nicely and left the impression that there was more to come.

Her hurdling debut came in February 2025 at Wetherby after a long break, where she showed plenty of promise; travelling best at two out, she just looked to get tired after the last, which is understandable given she was up against race-fit rivals. The form has some substance, too, with the runner-up now rated 129 while the fourth is rated 116.

She was too keen when next seen at Kempton, when looking booked for third but for Miss Altea Blue falling at the final hurdle. It was still a good effort given her early exertions, particularly given the winner is now rated 125 while Miss Altea Blue came into the race rated 130.

Pulled up when last seen, that run is easily forgiven; it came at Cheltenham over two-and-a-half miles in a Listed race, and yet again her keen-going nature told at the end. While a P will forever be in her form line, she ran better than the bare result for a long way.

Still a novice, she also has a mark of 110 which will give connections plenty of options. Quite a keen type, she also looked as if she might’ve benefitted from another year to strengthen up.

Trainer: Dan Skelton

Ideal conditions: Handicap chases over two and a half miles plus

Named after his breeder and former leading amateur rider Robert Chugg, Chuggy boasts a mightily impressive pedigree: by Walk In The Park, he is a half-brother to five winners, including The New Lion and Kateira. Chuggy is yet to rival his siblings accomplishments, but while he probably never will, there are plenty of reasons to believe he is capable of better than he’s shown thus far.

Initially trained by Charlie and Francesca Poste, he was pulled-up in his sole Point-to-Point but the ground was reportedly “terrible”, hence the disappointing result. 

Sent to Dan Skelton, he made it clear in a couple of stable tours that Chuggy would be one for the future rather than the short term. Ahead of his debut, he said: “he’s a big chasing type… he’s a raw horse, not like the other two (The New Lion and Kateira). He’s nearly 17 hands.”

He also made it clear that he “didn’t have any expectations” ahead of his run at Hereford. Given that, his third-place finish was a fair run and left plenty to work on.

Next seen at Warwick, he was restrained early and travelled keenly in a small field. He couldn’t match the useful duo of Ebony Warrior and Aviation, who were prominent throughout, but he ran a nice race to finish third again, only tiring late on.

Given an opening mark of 101, his final start came at Bangor over two miles and seven furlongs. Given a patient ride, he shaped well from off the pace while just failing to latch on to the leading group.

Now only rated 100, he looked exactly as Dan Skelton described: raw and clearly a chaser in the making. Dan commented to me that he expects him to be progressive as a chaser this season, and on the evidence we’ve seen so far, he looks to prefer a sounder surface. I’m also hoping to see him try a more galloping track having been seen exclusively at fairly sharp tracks thus far. Two and a half miles should be fine as a starting point, although I would expect him to stay further as he strengthens and learns to relax in his races.

Trainer: Fergal O’Brien

Ideal conditions: Handicaps over intermediate trips

Not the most obvious inclusion, but I’m convinced there is more to come from this mare.

Having shown some promise in points, she was a no-show on her Rules/hurdles debut but displayed far more promise in her next two starts. Despite notable keenness, she was an eye-catcher in December, running on into a never-nearer third behind Koukeo (109) and Fingle Bridge (139).

Another third-place finish would follow, again at Uttoxeter, this time getting within four-lengths of Surrey Belle (125) with I Am The Moon (108) narrowly ahead of Feet On The Ground. As had been the case on her two previous starts under Rules, she was far too keen in the early stages of the race, running well despite this.

I was at Wincanton when she made her handicap debut from a mark of 99. Physically, she stood out in the parade ring despite racing against geldings. Unfortunately, she yet again refused to settle in the early stages but still made a notable move to make a challenge on the turn for home. Having jumped the second-last just a length down, those early exertions took their toll as she faded into fourth. 

A change of tactics was tried when last seen; running in a four-runner race at Market Rasen, Jonathan Burke set out to make all: but she didn’t look to appreciate being out in front and she lacked the gears to quicken on the good ground over the minimum trip, eventually finishing a distant second to D Day Arvalenreeva.

The winner had been eleven-lengths behind Feet On The Ground in a Novice Hurdle just over a month prior, but D Day Arvalenreeva as a decent flat horse benefited from the better ground and the relative test of speed, and she is now rated two-stone higher than she was on this day.

Feet On The Ground needs to learn to settle to unlock her potential. Her full-brother Hillsdale was also very keen and tricky in the early stages of his career, but with time and since going over fences he has improved two-stone in the handicap.

My hope is that Feet On The Ground will follow that path, although I do also think she will benefit from stepping up in trip once she learns to relax in her races. She also looks at her best on softer ground. From a mark of 95, I’d be disappointed if she couldn’t prove better than that once she matures.

Trainers: Lucinda Russell & Michael Scudamore

Ideal conditions: Novice hurdles over intermediate trips (and further)

Lucinda Russell has enjoyed plenty of success in recent seasons, and while perhaps more known for her prowess with staying chasers, her staying novice hurdlers of late have been well worth keeping onside: Ahoy Senor, Apple Away, Giovinco & Derryhassen Paddy all being recent examples. 

The next staying prospect may well be Conman John, who despite not winning in two bumpers, looks to have a bright future. 

Having finished third on his point-to-point debut in May 2024 (in a strong race), he would put in an emphatic performance six-months later when next seen, winning a four-year-old Maiden by twenty lengths.

He went from the front that day, pulling clear after the third-last in a visually impressive display which was backed up by the clock, as he recorded a time fourteen seconds quicker than the average for the day. The second has since won a point by sixteen lengths, while the third (Riskaway) was sold to Gordon Elliott for £135,000. 

He made his racecourse debut in February in a Newcastle bumper, and was well-backed to make a winning rules debut. Given a positive ride, he led inside the final two furlongs but was no match for Upon Tweed, who is a smart prospect in his own right and is a half-brother to the smart If In Doubt. 

He was then due to line up in the bumper on Scottish Grand National day, traditionally a good race, before being withdrawn on the day along with Lucinda’s other runner. As an alternative, they made the ambitious decision to head to Punchestown for the two mile and three-furlong bumper where Rob James renewed his partnership with him. Having been forced very wide on the turn for home, he never looked like catching the leading group but he kept on into fifth.

Interestingly, the fourth home was Riskaway, who was 23 lengths behind Conman Jon six months prior.

By Malinas, his dam is related to multiple winners and he looks to have a bright future once sent jumping. I imagine he’ll start the season over intermediate trips but he already looks a real stayer, so it shouldn’t be long before he’s tackling three miles. 

Lucinda Russell says: “We’re very happy with him. He’ll start off over 2m4f and we’ll probably look to step him up in trip as the season progresses. I thought he ran a lovely race at Punchestown and didn’t get the best of luck in running either. He’ll cope with the better ground, too.”

Trainer: Harry Derham

Ideal conditions: Novice hurdles over two and a half miles plus

Despite his gallops being washed away by torrential rain in November, it was another successful season for Harry Derham who continues to operate at a very high strike rate while he also recorded landmark successes at Cheltenham, Fairyhouse and Punchestown.

Another good season can be expected as they appear to have a number of very promising young horses; one who might not be the most obvious is Klub De Reve, but I expect him to develop into a good novice hurdler.

A winner of his second Irish Point-to-Point (the runner up won his next start), he was described in Mark Howard’s One Jump Ahead as “Still immature…a good looking horse who won’t be over raced this season”. Clearly a long-term project, Harry would later state that his main target for the season would be the Goffs sales bumper.

He made his Rules debut at Doncaster in January at a time where the yard were struggling for winners (no winners from their previous thirty-five runners before Klub De Reve ran). Harry also commented pre-race that he wasn't "fully wound up”, and so there are plenty of reasons to upgrade his effort.

Having travelled well and challenged for the lead at two-furlongs out, he eventually tired into seventh but, particularly given the circumstances, he shaped much better than the bare result. The form looks solid, with two next-time out winners finishing down the field while the winner finished a good fifth in the Grade 2 Aintree bumper.

Next up was the Goffs bumper at Newbury, often a strong race, and he turned in an improved effort to finish a creditable third, staying on very strongly. It perhaps wasn’t the strongest renewal of the race, but the fifth did win his next start and it’s a race that does tend to produce nice types, so I’d be optimistic that the form will continue to work out well.

It’s also worth noting that the sixth, Tiddesley Wood, had finished in third, four places ahead of Klub De Reve at Doncaster previously, confirming the progression he made here.

He’s shown a liking for good ground and looks like he will appreciate a stiffer test of stamina once hurdling. Harry Derham doesn’t mind taking his time with his younger types, and Klub De Reve appeals as the type that may continually improve as the season develops, rather than being one who is primed for his hurdling debut.

Harry Derham says: “Klub De Reve is a lovely horse whose sole target last year was the Goffs bumper at Newbury. I was very pleased with his run at Newbury, he has schooled nicely, summered well and should be ready to start in a novice hurdle in November. The goal would be to get him qualified for the EBF final at Sandown in March and I believe he's a horse with a nice future.”