Away From The Spotlight: Horses to follow over the jumps this week

Horse Racing

Sun May 03, 2026 · 6h ago

David Massey may be gearing up for a trip to Chester's May Festival but he's also got his eye on several summer jumpers this week.

After a week off, the new jumps season gets rolling with a Bank Holiday bonanza at Fakenham and Warwick, and some very welcome rain is due over the weekend for both tracks.

The most interesting runner on the card at Warwick, without a shadow of a doubt, is Katy Price’s Jet Joe in the 15:50. If this wins, I’m going to look like something of a genius, if I say so myself - here’s my write-up for Jet Joe for the Trackside column after his debut behind Sober Glory at Chepstow in November:

“He grew on me in the paddock, perhaps done no favours initially by walking in front of the giant Tennessee Tango in the pre-parade, who made most of them look small by comparison, but once out on his own in the parade ring it was clear he had some size to him, solidly built, and was easy on the eye... I spotted him finishing off nicely enough back in the ruck and made a little note to put him in the tracker. He’ll want a lot further than this in time, dam Hollow Park (also trained by Price) stayed well... revisit once he has a mark and more of a trip.”

Well, here we are, he has a mark of 77 to work from, which on the basis of what he’s shown so far looks stiff enough, but we go up form 2m2f to 3m1f, which I think is going to suit him well, and he’s open to plenty more improvement now he does.

He’ll need it, to be fair.

It might be an afternoon to stick with the Joes, as Gentleman Joe, with the tongue-tie reapplied, makes some appeal in the 17:00 too.

Useful for Henry De Bromhead in Ireland, winning three times, he’s been a bit out of his depth in his last couple of starts for Matt Crawley but ran well enough in a 0-130 at Newbury in March to think he’s more than capable of taking a hand in this lesser grade. And as I say, the reintroduction of a tongue-tie makes him more interesting, with all three wins for De Bromhead coming with the aid on, and the booking of Harry Cobden is the icing on the cake.

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Fakenham seems to have more runners for their meeting on Monday than for any I can remember in recent years. These 10-runner and a 12-runner affairs are virtually unheard of in deepest Norfolk, but if that card holds up, it ought be the most competitive we’ve had for a while.

Grand Conqueror (17:13) another that, funnily enough, came from the same Chepstow race as Jet Joe back in November, has done nothing but improve since going handicapping and did best of those held up off the pace at Plumpton last time out, beaten just a head and the front pair 10 lengths clear of the rest.

The assumption is that horses racing at Fakenham have to be on the pace to win, but just as often the pace collapses as they go too fast too soon, and with Dream Diamond in the field, they’ll not be hanging about, as a now-retired commentator and lucky-bucket holder might once have said.

There’s not a lot to get too excited about on Tuesday, but Mi Sueno (20:17 Hereford) looks a bet. Two wins from 33 starts is hardly the most convincing profile for wagering, but she hasn’t been with David Brace very long (previously with Paddy Butler) and she ran much better last time out, finding only the fast-improving Little Lady Lucy 2¼ lengths too good.

The handicapper has seen fit to raise her two pounds for that, but to be honest that leaves her a stone and more below her last winning mark and is neither here nor there. If Brace has found the key to her again, she’s going to take some stopping here.

Onto Wednesday, and the 13.45 at Newton Abbot. You really don't need me to tell you that as the (earlier than usual) bluebells start to appear Mickey Bowen starts to go through the gears, and he’s got plenty of ammunition to fire this week.

Light N Strike hasn’t been with Bowen that long, this will only be his third run for the yard having left Emma Lavelle at the end of last summer, and two runs last October now look nothing more than a means to get 4lb off his back. It might be that he’s going to be a possible for Market Rasen’s Plate Day come July but they’ll not want him to get too low in the handicap and this does look a plan, given he won this very race off the same mark last year.

Best bit about this race? It’s on ITV4, so the big screens at Chester will have to show it, and that’ll provide me with some much-needed relief whilst I have to look at smaller horses in the paddock for Trackside. Might cause a stir if I start cheering him home...

Belle Le Grand (15:50) has the look of one readied for an early-season launch from the Skelton yard, much as was the case last year (form figures last May - two runs, two wins). She’s dropped ten pounds after a below-par season when Liam Harrison was on board for the majority of the year; it’ll be interesting to see whether Harry jumps back on board here, as that would look a big clue.

Huntingdon on Thursday sees a tracker horse in the shape of Tell The Tale receive an entry in the 15:50. Guess what - yes, ANOTHER from that Chepstow race that Sober Glory won (I could maybe have written the whole of this week’s column around that race if I’d put my mind to it), he was a nice-enough individual to look at, and his next start back at Chepstow revealed a bit more ability, finishing sixth and beaten under 20 lengths by Doctors Hill. Largy Panic (not to be confused with Delargy Panic, that’s when his kids have hidden his phone and he can’t find it when I call him) was one place behind him that day and he managed to win a little handicap off 93, so the current mark of 92 ought to be workable. Still early days, and he can do better.

And finally, if you think I’m letting a 0-95 pass me by you’d be wrong - there’s one at Market Rasen on Friday at 14:45 and it’s Glenridding that’s the early shout.

Basically a miler on the Flat for the Kublers, he’s shown some aptitude for Ewan Whillans since going hurdling and stayed with the leaders until quite late at Kelso last time, the 2m2f trip proving beyond him. He’s dropped 9lb in two handicap runs and there’s nothing wrong with his mark; the key will be getting him to settle and finish off a bit better. Game on if they can.

Have a great week, see you at Chester.

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