The new National Hunt season is gathering pace and our columnist Daryl Jacob has five horses he's looking forward to riding in the weeks and months ahead.
I’ve enjoyed a good summer riding in France for two-and-a-half months and have managed to partner some nice winners for Guillaume Macaire. I’ve had a sit on some lovely young horses who belong to my boss Simon Munir, too, and it’s been a great experience but now I’m back and can't wait for the new season to get into full swing.
I’m really looking forward to my new role with Ben Pauling - it’s a very exciting link-up.
I could spend hours going through the full list of horses I’m looking forward to through the autumn and winter – but the likes of Bristol De Mai, L’Ami Serge and co will wait for the weekly blogs.
Here are just five of the others I can't wait to see in action (click on the name for full horse profile to add to your My Stable tracker):
BARTERS HILL: He missed much of last season with a tendon injury but is still a very exciting horse – one who could be out of the top drawer. I’ve sat on him a couple of times and he feels great, he’s like a big kid at home right now. Once we’ve got him right he might return in a handicap hurdle as the assessor has given him a bit of a chance, before we make further plans.
FIXE LE CAP: He’s going chasing. He had one or two little issues at the start of last season but came back and won a good Listed race at Compiegne in May. That rode like a really strong race and he’s back a bigger, stronger horse. He’s filled out more for another summer. Maybe the light campaign last term will be a blessing this time around and he's an exciting young horse who will be suited by two-and-a-half or three miles on soft ground.
SCEAU ROYAL: I schooled him on Monday morning and was very pleased. He was a 155-rated hurdler who makes his chasing debut at Warwick on Thursday. He has schooled very, very well and I’m really looking forward to him getting going over the larger obstacles.
WILLOUGHBY COURT: Here’s a very exciting one. He of course won the Neptune at Cheltenham last March when I was third aboard another really nice horse in Messire Des Obeaux. I schooled him over fences last week and he looks like a natural chaser. He’s clearly a Grade One horse and one to very much look forward to.
WHOLESTONE: He was a very, very good staying novice last season and finished third in the Albert Bartlett at Cheltenham. He picked up a very slight injury that day and I’m not sure what his targets are yet but he’s one I’m very keen on. Whether it’s over hurdles or fences he’ll be competing in the top division.
Sky Bet offer 2/1 that any of the above five horses win at next year’s Cheltenham Festival, it's 16/1 two do and 150/1 any three make it a week to savour for Daryl and connections.
- Excited about the new National Hunt season? Order The Final Flight Jumps Guide Annual - it's full of fantastic content and you can add the horses to follow to your My Stable tracker using the QR Code. Click here for more.
