Horses to follow over jumps this season

Mister Policeman

Trainer: Willie Mullins

Timeform Rating: 149p

There’s no harm in thinking big at this embryonic stage of the jumps season and while already relatively well found in the antepost betting for the Arkle, I fully expect MISTER POLICEMAN could develop into a leading novice chaser for his powerful connections.

Bought out of David Cottin’s yard in France for 120,000 euros, the chestnut was already a hurdles winner and made just one start for Willie Mullins last season, belatedly starting off in a conditions race at Cork in early-April and being sent off even-money favourite despite the presence of a couple of experienced rivals with ratings in the mid-140s.

Mister Policeman proved to be different class to stablemate Cash Back, overcoming the odd novicey jump to win by two and a quarter lengths going away.

He’s reportedly taken to fences well at Closutton and looks a hugely exciting horse for Cheltenham-mad owners Rich and Susannah Ricci. (Matt Brocklebank)

Giovinco

Trainer: Lucinda Russell

Timeform Rating: 137p

An impressive physical specimen, GIOVINCO is very different in that respect to his namesake, the former Juventus and Italy centre forward Sebastian Giovinco, one of the most diminutive players in world football at just 5ft 5in.

The 36-year-old has been a prolific goalscorer in his time, though, and the equine Giovinco kicked off his career in similar fashion when winning all three starts in novice hurdles last season, capped by an emphatic defeat of some useful rivals in a Listed event at Perth when last seen.

Admittedly, that performance probably wasn’t quite as good as it might look on paper, but Giovinco has done everything asked of him so far, promising to have even more to offer when he makes the switch to fences, too. (Adam Houghton)

Sandor Clegane

Trainer: Paul Nolan

Timeform Rating: 141

Paul Nolan’s SANDOR CLEGANE, a son of Fame And Glory, looks a cracking horse to go to war with in staying novice chases this season.

The six-year-old performed with great credit as he racked up experience in top-quality novice hurdles in the last campaign, finishing third at both the Dublin Racing Festival and Cheltenham Festival in Grade 1 company, and that should be a nice platform for his switch to fences.

Bred and built for chasing, his excellent trainer can get vital experience into him before targeting the better prizes in the sphere as the season goes on. (Ben Linfoot)

Douglas Talking

Trainer: Lucinda Russell

Timeform Rating: 140

I can’t think of many horses who shaped better in defeat last season than DOUGLAS TALKING did in the Red Rum at Aintree (replay below), where his jumping was a joy to behold.

He was just worn down in the last 50 yards having forced a brisk pace there and improved further when second again at Punchestown behind the classy Dinoblue just 14 days after Aintree, a testament to his constitution.

He started the campaign with a win at Ayr off a mark of 118 so the fact he was able to perform as he did at Aintree and Punchestown with a rating in the mid 130s is a credit to him and his excellent trainer, and I don’t think we’ve seen the best of him yet.

Described as a “robust powerhouse” by Timeform, I’m sure he has a good handicap or two in him this season before potentially stepping up to graded company - his bold jumping, attacking style of racing reminds me of Editeur Du Gite, who won the Red Rum in 2021 before climbing the handicap ranks and going on score at Grade 1 level. (Andrew McLaren)

WATCH: More horses to follow

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