The 2023/24 Jumps Season is underway and we’ve got all our team to give their ’10 to follow’ for the NH season.
Our final 10 To Follow comes from GG writer Dan Corbally, who puts up some intriguing runners away from the likelier bigger names from other horses to follow lists.
JOHNNYWHO (Jonjo O’Neill)
We kick off with a very unexposed potential novice hurdler with stacks of promise, donning the famous Green and Gold silks of JP McManus, trained by Jonjo O’Neill.
Johnnywho was highly billed on the back of an authoritative Point success in 2021 and proved good things were worth waiting for when bolting up in a Taunton bumper in March. He had the talented Hermes Allen a long way behind in his point and while that form can be taken with a pinch of salt, he created a lasting impression in the bumper to confirm his class. That form hasn’t been tested to a high level but the visual impression was striking, travelling strongly and winning in a canter.
He may not be the easiest to train given that long break between appearances but if he can stay fit and healthy he could take a hand at the top of the staying novice hurdling division. He’s available at 20/1 across the board for the Ballymore & Albert Bartlett respectively at The Cheltenham Festival, with neither of those trips posing any fears for his profile and he can also be backed at 6/1 for any race at the festival.
MONBEG GENIUS (Jonjo O’Neill)
The next on the list is another Jonjo O’Neill inmate, however this particular horse to follow has a lot more form to explore and has already proven himself capable at a very competitive level.
Monbeg Genius was a fantastic third in the Ultima Handicap, pulling well clear from the chasing pack (The Goffer 8.5 lengths behind nearest follower) to finish behind Corach Rambler & Fastorslow, beaten just 2.25 lengths. Corach Rambler has since taken the Grand National and is now 13lbs higher while Fastorslow won the Punchestown Gold Cup and is now 18lbs higher. Prior to that he had been intricately campaigned in smaller fields winning in the style of a good horse on each occasion, while that likely won’t be possible this term he can confirm the suspicion that he could be up to taking a big pot along the line.
He was the subject of a market plunge for the Scottish National on the back of that performance but was a non runner on account of the ground coming up too fast that day, so any spring rain will be appreciated later in the season at the larger festivals and heavy ground earlier on in the season can suit. It’s hard to know what the aim will be at this point, but a potential pointer could be that he’s entered in the Grand Sefton in November, while that trip could potentially be a bit short it will give him some experience of the National fences.
CHIANTI CLASSICO (Kim Bailey)
The first horse in the list that we’ve already seen in action this season and another who gives the distinct impression that the best is yet to come, especially over fences, given he was a 3m Point-to-Point winner.
Kim Bailey has always held this horse in high-regard and he’s very much one for that old cliché of ‘whatever he does over hurdles is a bonus’. He went straight into a handicap on chase debut at Chepstow over just short of 3 miles and duly proved a mark of 133 too lenient, showing the benefit of a wind-op and a 210 day break. He ended his novice hurdle season on a low-note when pulled-up in the Albert Bartlett (suffering from heat stress), but prior to that was a perfect three from three and can prove even better this season.
The worry with him is that on the two occasions that he’s stepped up to Graded level, he’s come up well short. But off a mark of 141 we can definitely get a run for our money in a handicap or two before we need to cross that bridge. He’s done most of his racing on ground with Good in the description, so he may not be rushed over the winter in testing conditions but has handled and won in soft conditions too, so could yet prove versatile if connections take a chance.
PEMBROKE (Dan Skelton)
The only Dan Skelton trained horse (which took some whittling down) on the list who is yet another pointer, for those looking outside ex-pointers I promise we will have some who haven’t cut their teeth between the flags, but for now we press on!
Pembroke was a forward sort over hurdles and notched up a quick double in novices before he was the subject of a massive market plunge in the County Hurdle at Cheltenham, going off at 9/2 but ultimately disappointing, finishing down the field in 17th. He was then tried at Grade 1 level, finishing 5th having been ridden patiently. He retains plenty of potential off a mark off 135 and with a very promising chase debut already in the bag, finishing second behind Chasing Fire at Uttoxeter.
He’s entered in the Greatwood at Cheltenham and connections can have some fun with his mark this season and with Dan Skelton very much in the ‘it’s not all about Cheltenham’ camp, he could have some big Saturdays on the agenda before March.
STRONG LEADER (Olly Murphy)
Not really a cliff horse as he’s won too many to be considered that but from a personal standpoint this horse is a personal favourite, he may not be top of the crop but Olly Murphy’s Strong Leader is a horse I’ve always had a lot of time for. So much time in fact, that I felt like a proper ‘SHROOD’ having fancied him to outrun his price in the Supreme, only to finish 9th! However a promising 2nd at Aintree in Grade 1 in top Top Novices’ Hurdle behind Inthepocket did provide some respite and vindication. He had the horse named above, Pembroke, behind him that day.
Strong Leader went off joint-favourite for the Welsh Champion Hurdle already this season but again was down the field, with no explanation offered for the poor run. He was prominent for a long way that day before emptying quite quickly when asked for an effort and trailing in last. I can forgive that run with that being his first run of the season and although no explanation was offered I’m hoping Olly Murphy will have left plenty to work on with him.
He looks more at home on a sounder surface so good ground in the spring should suit. He holds no entries at the time of writing so hopefully his season opener hasn’t left a mark and it’ll be interesting to see if connections try again to exploit his handicap mark or if they take the step up to open graded company.
BLUEKING D’OROUX (Paul Nicholls)
A Paul Nicholls horse…at last! The only one to feature in this list despite the more obvious candidates like Bravemansgame, Stage Star, Stay Away Fay, Captain Teague & many more I was taken by the younger Blueking D’Oroux.
He’s only a four-year-old, but he really came alive after a wind-op last season, having twice disappointed when favourite in November and December. He caused an almighty shock at 50/1 at Ascot before attempting to back that up at the Aintree Festival 12 days later, just succumbing to a late rattle from Punctuation, having been prominent and leading for most of the way.
He’s entered in the Masterson Hurdle and the Greatwood Hurdle and could prove better than his 138 mark suggests if he can keep improving. Paul Nicholls will no doubt have a plan in mind for him over hurdles, but I thought he could be one top go chasing early in his career to exploit the four-year-old allowances, connections have opted against that though and he could have a big season ahead.
MISTER POLICEMAN (Willie Mullins)
A first and last horse on the list for the master of Closutton, Willie Mullins. Again despite his embarrassment of riches like Galopin Des Champs, El Fabiolo, Lossiemouth, State Man & more I tried to take one that was a little less obvious, but failed miserably with Mister Policeman garnering plenty of attention in recent stable tours.
He was the subject of plenty of hype and speculation when making the move from France to Willie Mullins’ base and duly delivered a glimpse of why he had set tongues wagging, when running out an impressive winner at Cork, simply nudged out to beat some reliable yardsticks like Cash Back, Sole Pretender and Fils D’oudairies. That was over 2 miles but he had good form over 2m2f in France for David Cottin, suggesting a step up in trip would hold no fears either.
In typical Willie Mullins fashion all avenues will be left open and explored with the regard to his campaign and whether it be over hurdles or chasing. It looks to me that chasing will be the winner of the argument with the Arkle already mentioned by Willie Mullins as a potential target.
IROKO (Oliver Greenall & Josh Guerriero)
The only horse to have won already at a Cheltenham Festival is Iroko for Oliver Greenall & Josh Guerriero, who took out the Martin Pipe Conditional Jockeys’ Hurdle.
Iroko has some similarities with another on this list, Blueking D’Oroux. They were both purchased from France as young horses and benefitted from time with their new trainers in the UK. Iroko however is unique in the fact that he was much bigger prices, 33/1 & 22/1, in Graded races as a juvenile hurdler before racking up a hat-trick over hurdles as a five-year-old novice, with the final leg culminating in that Cheltenham success. He opened up even more doors when a three-length-third at Grade 1 level over 3miles in the Sefton Novices’ Hurdle at Aintree, behind two runners who were fresh and swerved Prestbury Park assignments.
Joint trainer Oliver Greenall has already earmarked him as a Novice Chaser to follow, stating he seems like he’ll be even better over fences. He seems versatile with regards to ground and trip and while he’ll be hard to nail down a target for without seeing how he improves and what his optimum trip will be.
DYSART ENOS (Fergal O’Brien)
The only mare to make the list is Fergal O’Brien’s seriously exciting Dysart Enos, another recruit from the point-to-point field who showed a high level of ability in bumpers last season.
She was given plenty of time last season, given two months between each run, graduating from bumper to Listed bumper and Grade 2 bumper at Aintree. With the most impressive performance saved for last, when a nine-length winner of the Grade 2 Nickel Coin Mare’s Bumper. She took a keen hold that day so despite the three-mile point form she may be suited by shorter distances now sent hurdling with the Mares’ Novices’ Hurdle an obvious aim at this point.
She has hitherto been kept on ground with good in the description so we may have to wait a little while to see her. Given connections displayed plenty of patience side-stepping the Champion Bumper it’s not hard to envisage a similar approach this season, with the hope that it can pay dividends in the Spring, Fairyhouse and Punchestown could easily be on the agenda also if connections again felt that Cheltenham wasn’t a suitable test.
THREE CARD BRAG (Gordon Elliott)
Last but not least is another horse I have a sweet-spot for and is the only entry from Gordon Elliott’s Cullentra Stables – “He’s one of our, if not the, most exciting novice chaser we’ve got this season” – a quote attributed to Three Card Brag from owner Max McNeill.
He was highly billed last season, going off 4/1 in the Albert Bartlett, finishing fifth, just running out of gas late in the day having been prominent. He also finished within a neck of the previously mentioned Inthepocket who went on to Grade 1 success at Aintree. He’s very much unexposed at 3m+ and looks every inch a staying chaser on pedigree, with his half-brother Idle Talk placed in Scottish Nationals as well as the Grade 1 Sun Alliance Chase (now Broadway Novices’ Chase) over three miles at Cheltenham.
He’s been kept away from good ground with the impression being that he wants as much rain as possible, so keeping him in Ireland on proper heavy testing ground could be the plan early doors for the Cullentra team. However, he does has good ground winners in the family too, so it’ll be interesting if connections do take their chance on a sounder surface throughout the season.
Dan’s 10 To Follow
- JOHNNYWHO (Jonjo O’Neill)
- MONBEG GENIUS (Jonjo O’Neill)
- CHIANTI CLASSICO (Kim Bailey)
- PEMBROKE (Dan Skelton)
- STRONG LEADER (Olly Murphy)
- BLUEKING D’OROUX (Paul Nicholls)
- MISTER POLICEMAN (Willie Mullins)
- IROKO (Oliver Greenall & Josh Guerriero)
- DYSART ENOS (Fergal O’Brien)
- THREE CARD BRAG (Gordon Elliott)
Check out all our other tipsters ’10 To Follow’ for the 23/24 Jumps season here:
- Andrew Mount’s 10 To Follow
- Dave Young’s (Cheltmental) 10 To Follow
- Matt Sutcliffe’s 10 To Follow
- Tom Aldridge’s 10 To Follow
- Jake Russell’s 10 To Follow
Looking For More Racing Info? Check Out Our Racecards & Top Tips Sections
Make sure you’re following us on all our social media platforms to keep up to date with all the latest horse racing news and the best tips.