The 2023/24 Jumps Season is underway and we’ve got all our team to give their ’10 to follow’ for the NH season.
Matt Sutcliffe is the next to give his selections, which include an old favourite of his from the Syd Hosie yard, plus a Nicky Henderson horse he’s backing to win the 2024 Triumph Hurdle.
SAINT SEGAL (Jane Williams)
Saint Segal has always been a well thought of horse from the Devonshire based Jane Williams yard. He made a winning debut over hurdles as a three year-old and was subsequently pitched straight into the Group One Finale Juvenile Hurdle at Chepstow. His free-going exploits likely cost him the race, but there was no shame in finishing 2nd to the ill-fated Porticello, who fared best of the British trained runners in the Triumph Hurdle. Saint Segal made light work of a Warwick Juvenile Hurdle, before pulling away his chances in the Fred Winter.
The yard were clearly keen to send him over fences, as two starts over hurdles later he made a winning debut over fences, comfortably dispatching his elders with the 2nd and 3rd now rated 11lbs and 10lbs higher respectively. The small field didn’t suit him at Hereford as he was keen off a slow pace which caused him to make jumping errors, but it was a testament to his ability that he was able to keep on well and rack up the double a shade cosily. He lost nothing in defeat when a half a length second to subsequent G3 winner Malystic, though he was a shade disappointing when a beaten favourite down in grade at Warwick thereafter.
Prior to that race at Warwick, I was confident he’d go well in the Grand Annual at the Cheltenham Festival, though was balloted out having failing to sneak in at the bottom of the weights. You may say it’s early enough to even be mentioning the ‘C’ word let alone a handicap for it, but I’d be very surprised if connections hadn’t already earmarked that contest for him again. He’s a scopey son of Saint Des Saints who’ll undoubtedly improve physically this year, and he’s well handicapped off a mark of 137. Given his lower mark over hurdles (123), I wouldn’t be surprised to see connections begin in that discipline with him as they did last season, ensuring he’s cherry ripe for his chasing campaign.
DONNACHA (Nigel Hawke)
Several of Nigel Hawke’s runners last season found stacks of improvement once applied with headgear, particularly after run or two in the new aid. To name a few; The Imposter climbed from a mark of 76 to 112 with six wins from nine runs in the visor, Inferno Sacree won five races from eight once equipped with blinkers, going from a mark of 74 to 118, Professor Calculus and Bert Wilson were others who opened their account in a first time visor, Galore Desassances opened his hurdling account in first time cheek-pieces and racked up a further two wins climbing from a mark of 106 to 142.
The list is endless and it’s worth keeping an eye on the headgear angle this season, and it is certainly worth keeping tabs on his promising son of Jet Away Donnacha, who ran his best race in a first time hood at Bangor in February. Having been keen in his three starts prior, the hood clearly settled him on his second start over hurdles, as his travelled and jumped well prior to a mistake at the last which ultimately caused him to lose second place. The top three were split only by five lengths, some thirty-seven back to the 4th, and the winner followed up in a G3 Premier Handicap at Sandown off 123 next time out, and was by no means disgraced beaten 17L in the G1 Mersey Hurdle at the Aintree Festival next time out. Waspy clinched 2nd place from Donnacha and given Donald McCain had won three of the last four renewals of the contest including with the progressive Jungle Jack, he’s likely a nice type too and gave a nod to the form when following up with an easy win at Bangor last time out.
During the process of writing-publishing this, it’s somewhat bittersweet to have seen him win on seasonal returns at Chepstow, a shaded cosily despite the neck winning margin. I had initially thought he’d be making a winning return once in handicaps, but his mark has only gone up 2lbs and he can rate much higher yet. He’s by Jet Away out of a Heron Island mare from the family of four winning chaser’s whose top RPR’s ranged from 134-146 so it’ll be interesting whether they keep him to hurdles this season or venture into the chasing sphere, as he looked like he’d filled out plenty over the summer and jumped like one at Chepstow.
LOOKAWAY (Neil King)
The Neil King yard unfortunately had a torrid time of things last season. With just ten winners, it’s fair to say they were simply never firing and the yard were under a dismal cloud. However, there was light at the end of the tunnel when the highly-regarded Lookaway notched up two facile victories over hurdles in quick succession. King went into the season with high hopes for his unbeaten bumper winner, with the last win coming in the Grade 2 Bumper at Aintree. Sent off the 10/11F on hurdles debut, he weakened quickly after jumping/travelling well up front, and he fared no better for the experience at Haydock next time out. With better clearly expected, he was given a three month break and pitched straight into the G2 Premier Novices’ Hurdle at Kelso, finishing a well beaten 15L 6th/11 but posting an improved RPR of 121 and he was only seven lengths behind the subsequent Punchestown Champion Novice Chase winner Feronily. Obviously it isn’t wise to take that form too literally, but it was a testament to how well thought of he is that connections would pitch him in there from a break after two underwhelming runs, and he at least improved on those below par runs.
By Ask out of a Westerner mare, he’s bred for a fence and chasing will have always been the aim with him. His Point-To-Point (for 4yo’s) win was the quickest on the card, with the following race (for 5yo’s) won by the now 127r Broomfield Present, and he had Jonjo O’Neil’s 132r Collectors Item in behind, another who’s very well handicapped for fences this season.
With the yard hopefully in better nick this season, Lookaway is undoubtedly well handicapped for chasing off 122 should they begin down that route, and I’d fancy him to have at least 20lbs in hand should be live up to that earlier promise.
PRAIRIE WOLF (Sue Smith)
Growing up just around the corner from Sue Smith’s yard, I’ve always had an affinity with her runners. She’s found top horses hard to come by in recent years, but I’d like to think there’s still more to come from Prairie Wolf, who was an improved model in cheekpieces over hurdles last season. He added a handicap win off a mark of 101 to his two bumper victories, finishing the season rated 16lbs higher than when entering handicaps. Along the way, he notched up three second places, including a head to one now rated 12lbs higher (finished 4th in the Welsh Champion Hurdle) and he was beaten half a length in the Go North Series Final at Kelso in March when 5/1 favourite, though a better jump at the last would’ve seen him win.
It looked as if he was a non-stayer over three miles as opposed to being in the handicapper’s grasp at Ayr in April, and was put away for the season. He reappeared at Warwick this month with a staying on second to the favourite, looking very much in need of the run. Sue Smith’s horses don’t often tend to come to handy early on the season, so anything that runs beyond expectations is worth noting, and Prairie Wolf offered enough to work with to suggest a mark of 118 still underestimates his potential. He’s related to a winner off 129 and a Punchestown Banks Chase winner that recorded an RPR of 130, so there’s further expectation for progression. Though I do think he’d make a chaser, the yard don’t have many hurdlers of his ability to target those Go North series type races, and he’s the type to continue picking up valuable prize money throughout the season.
EMBASSY GARDENS (Willie Mullins)
Willie Mullins has an endless battalion of talent that I could have discussed in here, but one that I think is going severely under the radar as a staying chaser is Embassy Gardens. He looked all stamina when just getting up on bumper debut over 2m4f at Leopardstown, beating the subsequently 133r Santonito who was only 2L behind the subsequent 2022 Albert Bartlett winner The Nice Guy prior to that. The drop in trip didn’t suit in the Grade 2 Future Stars NHF next time out, though he was a likely pace setter for Facile Vega. He was then 2nd over two miles on hurdles debut, a race in which stablemate Minella Cocooner was always second in the previous year, before going on to finishing 2nd twice to The Nice Guy in Grade 1’s. Embassy Gardens was a beaten favourite behind Good Land after, though finally broke his hurdles duck with Paul Townend on board for the first time by a mere thirty five lengths. He posted a 10lbs higher RPR than when Gerri Colombe won the race the year before, and Mullins won the contest in 2020 with the subsequent Brown’s Advisory Novice’s Chase winner Monkfish. The booking of Paul Townend in the Albert Bartlett this year probably told us how well fancied for the Grade 1 he was, however his occasional inability to settle ultimately cost him a chance, and he was pulled up before the last. Townend ditched him for Gaelic Warrior in the Irish Mirror Novice Hurdle at Punchestown next time out which paid well, and he was put away for the season, likely with a chase campaign in mind.
A big son of Shantou out of the yards Grade One winning Adriana Des Mottes (won on chase debut, 4th to Don Poll in the RSA), chasing over three miles was always likely to the plan with him and I’d expect him to be a dark horse for the Browns Advisory Novice Chase or possibly the National Hunt Challenge Cup.
LETTIE LUTZ (Ben Clarke)
The Dorset based Ben Clarke only has a small string in his grasp, but he certainly knows how to improve one over fences. The Galloping Bear graduated from the point-to-point sphere before taking two hunter chases in smart fashion. He took the Surrey National off 135, and was later 2nd to Kitty’s Light in the Eider in February. Dr Kananga was another who followed a similar path, climbing from a mark of 112 to 135 over fences. Lettie Lutz is a mare who I was hoping we would see over fences last season, though presumably injury kept her out, however all being well we will definitely see her over going chasing this year.
By Mahler out of an Oscar mare, this sister to the 137r chaser Gustavian was always going to come into her own over fences, and her form over hurdles has enough substance to it too suggest she’ll be well handicapped off a mark of 106. She was two lengths behind the now 139r Good Risk At All on hurdles debut, and was a creditable 4th next time out behind the likes of subsequently G3 placed Dubrovnik Harry. She didn’t pull up any trees three handicaps later, but a return to more prominent tactics saw her open her hurdles account against some respected rivals.
With her confirmed to be going chasing this season, she’s a winner in waiting for your trackers and with her trainers track record, this scopey mare can rise through the handicapping ranks over fences this season from her lenient mark.
FARNOGE (Paul Nicholls)
You won’t see too many son’s of Camelot reaching the higher echelons of National Hunt racing, but I’m hopeful Farnonge can fly the Camelot flag under rules this season. He was a 125k buy in the ’21 GOFFS Land Rover Sale and bumped into the potentially smart Better Days Ahead in his sole P2P run at Lisnoragh in February 2022. Over a year later, he won a Uttoxeter bumper in soft conditions under a confident ride from Bryony Frost, and the from has worked out very well. The 2nd, Hasthing, was subsequently a two lengths 3rd in the bumper at the Aintree Festival, the 4th made a promising hurdles debut in this month, and the 5th won cosily on his hurdles debut for Olly Murphy at Hexham.
While Camelot isn’t an obvious source of National Hunt racing, he occasionally pops up with a smart one and Farnoge is a half-brother to the talented Hawk High who won the Fred Winter for Tim Easterby in 2014 as well as three other winning hurdlers, so there is optimism that he’ll have no issue in the jumping department. His owner’s are Jcg Chua & I Warwick, whose only other horse in training is the smart Complete Unknown, rated 137 over hurdles and 152 over fences for Paul Nicholls, so I hope Farnoge can climb similar heights for connections this season.
LIEUTENANT ROCCO (Syd Hosie)
Given he’s possibly my favourite horse over the last few years, it was a relief to see Lieutenant Rocco get back to winning ways for the first time since his Ffos Las Novice Chase win in 2021. A combination of a bad injury and multiple yard switches led to his decline since, but I saw enough even in his losses to suggest that the raw ability he has is still very much there. He made all in excellent style at Kempton in February off the back of wind surgery, and he gave Nick Scholfield a remarkable spin when 4th in the Cross Country at the Cheltenham Festival. He jumped impeccably in front, showing signs of his old self and exuding confidence, though he weakened away two out, ultimately not staying the trip.
Syd Hosie had a solid season last year, and if he can nurture Lieutenant Rocco to anywhere near his best for Tizzard/Mitchell, then he’s very well handicapped off a mark of 127 over fences. Prior to his injury he was favourite for the Ultima Handicap, and I’m hoping the yard tailor his campaign towards that contest.
SIR GINO (Nicky Henderson)
I’m aware the majority of these have ran several times, so I’ll veer towards one who fits into the ‘could be anything’ category. I’m a sucker for a French juvenile crossing the channel, and I’m hoping Sir Gino can provide Nicky Henderson with his eighth Triumph Hurdle success.
Sir Gino took the Wild Monarch Listed Hurdle in gusty fashion this April, and was acquired to the juvenile ranks of Nicky Henderson shortly after. The second, Salvator Mundi, has since been bought by Willie Mullins and both of them will wear the notable yellow and black Donnelly silks. Henderson noted “He is a gorgeous individual with the size and scope to jump fences in time, but he is still qualified to run in juvenile hurdles, and we hope he can progress and be a high-class horse.”
The form of his Auteuil success has worked out well with the 2nd and 4th going in since, and I’d expect Sir Gino to be a force in the Juvenile division this season. It’s Gino is relatively unexposed as a sire in the UK, but is best known for Lalor who was rated 153 in his peak, winning the Grade 1 Top Novices’ Hurdle and the Grade 2 Arkle Trophy Trial Novices’ Chase along the way. Nicky Henderson unearthed a smart son of It’s Gino in Impose Toi who looks set to be a smart chasing prospect this season, so it’s a plus that Henderson has invested in the progeny once again.
WALK AWAY HARRY (Charles Byrnes)
There’s more chance of predicting the lottery than weighing up a Charles Byrne runner, but I’m fairly confident he has something special in Walk Away Harry. By the red-hot Walk In The Park, his dam was a four time winner over hurdles for Donald McCain, including the Wensleydale Juvenile Novices’ Hurdle in 2004. She’s produced five winners in the National Hunt sphere, and Walk Away Harry has the attributes to be another dark horse for Charles Byrnes to play with throughout the year.
He began his career with a second to Shannon Royale in a Clonmel bumper on heavy going, staying on stoutly from the rear and immediately looking in need of further. He posted a smart RPR (123) first time up there, and that contest through up the Albert Bartlett 8th Shanbally Kid last season and the 132r Shantreusse the season before. They were/are destined for staying trips, and Walk Away Harry mirrored that next time out when going one better in a very deep looking bumper at Punchestown in April. He was again held up, travelling well in to contention before showing a good attitude to squeeze through a gap and run on strongly, getting up by half a length. The second was previously four lengths behind the current Ballymore favourite Ballyburn, and the time before that he was been 2L into 2nd by Fact To File, who was then 2nd to A Dream To Share in the G2 Future Stars bumper then the Grade 1 Cheltenham Festival Bumper. Third behind Walk Away Harry was the Mullins/Ricci horse Dr Eggman who won next time out, the 4th was also 2nd behind Ballyburn at Punchestown, the 5th was 4th in the Champion Bumper, and the 6th was beaten 4L by Supreme/Ballymore contender Mirazur West.
As documented, the form is rock solid, and he looks to be a promising candidate for Charles Byrnes over staying trips. He’s somewhat reminiscent of Blazing Khal, and I wouldn’t be surprised if Byrnes targets him toward the Grade 2 double that Blazing Khal completed at Cheltenham in Nov/Dec ’21.
Matt’s 10 To Follow
- SAINT SEGAL (Jane Williams)
- DONNACHA (Nigel Hawke)
- LOOKAWAY (Neil King)
- PRAIRIE WOLF (Sue Smith)
- EMBASSY GARDENS (Willie Mullins)
- LETTIE LUTZ (Ben Clarke)
- FARNOGE (Paul Nicholls)
- LIEUTENANT ROCCO (Syd Hosie)
- SIR GINO (Nicky Henderson)
- WALK AWAY HARRY (Charles Byrnes)
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
- Tom Aldridge’s 10 To Follow
- Jake Russell’s 10 To Follow
- Dan Corbally’s 10 To Follow
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