Gerri Colombe – Gordon Elliott
As a 9yo turning 10yo, Gerri will be the oldest horse on this list but a horse with just 14 runs under rules cannot be anything other than still unexposed. There’s an argument that he’s probably beyond his peak now given his age, but that peak saw him run a 3 length second to Galopin Des Champs in the 2024 Gold Cup, a race which I believe there were plenty of reasons to expect he could bridge that gap.
With Inothewayurthinkin the new leading light in the open stayer’s division it looks like there’s another, larger bridge to gap now but for all that I’m a huge advocate of Cheltenham being the pinnacle of this sport, there are other major races throughout the season that Gerri could target and land.
He was once a King George favourite for the 2023 renewal before staying in Ireland and being slammed by Galopin Des Champs but a season focussed on starting at Down Royal and ending at Aintree is likely to be the ideal plan. Everything in between could be up for review and I’m sure the Gold Cup will be taken in as per Gordon’s comments when he was ruled out of last season back in February.
“It’s not career ending or especially serious but it’s come at the wrong time of the season so we’re going to have to rule him out of the spring festivals. It’s a big blow for ourselves and the Robcour team but we will concentrate on getting him right for next season when hopefully all roads will lead back to the Gold Cup.”
Lucky Place – Nicky Henderson
A horse on my list last year who ran with great credit at the start of the season but faltered in the spring. Overall, that might be a little harsh to say as he started with a 144 RPR and ended with a 149.
He was potentially seen as a chaser last season but hurdles ended up being the plan so I’d be expectant that it will be novice chasing this season for him and he’s proven his ability at the middle trip by landing two Grade 2’s last season.
Officially rated 153 and with 3 mile stamina questions to answer there looks to be a bit to learn through this season but in doing so he might just pick up some nice pots earlier in the campaign again, or if things don’t quite work out, he could be seen as a major spring festival contender in handicaps over either obstacle.
One thing’s for sure, Lucky Place is still a horse yet to reach his ceiling.
Kitzbuhel – Willie Mullins
This 5yo turning 6yo has had just one season for Willie Mullins and the Donnellys but manged to land a Grade 3 hurdle on his season stable start and was then backed into favouritism for Aintree’s Grade 1 Hurdle where he was incredibly worked up pre-race and as keen as any horse I’ve seen throughout. I thought it was a remarkable effort to travel as far through to race as he did, given he travelled so keenly and then after at Sandown with the hood applied, I think he was just caught for speed.
His sire Cokoriko has produced a Thyestes winner in Coko Beach and a Grand National favourite and fourth in last season’s Iroko. Kitzbuhel sits third already on the list of best RPR’s recorded from his progeny but I do believe that he’s got the potential to be a very smart staying chaser this season.
I don’t see him slipping down from his OR of 153 to the ceiling of 145 for the National Hunt Chase at Cheltenham and I’m not sure he’s going to be able to show enough this coming season to be a Brown Advisory contender, but he’s absolutely a horse to follow for the season and there is no better trainer than Willie Mullins to plot out a campaign such as he did with Nick Rockett last season.
Kitzbuhel is firmly on the list of horses to follow, and not just for next season.
Willie Mullins Quote – “Kitzbuhel is a fine, big horse, and I’d imagine we’ll be going novice chasing with him this season. He looks a staying division type.”
In D’Or – Venetia Williams
One of two on the list as part of the David Maxwell Dispersal Sale at Cheltenham and this Venetia Williams trained 7yo won his first two chase starts doing most of the winning himself. He jumped from a 119-rated hurdler to a 133-rated chaser in those first two starts and then slightly faded off in the spring.
However, we know how Venetia develops these types of staying chasers and in their second seasons there is often a huge amount of progression to be had.
Quite where he is aimed I’m not entirely sure, but I know his trainer will be keen to keep him as part of the dispersal and in doing so that would be a big nod to potential this horse has for the upcoming season.
El Cairos – Gary & Josh Moore
Second of the David Maxwell Dispersal Sale at Cheltenham horses and it’s not hard to be excited about El Cairos given he was an eye-catching 5th in the Champion Bumper and backed that up with a very good second at Punchestown after. He travelled into the lead and I think that David Maxwell was sat on the best horse but just lacked the experience at Punchestown to ride him to best effect.
He’s a horse I wouldn’t be surprised to see being picked up by owners on either side of the Irish sea and for me, he’s the most exciting horse David Maxwell has ever owned, and he genuinely looks like he’ll be a Grade 1 hurdler this season.
Honesty Policy – Gordon Elliott
One of the performances of the week from Aintree for me was that of Honesty Policy in the Mersey Novices’ Hurdle given he’s only left the point-to-point field last October and made his hurdling debut in January. It was his first test of graded company so to land the Grade 1 was a well above average performance.
He stepped up in trip after at Punchestown where he only found Albert Bartlett winner Jasmin De Vaux too good. Still, he lost little in defeat and ending the season as a 145-rated horse having only raced under rules for slightly under 5 months is worth much more than his literal figure.
He’s a horse who will be chasing this season and you’d think at this point he’d be trying to build himself into a Brown Advisory type by next spring.
The Jukebox Man – Ben Pauling
Ben Pauling has had some nice novice chasers over the years and The Jukebox Man taking last seasons Kauto Star Novices chase is right up there as one of the best. Injury after meant he was unable to continue his novice campaign into the spring but having finished second at Cheltenham and Aintree the season before, he’s already notched up decent spring festival form.
Of course, the season isn’t all about the spring and The Jukebox Man showed that by landing a Grade 2 and Grade 1 Novice chase from his only two starts over fences at the end of 2024. He’s proved himself to be versatile in terms of going with last seasons wins on good-to-oft and good but the prior season he won on heavy and soft.
He’s a lightly raced 7yo which does temper enthusiasm when buying into the trainers Gold Cup aspirations for this season but surely off a mark of 151 something like the Coral Gold Cup (Old Hennessy) would look like a tempting early season target.
What route he goes down this season will be hard to predict, but he’s certainly a horse to follow and this might just be the season to see him reach his peak, providing he can string a few runs together.
Western Knight – Joe Tizzard
This big stamp of chaser looked very much like he was ticking boxes by hurdling last season and looks the epitome of “everything he does over hurdles is a bonus”.
While his OR of 132 would leave him as a horse who is some way short of the top end, he’s a horse who surely is capable of improving at least a stone for fences and he’s also a horse who started last season very well.
Not entirely sure what his best trip might be this season although I’d err on the side he’ll be better about the middle distance, but he looks like the type to have lots of options and I’d be very surprised if he doesn’t pick up a decent handicap this season.
Coco Mademoiselle – Dan Skelton
Turned into quite a disappointing season for this mare after she started things off with a great effort on chasing debut back in late September on soft ground. Twice after was declared only for meetings to be called off which mean going into the end of 2024 she’d likely peaked over her early targets without getting the chance to run.
She was taken back and held onto for the spring where she was sent off favourite on 5 consecutive occasions and won on three of those. She climbed 17lbs in that process, but I don’t believe she’s reached her peak as a chaser as those last three runs came left-handed when she’s shown a tendency at times to go right and she handles slower ground too.
I’m not sure what campaign will look like, but I’d think there is some unfinished early season business that connections will be looking to take advantage of and I’m excited to see how she fares over the next 6/7 months.
Be Aware – Dan Skelton
Dan Skeltons charge has become a frustrating horse to follow which might not seem like the best introduction for an entry on a horses to follow list. He’s also winless from his last 7 starts meaning his sole victory came on his racecourse debut.
He did however run a blinder on multiple occasions in his novice season then started last year with a half length second in the Greatwood Hurdle. He started last season on a mark of 130 and he’s ended it on a mark of 136 which still looks potentially lenient.
Twice sent off as favourite for spring festival handicaps where he failed to deliver, but he’s now well known as being a bit of a tough horse to ride and he can sulk in the hustle and bustle of a big field contest. Still, on these shores before the Irish send their bigger guns over he should handle the standards and another tilt at the Greatwood would like highly likely.
His mentality is still a concern, maybe fences will help him settle and deal with things but overall I still believe he’s one of the better handicapped horses in training and he’s with the right trainer to land a pot, whether that be a short or long term plan.