The jumps season begins with Chepstow’s Persian War meeting. To herald the upcoming National Hunt campaign as a whole, our tipster Matty Sutcliffe has provided ten horses to follow with a betting perspective in mind.
Marche d’Aligre – Seahenge x Simplon (Rail Link) – Jamie Snowden
On what was a typically cold November afternoon at Wetherby Racecourse last November, many of the crowd were excited to see what the promising mare Let It Rain could do for the Skelton’s in the 1:35 with a view to the Dawn Run later on in the season and while she won comfortably, a subsequent injury put her out for the season.
In the opener that day, there was one horse who immediately caught my eye in the parade ring and that was Jamie Snowden’s MARCHE D’ALIGRE. The son of Seahenge physically stood head and shoulders above his Juvenile five rivals in the manner of one who whatever he achieves here and throughout the season, will only be improved for a fence.
He was well backed into the warm 10/11 favourite and duly obliged despite a less than fluent fluent round of jumping. He was briefly shaken up after steadying into the third last and allowing the Dan Skelton trained Global Eclipse to close up, but once made to work under Gavin Sheehan he comfortably drew clear of the field to win an eased down 13 lengths.
Marche d’Aligre backed that up when second in the Coral Finale Juvenile Hurdle at Chepstow next time out to the 148-rated Nietzsche Has, with the G2 Finesse third Torrent in third and the subsequent Fred Winter fourth Hot Fuss back in fourth. His form tailed off thereafter but a lack of respect for his hurdles was for the most part the fault, and I suspect that a switch to chasing this season can see this imposing gelding get back on track with a workable mark of 118.
Derryhassen Paddy – Arctic Cosmos x Kerrie Girl (Golan) – Lucinda Russell
Lucinda Russell continues to excel with her chasers and DERRYHASSEN PADDY can fly the Arlary House novice chasing flag this season. The Arctic Cosmos gelding won a Tattersalls Farm 4yo Point-To-Point in December 2023 prior to making all to land an Ayr bumper on yard debut for Lucinda Russell two months later, drawing well clear of the second under Patrick Wadge.
While the field wasn’t all that strong, it was impressive to see him stride away late on despite evidently shaping as if he won’t be seen to best effect until over a trip, and it was a similar scenario on his hurdles debut at Uttoxeter last season. Derryhassen Paddy travelled well throughout and was shaken up after hitting the front on the turn for home, jumping consistently well throughout and gamely getting back up after being headed before the last.
He improved once more when sent up to three miles in a Class 2 Windsor Novice, again jumping well throughout and having to regain the lead from Skelton’s mare Honky Tonk Highway, with the pair pulling eight lengths clear of the third. He then fared best of the prominent racers in the Albert Bartlett when third to Champion Bumper winner Jasmin De Vaux and only four lengths behind Limerick G2 winner The Big Westerner, and he was still staying on all the way to the line.
Physically, he looks every inch a chaser, and unless the yard protect his mark for an Ultima I suspect we’ll be seeing him line up in the Brown Advisory Novice Chase in March.
Meetmebythesea – Watar x Lake Wakatipu (Lake Coniston) – Ben Pauling
Ben Pauling has a strong hand in the chasing division this season and Water gelding MEETMEBYTHESEA can play a firm part in that respect. He was a two length second in a Monksgrange Point To Point last March behind the subsequent G2 Leopardstown bumper third He Can’t Dance (eighth in the Champion Bumper), before making a winning hurdles debut at Ludlow in November. The front pair pulled 17-length clear of the third there, and it was a similar scenario when lowering the colours of the 130-rated 4/11F The Kemble Brewery next time out.
Those two performances marked him as a potentially smart sort for the future, and he rattled off the hat trick when making all under a slow pace at Doncaster, always looking in command despite the neck success from Mythical Moon, who subsequently franked that form when second in the bet365 Novices’ Championship Final Handicap Hurdle at Sandown in April.
Meetmebythesea made his handicap debut upped in trip at Sandown in the ever competitive Class One EBF Novices’ Final and was only just collared late on by two coming from rear, along with over-racing a touch throughout. That race can generally be a path for future star three mile chasers, with Many Clouds finishing second in it in 2012, though I wouldn’t be all that sure Meetmebythesea needs a trip at this stage.
He’s set to go chasing this season, and I suspect that he’d have enough ability to be aimed at either the Jack Richards Novices’ Limited Handicap or potentially the Plate that JP won with Jagwar last season.
They’re Chancers – Milan x Valentine’s Lady (Zaffaran) – Nicky Richards
It was brilliant to see the return of Paul and Claire Rooney to the National Hunt game following a long hiatus, after multiple successes at the top level with horses such as If The Cap Fits and Willoughby Court, along with The Last Samuri who was sent off the joint favourite for the 2016 Aintree Grand National, finishing a six-length second to Rule The World.
£70,000 Store purchase THEY’RE CHANCERS made a winning bumper debut for the Rooney’s and Nicky Richards at Ayr last January in the manner of a potentially smart hurdler for the future. The Milan gelding settled nicely in midfield throughout under Danny McMenamin and made smooth headway off the turn to take second, before drawing away readily on the chewed up soft ground while looking far from the finished article.
The son of Milan looks destined for a trip, unsurprisingly given he’s a half brother 2018 Irish Gold Cup winner Edwulf and a 2m4f winner for Lucinda Russell. I suspect he’ll start back at a track like Ayr between 2m2f-2m4f and while he did win on soft ground, his action and pedigree would suggest good ground toward the earlier part of the season won’t be too much of an issue.
Walk In The Valley – Walk In The Park x Flaming Queen (Flemensfirth) – Joel Parkinson & Sue Smith
It wouldn’t be a ten to follow column if I didn’t include at least one horse from the Eldwick based yard where I grew up near, for all last years’ selection Romeo Brown failed to fire on all cylinders (albeit he’s thrown in now and did somewhat return to form after wind surgery).
When looking at some of the yards new recruits last term I thought this one could be an interesting one for the future, as the yard wouldn’t invest in that many, if any Walk In The Park’s for all he only cost £6,000 at the Goffs UK Spring Sale.
WALK IN THE VALLEY showed up well in two British points when beaten seven lengths in each of them, and has steadily been brought on over hurdles by the yard. His three qualifying runs saw him finish a thirty eight-length seventh at Hexham, pulling up at Bangor and an 18-length fifth at Sedgefield, racing in rear/midfield on each occasion and shaping as if a trip may suit in time. He was far from disgraced on his third run however, as the front two pulled well clear and the next three home were only separated by two lengths, with the third hitting the frame on four of her next five starts (fell in the other) and the fourth won his next two starts as well as finishing fourth in the Scottish County Hurdle now rated 114 in this sphere.
Walk In The Valley’s form since entering handicaps has improved to a degree, travelling well at Catterick before weakening once the pace lifted to finish third behind the clear winner, then he made one too many poor leaps at Catterick before posting a career best effort at Newcastle despite finishing eight. He was only beaten eight lengths there but he was one of the first off the bridle and did make good initial progress once asked the question. The seventh there beat an 87r stablemate of Walk In The Valley’s next time out and is now rated 10lbs higher after another subsequent success, the ninth went in two starts later and both the winner and the runner up have both gone in since.
I thought he was quite weak as a physical last season and that largely will be why he wasn’t finishing off his races, but he’s out of a well connected Flemensfirth mare from the family of 2008 G1 Sefton winner Pettifour and I suspect with another summer on his back, he’ll improve markedly beyond a rating of 90.
Thistlebetheone – Arctic Cosmos x Which Thistle (Saddler’s Hall) – Keiran Burke
Connections will have been disappointed to see THISTLEBETHEONE tail off 35 lengths to the good on handicap debut at Exeter in March, but he reportedly hung right throughout and he was eased off on the turn for home when failing to pick up under Gavin Sheehan, shaping as if something was amiss.
Prior to that, he ran several credible races to suggest that opening mark of 114 was more than workable. He made a winning bumper debut at Kempton in February at 40/1 when making all with the promising Woodland Park back in third, and he backed that up under a penalty at Ayr to be beaten half a length by Gordon Elliottt’s Jazz De Cotte, with the progressive and subsequent Sidney Banks winner Califet En Vol back in third.
He put behind him a twenty one length fifth at Kempton on seasonal debut with a seven length second to the 4/7F Alexei at Taunton, and improved on that when a three length second to French Ship. Prior to that, French Ship had beaten Let It Rain at Chepstow and been beaten five lengths by The New Lion at Newbury (Califet En Vol in second), so that form stacks up well.
His only major blip came on handicap debut, and I’d imagine he’ll return a much stronger model of a thoroughbred this season. He does have chasers in his family and he shapes like one, but I wouldn’t be all that surprised if they keep him over hurdles for now and exploit what looks a more than workable mark.
In Limbo – Doyen x Silver Needle (Snurge) – Chris Down
IN LIMBO was sent off the 3/1 joint favourite alongside Shanagh Bob in a Ballindenisk P2P in 2022 with the winner subsequently taking the G2 Albert Bartlett Trial, and the second, Gorgeous Tom, now rated 150.
In Limbo has gone the other way to that pair, only making his rules his 733 days later when fourth to Kap Vert at Exeter at the beginning of last season. That was a promising reappearance, with the third now rated 132 after landing a handicap off 127 last time out and the fourth now rated 125 after his second in the bet365 Novices’ Championship Final.
In Limbo somewhat backed that up when a ten length third at Newbury behind the clear winner, and only half a length behind the second who franked that form next time out now rated 125. He made a disappointing handicap debut off 115 for all heavy ground appeared the blame, and he eventually made his breakthrough success when a comfortable winner of an Exeter novice.
Chris Down wouldn’t have the largest of strings, but I’ve long been a fan of this son of Doyen and he’s still relatively unexposed after just four runs under rules. His collateral form-lines read strongly, and while he could easily improve further in handicap hurdles this season, chasing will always have been this plan with this one and I suspect we’ll see him reappear in a good ground two mile novice chase down south within the next couple of months.
Lagertha – No Risk At All x La Grande Dame (Daliapour) – Katy Price
LAGERTHA was the first filly home in the £100,000 Goffs UK Spring Sale Bumper on debut at Newbury when beaten eight lengths into sixth by Regent’s Stroll, two lengths behind the subsequent G1 Sefton 3rd Crest Of Fortune.
She proved that was no fluke when a five-length fourth to Anno Power next time out in a bumper at Cheltenham, who franked that next time out when winning a short head on hurdles debut. I’ve followed her since those two bumpers and she jumped poorly in her first two starts over hurdles, but in typical fashion after I deserted her, she was well gambled on at Chepstow to win a Mares’ Novices’ Hurdle by ten lengths eased down. Interestingly, she was previously pulled out on a heavy surface on account of the ground but it was certainly deep enough at Chepstow that, and I’d be keen to follow her in mares handicaps on soft ground throughout the season as on her bumper form alone she looks to be on a handy mark.
She was outclassed in the Dawn Run, but he dam was a smart French hurdler picking up G3 honours and she’s still only a five year old, and I think she’s got plenty more to offer for connections provided she gets her conditions.
Bud Fox – Walk In The Park x Flaviana (Flemensfirth) – Gavin Cromwell
I wanted to get an Irish-trained novice on board here and BUD FOX fits the bill. The 4yo son of Walk In The Park was sent off evens for The Costello Family 4yo Maiden P2P at Belharbour for Derek O’Connor and duly obliged.
He made his rules debut in the ever competitive Willie Coon Memorial Bumper at the Punchestown Festival, won last year by the yards Sixandahalf, and he was well backed into 16/5 to win a shade cosily. The four-length second bolted up by nine lengths at Listowel last month, the fourth has won twice since in good style, and the 5/2F in fifth has won twice since including on hurdles debut.
Evidently he was in good company there and the money for him would suggest they thought plenty of him at home. He’s a typically imposing son of Walk In The Park, bred on the same cross at Grand National winner Nick Rockett and G1 Nathaniel Lacy/Champion Novice winner Final Demand. Though he’s shown the speed for two miles, he’s bred to improve for further and I’m hopeful he can develop into Ballymore type for connections this season.
Kingbel Du Lion – Non Rien De Rien x Tazabelle Du Lion (Passing Sale) – Venetia Williams
Royal Pagaille is the first horse that springs to mind when thinking of Venetia Williams and the Ricci’s, and they may have unearthed another gem in KINGBEL DU LION.
The ex-French gelding had just the two runs across the water, beaten a similar margin over hurdles and fences, latterly in a contest previously won by Excello and Sans Bruit who’ve both made their mark on these shores, along with Figuero in 2019 who’s since won two Grade One chases in France.
Venetia Williams does wonders with these French types, and he was off the track for 346 days prior to making a winning debut for the yard at Bangor last February under a confident Charlie Deutsch. Very few French horses, especially in the UK, tend to acclimatise and make an immediate impression but there was something quite special about this performance from Kingbel Du Lion who barely put a foot wrong and won by an eased down 12 lengths.
It’s worth noting that L’Homme Presse made a winning hurdles debut for the yard after a 773 day layoff and was only seen once more over hurdles prior to being sent chasing and winning the Brown Advisory later that season, so I wouldn’t be at all surprised if we see Kingbel Du Lion follow a similar path and go straight over fences this season.
His sire is barely proven with just a handful of horses, but the dam-sire Passing Sale has an excellent record under rules throwing up types such as Cyrname and Sire De Grugy, and I’m seriously excited about the potential of Kingbel Du Lion as I reckon he could rank very high among the UK chasers in the future.
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