An action-packed National Hunt season lies ahead with several months of top quality action in the UK & Ireland set to get the pulses waiting. With all eyes sure to be on the spring festivals, and in particular the Cheltenham Festival, our GG editor Steve Chambers picks out his ten horses to follow for the 2025/26 National Hunt season.
His list of ten picks out some proven stars that could be aimed at some of the premier races on the calendar, while he also picks out a few that are in the early stages of their career and will be looking to make their name as the season progresses.
Il Etait Temps – Willie Mullins
A multiple Grade 1 winner for Willie Mullins isn’t hard to find, but the manner in which IL ETAIT TEMPS ended his 2024 season with a dominant win over Arkle hero Gaelic Warrior at Punchestown, before an annihilation of Jonbon in the Celebration Chase at Sandown at the end of the 2025 campaign highlights his position as number one in this list. The top class grey is still only seven years old, so there’s plenty more to come from him and with the two-mile division now wide open following Jonbon’s disappointments in the spring and the unknown whereabouts of Sir Gino, who continues on the comeback trail, then Il Etait Temps could be the one to beat in the 2m sphere this campaign. Around an 8/1 chance for the Queen Mother Champion Chase, he may not be one for that race, as he’s been beaten in his last three visits to Cheltenham, but he certainly can knock in some Grade 1 wins over the minimum trip in the UK & Ireland this term.
Windbeneathmywings – David Pipe
David Pipe’s WINDBENEATHMYWINGS produced one of the finest bumper displays on the track last season, as he scooted to an emphatic 14-length victory over Moneygarrow in a listed event at Ascot. That success came in December, but he’s not been seen on the track since, so is a fascinating novice hurdler to keep an eye on this campaign. The Pond House inmate is around a 20/1, 25/1 shot for both the Supreme Novices’ Hurdle and Turners Novices’ Hurdle, which could prove to be decent value, if he can build on that victory. There’s plenty of smart bumper horses that jumped ahead of him in the pecking order last season, with Bambino Fever being the standout one, but the Pipe team are very buoyant about this five-year-old and he’s certainly one for the notebook this season.
Ten To Follow: Andrew Mount’s 10 horses to watch during the 2025/26 National Hunt season
The 2025/26 National Hunt season has ticked off its first big marking post with Chepstow’s Persian War meeting, but so much is still to come. Andrew Mount has provided GG with his ten horses to follow throughout the upcoming campaign, with one trainer in particular of note in the coming months. Booster Bob (IRE) 7yo…
Wed 15 Oct 2025Workahead – Henry De Bromhead
Sent off a 15/2 chance for last season’s Supreme Novices’ Hurdle at the Cheltenham Festival, WORKAHEAD ran no sort of race in the curtain-raiser of the meeting and languished home in last place. Prior to that run he had annihilated subsequent Supreme runner-up William Munny by seventh lengths at Leopardstown on Boxing Day, so it’s worth keeping the Henry De Bromhead-trained runner on your side this season. He was far too free in the Supreme and threw his race away through the early stages, so he will need to learn to settle a lot better. However, his win last December showed there’s huge talent there and with only three runs on his CV then he could continue to improve with every run.
Myretown – Lucinda Russell
One of the easiest winners of the Cheltenham Festival last season, MYRETOWN led his rivals a merry dance in the Ultima Handicap Chase to make a mockery of his 127 rating to land the prize for Lucinda Russell. Not seen since that victory, the eight-year-old could well be targeted at another big handicap prize this season and he’s sitting prominently at the head of the betting for the Coral Gold Cup Handicap Chase at Newbury. However, now rated in the 140s, it could be that he’s significantly better than that mark still and could it bet that the Russell team could look to see him sparkle in Graded company this year. Currently a whopping 100/1 for the Cheltenham Gold Cup, he will need to rapidly improve again all season, but he has shown he can deliver the goods at Prestbury Park in March, so who’s to say he couldn’t be a lively outsider for the blue riband event in the spring!
Monty’s Star – Henry De Bromhead
This time last year, our 2024/25 National Hunt Horses To Follow article managed to unearth the Grand National winner in Nick Rockett, so it’s worth having another crack of trying to find the Aintree showpiece winner for 2026! Well, step forward Henry De Bromhead’s MONTY’S STAR, who is a 40/1 chance for the Merseyside marathon, but could be that classy stayer that turns into a National type. Fourth in the Cheltenham Gold Cup last season, he was then third in the Punchestown Gold Cup next time out, but it’s those races that have just seen him struggle with an injection of pace. He would have a hefty weight to carry at Aintree, but class has risen to the top in recent seasons and he could be one that is targeted at the race as he falters at Group 1 level through the first part of the year.
Go Dante – Olly Murphy
Olly Murphy’s GO DANTE may be heading into the twilight of his career at the age of nine years old, but he showed when landing the Imperial Cup at Sandown back in March that he still has the ability to fight it out at the top in the 2m handicap hurdle division. Seventh in the William Hill Hurdle at Newbury on his previous effort, he’s sure to be targeted at a number of the leading two-mile handicap contests over the smaller obstacles this season and could be one to potentially land another big pot. Having won the Imperial Cup in 2024 and 2025, he’s sure to be destined to try and land the hat-trick in March, but he is certainly one connections like having fun with and the Greatwood Hurdle could be his first port of call in mid-November.
The Reverend – Willie Mullins
A narrow winner of the Old Borough Cup at Haydock Park back in September, whilst under the stewardship of William Haggas, THE REVEREND will be a very exciting jumping recruit for Tony Bloom and Willie Mullins this coming season, and he is certainly one to follow. Having won that Haydock contest over 1m 6f then it’s likely he could be aimed at the Turners Novices’ Hurdle or Albert Bartlett Novices’ Hurdle, but he’s a very exciting newcomer at Closutton and it will be very interesting to see the path the Mullins team take with him.
Masaccio – Alan King
It’s been a decade since Alan King trained the winner of the Coral Gold Cup at Newbury, when Smad Place produced a sparkling display, but he could have another grey that could well be a huge player in this year’s race in the shape of MASSACIO. Third in the Plate at the Cheltenham Festival, the eight-year-old ended his campaign with a win in a competitive contest at Ayr’s Grand National meeting. Second in the John Francome Novices’ Chase at Newbury last season, he is likely to return to the Berkshire track to try and land the Coral Gold Cup, and he has to be a player. Certainly one to watch this season, Massacio looks like one of those that could improve for another campaign over fences for the Barbury Castle team.
Santo Sospir – Gordon Elliott
Gordon Elliott’s SANTO SOSPIR produced a scintillating late surge to claim victory in the shadow of the post in the Punchestown bumper back in February and the Cullentra House inmate could be an interesting runner over hurdles this season. Having looked beaten heading into the final furlong, he picked up in fine fashion to land a debut success over two miles, and he could improve for a significant step up in trip. Owned by Robcour, he could well be targeted at a couple of minor events before looking to step into Graded company in the second half of the season, with either the Turners Novices’ Hurdle or Albert Bartlett a possibility come the Spring.
Victtorino – Venetia Williams
A real Ascot specialist, VICTTORINO has tasted success four times from his last five outings at the track and the Venetia Williams-trained seven-year-old is sure to be targeted at those big 3m handicap chases again this season. When compiling a ten to follow you want to see your horses campaigned frequently, and in Victtorino you have a horse who will continuously leave everything on the track, and while he will not string together a bunch of wins together, he’s a horse that you can rely on to big up a notable pot during the campaign. A must-note when lining up at Ascot, he completes the list for what should be a superb National Hunt season.
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