Contrary to popular belief, not ALL roads lead to Cheltenham when it comes to assessing the forthcoming brand new National Hunt season.
It’s obviously nice when they do, but some roads lead to Aintree and others to Newbury, or up to Ayr, but some simply lead to the winner’s enclosure at your local racecourse.
For the purposes of this article, I seek to identify 10 horses that will hopefully bring their respective stables/owners some success this season, and with that, bring you the punter some decent priced winners from our horse racing betting markets.
ANACONDA (Lucinda Russell/Michael Scudamore)
Recruited from France over the summer, the juvenile winning hurdler Anaconda has already settled into to the yard routine and is an exciting prospect.
I’m expecting to see him on the EBF Juvenile Hurdle trail this season.
DSCHINGIS DRAGON (Henry De Bromhead)
If she is earmarked for a winter campaign, then the exceptionally well-bred filly Dschingis Dragon, can put on a good show for her Pimlico Racing owners.
After a couple of spins in maiden hurdles over the summer, she will be of renewed interest when sent handicapping.
HERAKLES WESTWOOD (Warren Greatrex)
A runaway winner at Newbury last December, Greatrex’s charge should have plenty of wins in him this season with the right campaigning.
2m6f to 3 mile Handicap Chases will probably be his staple diet, and there appears to be plenty more to come from him.
I’M A LUMBERJACK (Alan King)
The six-year-old has been brought along very nicely by Alan King, performing well in a number of bumpers, then scoring impressively in a couple of his novice hurdle races when switched over flights.
Handicap hurdles will be his target this season, and I can see an early race like the Silver Trophy at Chepstow being a natural progression.
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KOVANIS (Gordon Elliott)
Bought for £330,000, Kovanis will be one to watch out for when he goes hurdling this winter.
He is a sibling to three winners in France, while his dam is a half-sister to the Grade 3-winning hurdler Discover D'Auteuil.
LADY MAGIC (Tom Symonds)
Lady Magic is a four-year-old filly from France, sired by Magician out of the dam Queen Bertinaie.
A winner on the 30th May 2025 at Le Lion D'angers, she should make into a nice hurdler this term for Lady Gibbings.
MACAO (Venetia Williams)
Venetia has done well down the years with her AQPS purchases from France, and she has acquired a nice type here in the shape of Macao, who was originally bought for €320,000 as a yearling by Guy Petit – the chap who bought Min!
Macao will run in the colours of Peter Davies, who also has Djelo with Williams.
MEETMEBYTHESEA (Ben Pauling)
A three-time scorer over hurdles last season, Meetmebythesea will be one for the follow lists when he embarks down the novice chase route this time around.
I can see him winning his fair share of those contests.
MISTER MEGGIT (Jonjo & AJ O’Neill)
Made the perfect start to his hurdling career at Aintree last November, then missed most of the season, only to run a blinder in the Grade 1 Sefton Novices’ Hurdle on his comeback.
The seven-year-old looks sure to be picking up some nice pots this year.
UN SENS A LA VIE (Nigel & Willy Twiston-Davies)
Irish point-to-point recruit Un Sens A La Vie dotted up nicely on his Market Rasen bumper debut, and should be worth a flutter early doors in the novice hurdle division.
*Credit for the photos in this article belongs to Adobe*
