The Jumpers are Coming 2020/2021

ENDA BOLGER
Ballyoisin
9g Presenting - Regal Force
John P McManus
5/15612-
RPR 169c OR 167c
Unfortunately he won't be back until at least the spring. He's had surgery on his knee and is recovering at Martinstown. He's a real good-ground horse and we won't be doing anything with him until January 1 but hopefully he'll be able to get back for the likes of Punchestown and Killarney next year.

MARTIN BRASSIL
City Island
7g Court Cave - Victorine
Sean & Bernardine Mulryan
11/6P2P-
RPR 155h OR 153
He's back in training with us after a long break and the plan is for him to stay over hurdles this season. We hope he might be able to run around Christmas and I'd imagine he'll probably stick to the three-mile division. He never really got his ground over fences last season and hopefully everything can go well for him this time around.

Longhouse Poet
6g Yeats - Moscow Madame
Sean & Bernardine Mulryan
1338-62
RPR 147h 138c OR 146h
He improved for his first run over fences at Punchestown when second at Naas. It's a different discipline for him to get the hang of and there are some very strong novice chasers around at the moment. He showed some good form last season so hopefully he can have another good year.

CHRIS GORDON
Annual Invictus
5g Mahler - Shantou Rose
Thomas Michael Smith
P/125-2
RPR 124h
He's a point-to-point winner and bumper second who strengthened up a lot over the summer and was beaten by a very nice horse of Nicky Henderson's in Captain Morgs at Ascot on his hurdling debut. That was a really solid run – his best yet – and he'll now head to Lingfield on Thursday.

Highway One O Two
5g Shirocco - Supreme Dreamer
Anthony Ward-Thomas
24111-F
RPR 143h OR 146h

He was a Grade 2 novice hurdle winner at Kempton last season and now it's a matter of getting him back on track after Ffos Las, where he came up against an absolute beast in Hitman on his first start over fences and raced very, very keenly in dreadful ground until taking a soft fall when exhausted. I'm looking at a beginners' chase at Carlisle at the weekend and I haven't lost faith in him at all.

Lord Baddesley
5g Doyen - Tropical Ocean
Richard & Mrs Carol Cheshire
25-12
RPR 103b 125h

He was beaten at Fontwell last weekend but I'd like to think he's a much better horse than that. He was conceding a penalty to a very nice horse of Colin Tizzard's and didn't run at all badly, but he didn't look the same horse in that testing ground. We've had a few here by Doyen, and although they have the knee action they don't seem to like it too soft. We'll look for a similar race on better ground, but I'm minding him this season as he's a chaser in the making.

WARREN GREATREX
Emitom
6g Gold Well - Avenging Angel
The Spero Partnership Ltd
2/614-23
RPR 140c 157h OR 147c 155h

He was obviously a high-class staying hurdler and he's now run twice over fences, running well the first time at Uttoxeter and then a bit flat just two weeks later at Ffos Las. We freshened him up after that and he got a bit tired when he worked at Newbury last Tuesday, but he'll come on a lot for that and we'll look for a nice novice or beginners' chase to get his confidence back. He's still very much one to look forward to.

Mahlervous
7g Mahler - Brook Style
The Marvellous Partnership
51/23-92
RPR 136c OR 131c

He was placed on both his starts over fences last season and showed he'd come on for his reappearance when finishing a very good second at Sandown behind Sevarano, who is highly rated by Oliver Sherwood. He tends to get better as the season goes on and I think he's going places. A long-term target would be the novice handicap at Ayr in April because of his owners, but he might be better than that by then.

ANTHONY HONEYBALL
Kid Commando
6g Robin Des Champs - Banjaxed Girl
Chapman, Hanger, Kingston & Langford
2513-16
RPR 142h OR 143h

He's like a younger version of Regal Encore. He wants to please and would gallop through a brick wall for you, so that has to be nurtured to make sure he's not over-racing. He was able to win a nice race at Ascot over two miles but really wants two and a half miles and soft or heavy ground, but he didn't give his running for some reason when he got that at Haydock on Saturday. Perhaps it came too soon, or maybe it was the big weight, but we might now look at something like the National Spirit at Fontwell and work back from there. He's a cracking horse who jumps like a stag and will be interesting over fences one day, but there's so much to do over hurdles first this season.

Sam Brown
8g Black Sam Bellamy - Cream Cracker
T C Frost
41/11P-3
RPR 158c OR 152c

We are hoping to run in the Ladbrokes Trophy, and I think he's got enough quality. The track and trip will suit but he wouldn't want it drying out too much and a bit of rain later in the week would help. He's still inexperienced over fences, but his jumping at Carlisle on his reappearance was good enough to suggest there's a good chance it will be up to scratch at Newbury, and he came out of the race really well. We've got the Welsh National as a back up, but I don't think he'd be doing both races unless he had a bit of bad luck at Newbury.

Sully D'Oc AA
6g Konig Turf - Samarra D'Oc
John P McManus
P/6256-1
RPR 140c OR 135c

It's possible the Ascot handicap he won was his Gold Cup, but I still think there's more to come from him as he's still learning his trade a bit. He's got a choice of entries at Newbury on Friday, but he'll almost certainly go for the two-and-a-half mile open handicap. He'll improve as he steps up in trip and he's still a novice.

TOM LACEY
Adrimel
5g Tirwanako - Irise De Gene
Lady Bamford & Alice Bamford
1/110-1
RPR 131b 122h

He won his novice at Sandown first time out over hurdles and we'll look for another nice opportunity for him with a view to going back there for the Tolworth. I think a lot of him and if he got soft or heavy ground at Sandown in January I think he'd take a bit of whacking. He's going to be better up in trip in due course and he's a going to be a chaser one day.

Kimberlite Candy
8g Flemensfirth - Mandys Native
John P McManus
935P/21-
RPR 160c OR 153c

He's going back to Aintree a week on Saturday for another crack at the Becher, in which he was second to Walk In The Mill last season before his good win at Warwick. He's a lot higher in the handicap now, but in this last week or two he's really come alive. Every year he seems to come back from his summer break bigger and stronger, and he's in a good place right now.

Sebastopol
6g Fame And Glory - Knockcroghery
C Boultbee-Brooks
1/43/141-
RPR 141h OR 142h

He might go to Newbury for the Gerry Feilden, which is an intermediate hurdle. He's ground-dependent and wants nice ground, but Newbury seems to take any amount of rain from what I can see. He's been slow mentally as much as physically, and I still don't think he's got the hang of racing, so there's potentially a nice race in him.

EMMA LAVELLE
Doc Penfro
8g Dr Massini - Prescelli
Doc Redemption
0/2/412-2
RPR 140c 136h OR 136c 136h

I was delighted with his second to The Big Breakaway at Cheltenham. He was obviously beaten by a very good horse, but they didn't really go quick enough for him and he was a little bit keen. He's had issues with his knees, so has to have soft ground, but he's come back fine and should make a pretty good handicap chaser if we can keep the wheels on.

Hoi Polloi
5g Shantou - Backtothekingsnest
Nicholas Mustoe
1-
RPR 111b

He's a lovely young horse and the form of last season's impressive bumper win at Kempton has been franked several times. He has several entries and is ready to make his hurdling debut any day, possibly at Hereford on Wednesday. He should go places.

Killer Clown
6g Getaway - Our Soiree
Tim Syder
2553-U6
RPR 110c 121h OR 124c 124h

We haven't got it quite right with him yet this season in that he got knocked over at the second on his first start over fences and then at Exeter he jumped brilliantly but found the trip just too far and didn't get home. He should be quite an exciting novice this season.

Paisley Park
8g Oscar - Presenting Shares
Andrew Gemmell
111/117-
RPR 172h OR 167h

I was delighted with his racecourse gallop at Newbury last week and the heart issue he had at Cheltenham hasn't given either him or us any concern since, so we're looking forward to going back to Newbury at the weekend for the Long Distance Hurdle. We hope he can get back to where he was and start the season off in the same fashion as last year. He seems really well in himself and we hope what happened at Cheltenham was just a one-off.

JOHN McCONNELL
Alatar
Derek Kierans
3g Ruler Of The World - Aliyfa
Unraced

He's a nice horse who won a maiden for Michael Halford and the plan is to go juvenile hurdling with him this winter. We think he's a nice recruit.

Anna Bunina
4f Poet's Voice - Russian Society
Ms Caroline Ahearn
U11247
RPR 134h OR 131h

We have one eye on the mares' novice hurdle at Cheltenham for her. She's at her best on spring ground and that would look the right race to aim her at.

Streets of Doyen
6g Doyen - Satco Street
Ms Caroline Ahearn
U31111
RPR 136h OR 135h

He's gone from strength to strength, winning his last four races for us, each win more impressive than the last. If he keeps on improving, he could be an Albert Bartlett horse.

Go Another One
8g Stowaway - Missusan
Ms Caroline Ahearn
F-11433
RPR 157h OR 145h RPR 151c OR 139c

He's a real stable star. We've given him a break and the plan will be to freshen him up for the spring. He's versatile and will have the option of running in a big handicap over hurdles or fences.

DERMOT McLOUGHLIN
Captain Cj
9g Westerner - She's So Dainty
Mrs Fidelma Toole
23F21-P
RPR 151c OR 143c
He had a good season last year but was disappointing on his comeback at Cork – Conor [Maxwell] said he was never comfortable. Hopefully he'll be able to leave that run behind. He'll have the option of the Porterstown Handicap Chase at Fairyhouse next.

NEIL MULHOLLAND
Any News
5g Stowaway - Kisskiss Bang Bang
Jane Nuala Cartwright
F-11
RPR 123b 134h

He won his bumper in good style on quick enough ground and we were very happy with the way he won his novice too, which was on soft or almost heavy ground. We'll probably look to give him another run in a normal novice and then hopefully step him up in grade. I suspect he ideally wants proper nice ground and he might go to Doncaster next month. He's a big horse whose future lies over fences. He jumps well and is very professional.

Lord Accord
5g Yeats - Cush Jewel
Lynne & Angus Maclennan
3-11U
RPR 98b 119h

He was a bit unfortunate to unseat early on at Fontwell last time, where the race was won by a horse he'd had back in third when winning his maiden hurdle there the previous month. That race has worked out well, with the runner-up winning since as well, and I suspect he'd have taken a bit of whacking if he'd stood up, although the ground may have been soft enough for him. We'll probably look to freshen him up a bit over Christmas and then look for some better ground. He'll stay hurdling this season.

Milkwood
6g Dylan Thomas - Tropical Lake
Ms J Bridel
1/132-14
RPR 142h OR 140h

He won on the bridle at Ffos Las and then ran a cracker there in the Welsh Champion Hurdle. He's still a big baby, so I wasn't keen to run him up that steep hill in the Greatwood after the ground changed, especially when there's a race like the Gerry Feilden at Newbury around the corner. That's where he'll probably go, and he'd tick all of the boxes on a nice flat track. Later on he might be the type for the Betfair Hurdle or something like that.

JEDD O'KEEFFE
Miah Grace
5m Malinas - Silver Gypsy
Caron & Paul Chapman
2131-62
RPR 140h OR 137h

We really like her. We're hoping to go chasing with her next season, but in the meantime we want to see how far she can rise up the ranks over hurdles. I was absolutely thrilled with her first run over two and a half miles at Wetherby, where she was only beaten by a decent horse and they pulled miles clear of the third and the fourth. It was definitely a lifetime best, and she's still improving.

Mr Scrumpy
6g Passing Glance - Apple Days
H Posner
12F1-10
RPR 131h OR 131h

He won on his reappearance at Wetherby over three miles and then went to Aintree with a view to qualifying him for the Pertemps Final at Cheltenham, but he flopped there and I don't know why. I wouldn't give up on him, as we really like him, and we might still try to qualify him for the Pertemps before going chasing next season.

Sam Spinner
8g Black Sam Bellamy - Dawn Spinner
Caron & Paul Chapman
28/111-P
RPR 157c 165h OR 157c 162h

He's in a bit of no man's land at the moment, but we've decided to go back to hurdles for the time being, although there will be no easy races for him. There didn't seem to be anything wrong with him physically after the Charlie Hall, but he just didn't jump with any confidence, so he's going to go to Newbury for the Long Distance Hurdle and we'll see where we are. I can't offer any long-term plans, but we haven't ruled out going back over fences.

GEAROID O'LOUGHLIN
Cedarwood Road
5g Stowaway - Valleyboggan
C Jones
9611-
RPR 143h OR 145h
He did very well for us last year and we always hoped he would develop into a nice chaser. I’d say Leopardstown at Christmas will be on his agenda now.

Coeur Sublime
5g Elusive Pimpernel - Love Knot
C Jones
23/130-4
RPR 156h OR 152h
I was happy with him in the Morgiana – you'd have to be happy. I didn't really have a handle on where I was with him because nothing could go with him at home. There is definitely more to come. The Matheson Hurdle at Leopardstown over Christmas is next on the agenda and he will definitely improve. He came out of Punchestown surprisingly well.

Mitchouka
6g Creachadoir - Minnaloushe
C Jones
07136-3
RPR 141c OR 136c
I was actually pleased enough with how he ran behind Annamix at Gowran Park on Friday. He stayed on quite well and I think we might try him over three miles at some stage.

BEN PAULING
Global Citizen
8g Alkaadhem - Lady Wilmurt
The Megsons
17/414-P
RPR 159c OR 151c

He wasn't himself in the Haldon Gold Cup and I suspect it was the different tactics, which didn't work for him at all as he's so flamboyant and enthusiastic. He seems well at home and did a lovely piece of work at Newbury last week, so back over two miles at the top of the handicap in the 0-150 at Newbury this week I think he'll be quite dangerous again.

Kildisart
8g Dubai Destination - Princess Mairead
Simon Munir & Isaac Souede
36652-3
RPR 159c 147h OR 155c 149h

He came back from his prep run over hurdles at Wetherby in fabulous form and he's in great old order. He seems to be improving with age and heads to Newbury on Saturday for the Ladbrokes Trophy, which is his first big target. He was in the Grand National this year, and I'm sure he'll have another entry, but Newbury will tell us an awful lot and if he's competitive, or wins, off 155 he'll put himself in some better races. From what we're seeing at home he's improving.

Le Breuil
8g Anzillero - Slew Dancer
Mrs Emma Palmer
1/P750-4
RPR 151c OR 141c

Last season was very much a question of putting the wheels back on after his win in the National Hunt Chase. That race took a lot out of him, as it was bound to, but he's looking much more like his old self again now. He always needs his first run and I couldn't have been happier with him at Kelso, where he took an almighty blow jumping the cross fence and then sprinted up the run-in when he had his second wind. He's heading back to Aintree for the Becher, in which he jumped so impressively last season but just faded from the Melling Road. He's in a much better place now, and he's 9lb lower, so he'll go there with a big chance.

Shakem Up'Arry
6g Flemensfirth - Nun Better
Harry Redknapp
/F220-14
RPR 129h OR 130h

Having been second last season to Mister Coffey and Shishkin at Newbury, he won as he was entitled to at Ffos Las on his reappearance, when he looked very good. He stepped up in trip in a hot handicap at Haydock on Saturday and ran very well in fourth, just keeping on at the same pace from the back of the second last after being fairly free early on. I don't know where he'll go now, but it will be back in novice company.

NICKY RICHARDS
Ribble Valley
7g Westerner - Miss Greinton
David Wesley Yates
61/112-1
RPR 147h OR 147h

He didn't settle when he went to Ascot last season but at Carlisle on his reappearance it all went brilliantly and he did just what we hoped he'd do, settling well and coming through to win nicely. He'll make a super chaser one day if he's not a top-class hurdler, but we aren't talking about chasing at the moment. The Fighting Fifth is the plan.

Marown
6g Milan - Rosie Suspect
Trevor Hemmings
1/11-3
RPR 129c 132h OR 130c 130h

He's a nice horse who won his bumper and both his novice hurdles and had his first run over fences at Ayr the other day. He finished third, but it was only two miles and he'll be a three-mile chaser on a bit of nice ground in the spring. He's had only three runs over obstacles and will be a lovely horse as he goes on in life.

OLIVER SHERWOOD
Dominateur
7g Desir D'Un Soir - Sourya D'Airy
Kate & Andrew Brooks
/F1137-3
RPR 145c OR 141c

His jumping was a bit rusty but he ran okay behind Pym at Sandown, where he was up against it at the weights and would have preferred softer ground. He's had a few days with Laura Collett since for a bit more jumping practice and the idea is for him to have one more run before the Welsh National. He's a dour stayer.

Jersey Bean
7g Court Cave - Jennifers Diary
A Taylor
278-311
RPR 139c 139h OR 135c 125h

He's been a revelation this autumn. He lost his way last year and didn't jump his fences with much vigour, so we sent him to Henrietta Knight for a week and she suggested blinkers. I wasn't keen on that as he's so tough, but they've completely changed him as they've made him focus on his jumping. He beat quite a competitive field nicely at Exeter last time, and although he went up 10lb to 135 I think that's still workable. I'd love to run him over three and a half miles or four miles in a Midlands National or something like that if it wasn't a bog, but he can't handle soft or heavy ground.

Ocean Drifter
5g Aizovski - Driftaway
Tim Syder
3/213-21
RPR 118h OR 120h

He was second first time over hurdles to a good horse of Dan Skelton's and then won a little race at Fontwell. He was all out there, but having been headstrong last season he's so much more relaxed now so it's time to step him up in trip. He's already qualified for the EBF Final, and that's in the back of my mind as a goal. He's won a point-to-point and I'd like to think he'll get three miles. Chasing will be his game one day.

Sevarano
7g Shantou - Eva La Diva
Tim Syder
/11422-1
RPR 142c 136h OR 139c 135h

I was delighted with his first chase run at Sandown, where his jumping was exquisite. I haven't got a set plan, but he'll probably have another run in a novice over two and a half miles and then perhaps go for something bigger over Christmas. I'm dying to run him over three miles, but it will be one step at a time. I've always thought chasing was his game and he probably should have gone over fences last season.

MATTHEW SMITH
Ronald Pump
7g Schiaparelli - Fruit Yoghurt
Laois Limerick Syndicate
12242-F
RPR 159h OR 156h

He's 100 per cent fine after his fall at Navan. He was going to be involved in the finish if he stood up but he had a good blow and hopefully will improve for the run. We're staying over hurdles with him for the season and he could go to the Hatton's Grace next. I think two and a half miles on heavy ground would be fine for him if it came up like that.

JAMIE SNOWDEN
Anythingforlove
5m Black Sam Bellamy - La Perrotine
Foxtrot Racing Anythingforlove
11-
RPR 108b

She’s a sister to the Gold Cup winner Sizing John and won both of her bumpers last season. She started off in a novice hurdle on Sunday at Uttoxeter, but the pin came out of the stirrup at the start and Gavin Sheehan wasn’t able to ride her throughout the race. She had a little jump round and ended up finishing fourth. We were hoping to go for a Listed race at Haydock in a month’s time, but we’ll go back to the drawing board and find another novice or maiden. She’s a very talented mare and we live to fight another day..

Ga law
4g Sinndaw - Law
The Footie Partnership
16-111
RPR 152c OR 150c

He's run only five times and has won four of them. He's unbeaten over fences and he's been pretty impressive, most recently in the Rising Stars at Wincanton. He went up to 150 after that, and I think we'll go to Sandown next for the Henry VIII. It's a drop back in trip, but he's only been running over the intermediate trip while the ground was drier. On softer ground two miles will be fine, and he's a lovely jumper, so those seven fences down the back should suit him well. He gets that four-year-old allowance too, of course. After that it might just be one more run and then Cheltenham perhaps.

Kiltealy Briggs
6g Fame And Glory - Baby Briggs
McNeill Family
2131P-2
RPR 140c 135h OR 140c 136h

He's out of a sister to the Grand National winner Ballabriggs and was always going to be one of those horses with whom anything achieved over hurdles was a bonus, so he did very well to reach the level he did last season. We ran him in the Albert Bartlett, but he had colic straight afterwards and needed two operations, so he certainly didn't run his race that day. Thankfully he's come back really well, and he was second first time out over fences in a graduation chase at Carlisle, where two miles was much too short but he only just failed to get back up. He's a proper chaser and he's gong to be much better over further. He's smart and there should be a decent handicap in him, but there's a Grade 2 at Ascot we might think about.

Stoney Mountain
7g Mountain High - Cherry Pie
Anita Gillies
P/11U59-
RPR 145h OR 142h

He came from the Trevor Hemmings dispersal [cost £140,000] as a mid-140s staying hurdler. He'll go novice chasing now and has done lots of jumping here. He stays well, jumps nicely and will probably start off over fences in a beginners' chase at Ludlow early in December. He'll be a proper staying chaser.

SAM THOMAS
Good Risk At All
4g No Risk At All - Sissi Land
Waters Plant Hire Ltd
21
RPR 115b

We've always thought a lot of him as he finds everything very easy at home, so it was nice to see what he did in the Listed bumper at Cheltenham after he'd been beaten first time out at Newton Abbot, where he'd been a little green and was caught flat-footed. He'd clearly come on by leaps and bounds since then, but I was very worried about the ground at Cheltenham. He'll go jumping now, as he's obviously a nice horse with an engine and if we were to wait until March for the Champion Bumper that's obviously a very hard race to win and it can be rough too. We'll try to nick a little novice or two and then perhaps put him away.

Iwilldoit
7g Flying Legend - Lyricist's Dream
Diamond Racing Ltd
1612/91-
RPR 137c 126h OR 133c 128h

He hasn't run since winning on his chasing debut at Kelso last December, but we had him in three times just prior to lockdown and each meeting was abandoned. He's very lightly raced but has got better and better every season. His main assets are his stamina and his jumping, and I'd like to train him for a Welsh National one day as he stays all day and loves the mud. He's a smashing horse and he'll reappear in a 0-135 at Carlisle at the end of the month.

Skytastic
4g Way Of Light- Verzasca
Walters Plant Hire Ltd
1
RPR 105b

He's a big, raw horse who won a Newbury bumper first time out. He'd be 17 hands already and he'll be an absolute monster next season when he's a bit bigger and stronger. He'll come on no end for his run in every sense as he hadn't been away before, and he'll go jumping straight away now. We'll try to find a nice novice for him on a big galloping track, maybe back at Newbury or up at Doncaster.

Machine

I'd soonner part my money with him rather than Put The Kettle On tbh!

Altior was worse, he went off at 1/4 for the Arkle. I think if you're committed to the horse you should back him now if you haven't already, ideally you'd have backed prior today. Don't think any of us thought he'd put in that round tbh. It was 5/1 on Hills for him to win the Arkle by 2+ lengths, maybe that was the bet.

If you look at 365, Envoi Allen is second favourite, Easywork is third. Envoi is going to the Marsh and Easywork is likely a Marsh or RSA horse too. Who's there to beat him? Perhaps Klassical Dream remembers he's a multi grade 1 horse? Felix Desjy looks useful and Energumene looks very handy (gutted I didn't back him when he was tipped up a few weeks back) but realistically the Marsh and the Arkle are hammered by one superstar and another quickly on the path dominating and if healthy they should hack up.

The RSA could be a great race this year just because people will want to avoid the two yokes in other races.

Elixr D'Ainay is probably the value bet at 33/1 in the Arkle, was going aswell as anything in the Supreme until Asterion Forlonge brought it down. Will be keeping an eye on Klassical Dream and if back to form he'll be Willie's main Arkle dart but the McManus horse definitely the value this far out.

Correct decision about Laurina. She should make a decent broodmare. Wonder will she make a visit to Gallileo down the line.

Gavin shels wrote: »

Looking forward to seeing Concertista out at the weekend - hopefully the Sunday!

Very interesting if she runs against Ballyadam. If Ballyadam hoses up then he'll almost certainly go to the Supreme but if he loses they might divert him to the Ballymore trip and Ferny Hollow will shorten.

Flinteur Sacre is out on Friday and he is sure to win, he'll shorten a tonne as well.

I love Ballyadam and I have him as a Supreme horse and Ferny a Ballymore, so it'd suit me well if he wins, but you'd nearly have to fancy Concertista at the price.

Shewearsitwell too, very interesting although you'd wonder will she run.