Five Horses to Watch This National Hunt Season

Excitement is mounting among fans of jumps racing as we enter the early stages of the 2019/20 National Hunt season. Old heroes will return for another crack at glory in some of the biggest races in the calendar, from the Cheltenham Gold Cup to the Grand National at Aintree. New titans of the National Hunt scene will also emerge, and fans will be treated to a great deal of excitement, intrigue and drama along the way. Here are five horses to look out for over the course of the season:

Altior

Nicky Henderson’s superstar nine-year-old remains unbeaten throughout his magnificent jumps racing career. He announced himself as a force to be reckoned with when he surged to victory in the Supreme Novices’ Hurdle in 2016. He then won the Arkle in 2017 and he has triumphed in the Queen Mother Champion Chase – the leading minimum-distance chase in the National Hunt calendar – for the past two years, becoming the punters’ darling in the process. 

Now Henderson has decided to take Altior in an interesting new direction. “After plenty of input from everyone, we have decided that we are going to go down the King George route,” Henderson announced. “Therefore the obvious race to start in is the Christy 1965 Chase at Ascot on 23 November.” 

That will put Altior on a collision course with Cyrname, who became the highest rated chaser in Britain when he secured a couple of seriously impressive victories at Ascot early in 2019. Cyrname and Altior were due to lock horns at Sandown earlier this year, but Cyrname’s connections decided to skip it due to quick ground. By November, Ascot should be ripe for a thrilling battle between these two brilliant chasers, and Altior’s backers insist he will make a mockery of his official rating of being 1lb weaker than Cyrname. 

For those who get in early, Altior is the favourite to win the King George VI Chase at Kempton on Boxing Day. He is priced at 5/2, while Cyrname is 5/1 and 2018 winner Clan Des Obeaux is 11/2. It remains to be seen which race Henderson will send Altior to at Cheltenham, and much will depend on his performances in the Christy 1965 Chase and the King George.

Lostintranslation 

Colin Tizzard’s seven-year-old began 2019 with an eye-catching win in the Grade 2 Dipper Novices’ Chase at Cheltenham on New Year’s Day. He followed it up with a strong performance to finish second to Defi Du Seuil in the Grade 1 Scilly Isles Novices’ Chase at Sandown. He was then second to the same horse in the JLT Novices’ Chase at the Cheltenham Festival, but he relished the step up in trip for the Grade 1 Mildmay Novices’ Chase over 3m 210y at Aintree in April. 

He finished comfortably clear of 10/11 favourite Topofthegame to clinch victory. That marked him out as a potential Gold Cup winner, and he is among the ante post favourites to land the biggest race of the season. Tizzard has indicated that Lostintranslation will return to action in an intermediate race at Carlisle, before working up to the big races taking place this season. “For the next few seasons, we hope he will be running in top races every time,” said Tizzard. “He was a big block of a horse when he came to us. But when we first ran him at Chepstow he very nearly won, and the good ones often take you by surprise.” 

If he resumes his fine form, Lostintranslation will go to Haydock, then the King George and have one more run before the Gold Cup. “Everything points to him getting the Gold Cup trip,” added Tizzard. Another horse from his stable, Native River, won the Gold Cup in 2018 and finished fourth last year, so he knows a thing or two about saddling a contender in the most prestigious race of the year. 

Tiger Roll 

Tiger Roll will bid to become the first horse to win the Grand National three times in a row at Aintree in 2020. His owner, the Ryanair boss Michael O’Leary, famously referred to him as “a little rat of thing” and never expected him to cope with the rigours of the most intense steeplechase of them all. Yet Tiger Roll, the smallest horse in the field, soared to victory in 2018 and then delighted many punters by defending his crown earlier this year. That made him the first horse since Red Rum to win the famous race twice in a row. 

Red Rum won it a third time in 1977 and he remains the leading horse in Grand National History. Tiger Roll will now aim to move level with that legend. He has also won the Glenfarclass Cross Country Chase at the Cheltenham for the past two years, and it will be fascinating to see how he gets on this time around. Elliott will certainly be careful with his little superstar. 

“We are going to have to mind him now and pick and choose where we go,” said the trainer. “He will probably have one run over hurdles, maybe something like the Boyne Hurdle [at Navan in February] again. He will go back to Cheltenham for the Cross Country race and then we’ll go for the Randox Health Grand National.” 

Chacun Pour Soi 

The exciting Chacun Pour Soi won by 31 lengths on his debut at Naas in March and that inspired Willie Mullins to catapult him up to Grade 1. The task facing him was formidable as he lined up alongside recent Cheltenham festival winners Defi Du Seuil and Duc Des Genievres for the Ryanair Novice Chase at Punchestown. 

A few early errors did not help his cause, but Chacun Pour Soi contested the lead three out and then surged to the front of the field. He was pressed by Defi Du Seuil going into the last, but he held on for a strong four-length victory. 

There are now high hopes for Chacun Pour Soi this season. Mullins always has a large collection of superstars, and the likes of Klassical Dream, Al Boum Photo, Camelia De Cotte and Duc Des Genievres will be keenly followed this season, but Chacun Pour Soi looks like a really special talent. He is already the second favourite behind Altior for the Queen Mother Champion Chase, and he should have great things ahead of him. 

Topofthegame 

Paul Nicholls’ imposing stayer has gone from strength to strength in recent years and he romped to victory in the Grade 1 RSA Chase at Cheltenham in March. The field was extremely strong for a race that is frequently dubbed “the novice’s Gold Cup”, but Topofthegame saw off competition from big names like Santini, Delta Work and The World’s End to clinch a famous win. He followed it up with another strong performance when second behind Lostintranslation in the Mildmay Novices’ Chase at Aintree the following month. 

Topofthegame has proven quality at Grade 1 level, and he should continue on an upward curve this season. The huge son of Flemensfirth is a magnificent looking racehorse and he should have the power to thrive at Cheltenham again in 2020. Nicholls believes he has all the right qualities to become a leading Gold Cup contender. “He strikes me as an ideal Gold Cup horse,” said the Ditcheat trainer. “We’ll train him with that race in mind. He travels beautifully, jumps and stays, and those are the qualities you need.”

2018 Queen Mother Champion Chase Fancies

The Cheltenham Festival is closing faster than a speeding horse.

The venue: Prestbury Park, Gloucester. Jot down these dates 13th - 16th March because you really don't want to miss out.

The Queen Mother Champion Chase takes place on the 14^th March.

3:30 Cheltenham -

This two mile Grade 1 Chase is run on the old course featuring twelve jumps. It has a history which puts it on a par with the best racing in the world. This National Hunt steeplechase is open to horses ages five years and older.

Inaugurated in 1959, Quita Que, a ten-year-old horse, ridden by Bunny Cox, showed the way.

One of the most outstanding horses to have won this race on no less that three occasions is Badsworth Boy taking victory in consecutive years from 1983 – 1985.

Recent winners that may bring fond memories include:

2014 Sire de Grugy

2015 Dodging Bullets

2016 Sprinter Sacre

2017 Special Tiara

2018 Queen Mother Champion Chase

At the time of writing, 21 horses are entered to run. However, if we are looking at the betting we may be forgiven to thinking this is a one-horse race.

Altior is an exceptional talent for trainer Nicky Henderson. This eight-year-old bay gelding has race 15 times and defeated twice. This Irish-bred son of High Chaparral has started favourite 13 times and achieved total prize earnings of almost £400,000. It's no wonder this wonder horse is priced 8/11f. After winning at odds of 1/3f when winning ''comfortably'' at Newbury in February, bookmakers are willing to push their luck too far with this May foal. With Henderson primed to have a superb meeting, this gelding will be one for the big players. For those looking to get in on the action for 2018 Cheltenham betting odds and offers there is value in every race. In truth, Altior looks a great bet at 8/11 and if the bookmakers push this out on the day it would be a steal - anything near 1/1 is a bet.

One trainer who may try to spoil the party is Willie Mullins. Readers will be quick to note that he has no record in this race at all. Looking at the previous winners his name is missing. Could this be his year?

The bookmakers' prices illustrate a couple of live contenders.

Min has been backed to odds of 3/1. This seven-year-old gelding, a son of Walk In The Park, has started favourite since joining Mullins, racing in the familiar silks of Mrs S Ricci. He won well on his latest victory at Leopardstown.

Mrs Ricci fields another horse which leads little introduction – Douvan. This eight-year-old bay gelding has raced 16 times and proven victorious 14. Losses bookend his career with being runner-up on debut and a truly disappointing display last time out last year at Cheltenham in the Queen Mother Champion Chase. That day, the 2/9f led but found to be lame finishing 7^th. It will be interesting to see how this once untouchable gelding fares this year.

Other fancies as far as the betting considers include:

Fox Norton, trained by Colin Tizzard. This eight-year-old gelding pulled up on his last start and priced 12/1 with leading bookmakers.

Great Field, another charge from Willie Mullins. A winner on his last four starts, hasn't been seen for the best part of a year. Betting odds of 12/1 suggest he is the third string racing in the famous silks of J P McManus.

The betting: Altior 8/11, Min 100/30, Douvan 5/1, Politologue 10/1, Fox Norton 12/1, Un Des Sceaux 12/1, Great Field 14/1, Special Tiara 16/1, York Hill 16/1, Top Notch 20/1, 25/1 Bar.

New Queen Mother Champion Chase Contenders for 2021

The two-mile steeplechase division in British jumps horse racing has been dominated by Altior and a lesser extent Politologue in recent years, but neither are getting any younger. It may be time for new horses to emerge and grab the spotlight in the Queen Mother Champion Chase come the Cheltenham Festival. With that in mind, here are some of the contenders for this year’s big race. 

Chacun Pour Soi 

But for a last-minute injury that ruled him out of Cheltenham last year, Chacun Pour Soi would have been Champion Chase favourite despite the fact that trainer Willie Mullins hasn’t won the race just yet. If the Irish master handler can keep this horse fit and sound into the spring, then that is the prominent position he should occupy again. 

A three-time Grade 1 winner in the Emerald Isle, Chacun Pour Soi could improve on that record by making a successful defence of his Dublin Chase crown at Leopardstown en route to Cheltenham. He is very lightly-raced for a nine-year-old with just 10 career starts and six wins to date. 

The fact that Chacun Pour Soi is unraced in the UK and has no experience of Cheltenham are the only negatives. He looks a serious contender to established British rivals Politologue and Altior, who between them have won the last three renewals of the Champion Chase. 

Nube Negra

Skelton reaps reward of focus on quality after five winners at Kempton's Christmas meeting: The successes of Nube Negra and Shan Blue in particular underlined that Skelton's re-focus on quality at his Warwickshire stable is bearing fruit. https://t.co/GYwgg8GmUS pic.twitter.com/q9RCR2bk1Y

— Horse Racing News (@HorseRacingUK) January 3, 2021

This might by a quiz question one day. After Cyrname, Dan Skelton’s Nube Negra became the second horse to beat Altior over obstacles with a sensational win in the Desert Orchid Chase at Kempton Park over the festive period. 

A rare Spanish-bred horse running in the National Hunt sphere, Nube Negra has never finished out of the first two in five chase starts. He was sent off favourite for the 2018 Fred Winter as a juvenile and ran third, but has clearly left that behind with massive improvement since switching to the larger obstacles. 

Despite being zero from three at the course over hurdles, Nube Negra is a different proposition as a steeplechaser. His sensational return to form over fences explains why he is among Cheltenham day two tips (ladies day), however, with the stable targeting more Festival runners. 

Put The Kettle On

If Nube Negra’s previous form at the track isn’t encouraging, then Henry De Bromhead mare Put The Kettle On could hardly have done better in that regard. She is three from three in graded races around Cheltenham. 

Those include a memorable triumph in the Arkle Challenge Trophy at last year’s Festival. Either side of that, Put The Kettle On won Grade 2 contests and then placed third at Leopardstown over Christmas. 

While that latest run leaves her with something to find on Chacun Pour Soi, regular jockey Aidan Coleman didn’t take the ride on her in Ireland and she has always put her best foot forward with him in the saddle. Put The Kettle On cannot be discounted on the back of one run which was not the original plan for her over the festive period that De Bromhead hand in mind.

Top Tips for the Festival

March is the one month that all horseracing lovers look forward to and it's simply because the Cheltenham Festival roars into life yet again.

We are just a few weeks away from the Festival, but the hype has already reached dizzy heights from all over the world. From the first day to the last, there will be some interesting highlight races most punters are looking forward to. As such, we share with you some festival tips on which horses we think are the main action to finish in the revered first positions.

Day 1 (National Hunt Steeple Chase Challenge Cup)

The highlight race of Day 1 is the National Hunt Steeple Chase Challenge Cup. The biggest draw to this event is that it is considered an unpredictable and tough one; featuring amateur riders and novice chasers. Therefore, historical data does not really come in handy during the race. Nonetheless, over the years the race has provided great entertainment and the same is expected this year. This year’s National Hunt is slightly different from previous races in that it features one jockey who had remarkable success over the past 3 years. Gordon Elliot won two of the last three National Hunt races and features again for the fourth time. This year, he will ride Sutton Place. Sutton finished 2017 strongly winning his last five races in a row and with Gordon Elliot, he comes with a tried and tested jockey as the favourite before the race.

Day 2 (Queen Mother Champion Chase)

The Queen Mother Champion Chase is one of the most anticipated races of the Festival. Its popularity is evidenced by the fact that race bets are placed as early as the early to mid-December when the Ladbrokes Winter Carnival closes. There are two headliners for this event this year, Altior and Douvan. Both of them have not entered into any race this year, but will go into the Festival in good shape. Douvan injured himself in this same race last year at the Festival, only returning to action towards the end of the year. He did put in a great shift while Altior swept almost everything in front of him capping it off by winning impressively the Arkle. The rivalry between these two will be one to watch.

Day 3 (JLT Novices Chase)

On the opening race on Day 3, the JLT Novices Chase is the one to look out for. The race is in some sorts is similar to the National Hunt in that it features novice chasers, is relatively longer (though shorter in comparison to the National Hunt) and traditionally features amateur riders. However, even though dominated by first-timers, it provides top-class entertainment. The favourite for the race is Benatar boasting a flawless record to date with 3 wins in 3 races. Going into the Festival, Benatar looks to maintain his record along with Gary Moore; a jockey who has what it takes to succeed at the highest level.

Day 4 (Cheltenham Gold Cup)

The Gold Cup is the biggest of all races and all eyes will be focused on this year's event. As the norm, classy lists of horses look forward to winning the prestigious Timico Gold Cup and last year’s winner Sizing John is this year’s hot favourite. After scooping the big prize last year, Sizing John has all the right moves where he managed to finish in the ‘Show’ places in all of his races. The momentum is definitely on Sizing John’s side, but he faces some stiff competition from Native River, Might Bite, and Djakadam.