2 to follow this season

I always go for novices - Un Atout (Arkle hopefully) and Wrath Of Titans (Supreme or Neptune)

Cue Card (King George) and Chatterbox (Arkle or Jewson).

Cue Card (King George - Ryanair) and The New One (Champion Hurdle - Aintree Hurdle)

I specialise over the jumps on hurdles form, and 2M races in particular, where fluent economical jumpers are easy to spot and follow(chases have far to many of those larger tricky obstacles to clear).

No doubt for me that (Our Conor aside) the two novices that stood out for me last season, and I am primed to follow up on this season are both Willie Mullins horses, and are:-

FAUGHEEN 133 RPR on NHF race debut 22 length win. 
A 2M NHF debut good enough to be rated the same as finishing 2nd in the Cheltenham Festival Weatherbys Bumper (on debut under rules!!).
If he is a fluent hurdler then the 20/1 for the SUPREME NOVICE HURDLE looks interesting.

UN DE SCEAUX 152 RPR on 2nd hurdle start (155P T/F rating on 2nd hurdles start!)
when thrashing a useful 2M Novice Hurdle field by 13L an upwards, after Cheltenham,
Unbeaten in 2 French NHF races, and 2 Novice Hurdles.
Pulls early on, but nothing can get it off the bridle, and hurdles very well.
Already looks a Champion Hurdle type and a natural successor to Hurricane Fly for the stable
CHAMPION HURDLE-bound, and if it weren't for OUR CONOR (a horse I've loved since his November hurdles debut last season - after which I took 25/1 for the Triumph Hurdle) I would be taking more of the 25s still on offer with the bookies (after availing myself of 45's on Betfair).

Cannot wait for their seasonal debuts, Ruby on board, and hoping for sharp reductions in their Ante-Post prices afterwards.

^^^ do we have a trumpet going spare

al ferof (nap)

Howdi, love to see him turn up in KG and Cheltenham Gold Cup to see what he could've achieved last year.  I reckon he could have given Boston Bob, Sir Des Champs etc plenty to think about.

Bobs Worth soz, getting my Bobs in a tangle.

evening foxy....That Boston Bob out and out stayer for me could see him running well but lacks class for me, bit of tactical speed. I wouldn't give up on Sil. Conti yet was going to finish 2nd or 3rd at worst for me in last years Gold Cup.

Yeah, Boston Bob bailed out when looking a Festival winner, and then again NTO.  Defo stayer, needs to brush up jumping, but could be GC contender if doing so.  Never too sure on Sil Conti at Cheltenham in top, top class staying races.

I'd take the first three home in the Supreme as being very nice horses.

I was delighted to see Cue Card winning so easily after all the criticism of him since his bumper win. The Ryanair is his perfect race and I hope they concentrate on the Haldon GC and the Ryanair as his main targets. Our Conor was the most impressive young hurdler for a very long time, but Triumph winners have a very patchy record in subsequent years as we all know.

O'faolains Boy

Outlander

I think Our Connor may be the second coming and he may have to be. The New One doesn't half get up that hill.

Hardly original but looking forward to seeing how good Katenko really is.

yes i'd half forgoton about him what was Mccain's 2 mile horse who ran up a sequence and missed the festival?

Oscatara trained by Donald Mccain is a dark one I'm interested in, be it hurdling or novice chasing, we know all about all the usual suspects but would love to see Flemenstar bounce back.

Up and Go Howdi? Wins the RSA

bit left field that duffy

oscatara went in my tracker after bangor, had a right good bet on him that day nice uncomplicated ride as usual from the brooke

presumably had a problem since

I really liked Clondaw Kaempfer last year of McCain's before that injury at Newbury, I think.
Any word. Looked a star in the making before breaking down.

yeah that's another 1 we haven't seen since before new year

I'm sure more news will come out when the stable previews get going next month/6 weeks or so

Harry Topper (Hennessey and then the Gold Cup!)

Boston Bob

Melodic Rendezvous - very unlucky to miss Cheltenham after such a good season. Looks as if he's going straight to novice chasing this year and definitely one to keep an eye on for the Arkle if he does. Has the frame of a chaser already.

African Gold - another potential novice chaser who looks built for fences. Gritty, determined type with a turn of speed too. Likely RSA candidate.

AGREE WITH AFRICAN GOLD LOOKS A RIGHT OLD BRUSIER NUMBER ONE QUALITY REQUIRED FOR RSA

Not Telling You

&

Do Your Own Homework

These two horses are the ones i'm following this season. Cannot wait 'til they feature in many an aftertimed post.

briar hill looks the ideal type for the ballymore,and golantilla travelled like a good horse in the bumper and looks supreme bound !

neptu

Joking aside, my two to follow would be:

Montbazon: Provided his minor injuries have not diminished his talent, I think he is well handicapped of 147 and he remains over hurdles. Could see him contest all the top handicaps and more. Trainer likes to have runners in the Greatwood on PP weekend.

Dildar: OR is 130, reading between the lines on PFN's quotes I get the impression he is in really good nick at the moment and could do a Brampour and rocket up the handicap who was similarly always regarded highly.

Monsignor
Carobee



I hear they are working well and may be seeing a racetrack in November time.

Don't forget Montelado

Al ferof he is a relentless galloper watch the paddy power again that was some performance carrying that weight in heavy ground were the majority of horses failed to complete is hugely impressive. He has a serious engine.

The new one really impressive last year stamina to burn which you need in the champion. Turn of foot looks as good as anything.

SeaTheStars101, I agree with both of your selections - was gutted when Al Ferof was injured last year.

Invictus impressed me as a novice and would be interesting if returning this term (although I do tend to agree with the 'they never come back' brigade)

Trustan Times has had jumping problems over fences but is well handicapped in that sphere if they do decide to resume over the larger obstacles

Two with similar profiles, one on each side of the Irish sea.
Don Cossack: "missed" last year in terms of progression from his bumper season, running against real top notch novices and far from disgraced. Lightly raced, hugely scopey, Gordon Elliott has always said he's a three mile chaser. Strange that three of his four runs were over two miles but there should be no doubt about his stamina.
Two Rockers: You can discard his Neptune run. Too short a trip, too slow a pace and on ground too fast. Look instead at his third win, racing against good yardsticks - the second then ran respectfully off 135 in the Pertemps - over 3 miles, he was still on the bridle at the last and eased away without turning a hair. Almost certainly needs three miles in the soft but, under those conditions, he should be very useful. Plenty of physical improvement can be expected from this massive sort.

Chatterbox travelled like a monster in the neptune, very excited about him and think My Tent Or Yours will have learned so much in supreme and fancy him for champion Hurdle.

Monsignor
Carobee



I hear they are working well and may be seeing a racetrack in November time.

Not funny Fidway. The mere mention of Carobee still brings tears to Noel Williams' eyes.

Cue Card - hugely underestimated for whatever reason (getting short headed by Bobs Worth giving him 7lbs, run relatively poorly in the Supreme NH & the King George all seem to stick in people's memories more than pissing up in two Grade 1 races at the Festival and getting closer to Sprinter Sacre than any other horse. As I explained on the Gold Cup thread, even the Official Handicapper has underestimated him. How he can be rated lower than Sir Des Champs is a mystery when you look at collateral form through FL and BW. Should be about 7lb higher than SDC i.e near 180 not 170)

Zarkandar - now they have stepped him up in trip he is going to prove very hard to beat at 2.5 miles+. He's won 8 of 11 starts over hurdles and the three times he has lost has been in two Champion Hurdles (on a track he does not like) and when falling early in the 2012 Aintree Hurdle. He could easily go unbeaten this season. I've followed him since he won on his hurdling debut in the grade 2 Adonis hurdle and he has won me bundles (100/30 in the Elite Hurdle for example)

Back both of these this winter/spring and you will make money for sure. Both multiple grade 1 winners set to win many more races as both are now at their peak age for their disciplines

When talking about Zarkandar not liking the track, I assume your talking about the old course? I think he's 2/2 on the new course.

exactly

festivalfanatic whos noel williams

Was Alan King's assistant. Now has his own licence to train.

Carobee was trained by David Nicholson wasn't he ?

Carobee was trained by David Nicholson wasn't he ?

Yes but he was still in the yard at Jackdaws when Alan took over - couldn't get him sound enough to run. Noel was clearly saddened by his inability to stand the training when I was in his company a few years ago with the person who sold the horse to the Duke.

At Fishers Cross is defo one to follow this season (as it was last season).

Looking forward to following At Fishers Cross and Benefficient

Bit disappointed with the lack of creativity here. Put your head on the block guys and gals. Nominating Festival winners is hardly 'one to follow' material!

After some of the noises coming out of the yard last year I'll be keeping a close eye on Wonderful Charm. World Hurdle was way ahead of his ability last year, and it sounds like his breathing wasn't right anyway. I was taken with his run in the persian war and can see him mopping up some novice chases in the next few months.

Sticking with PFN, I really think that Rocky Creek will develop into a top class staying chaser. He had a bad time at aintree on good ground, but I reckon he's got bags of stamina, and I'll certainly be taking an interest in him in the hennessy.

Puffin Billy for me he was injured/ill on the lead up to the festival last year but looked mightily impressive beforehand.

Diamond King won his bumpers impressively and will be winning now that he goes over timber.

^looking forward to diamond king immensely, think he's got huge potential

also agree with what has been said about at fishers cross

Anyone any thoughts on Arvika Legionnaire?

I see he's only in the betting for the Champion Chase, of which I think he'd have no chance.

I would, however, be interested in the Ryanair.  There were times last year when he looked awsome, and then times when he frustrated, but on his last race it looked like it all clicked in to place, and he looked a class apart.

I think the intermediate distances would be perfect for him, and could have some tasty battles with Flemenstar over the winter.

I was just starting to get excited about him during the arkle when he messed a couple up and dropped away, that wasn't his running at all and he made up for it next time, I'd be very interested in both him and hidden cyclone from Ireland if they ran in the paddy power.

Cant name 2.

But for me the few to follow are:

At Fishers Cross - not had a race yet, reckon he will be a top class stayer.

Al Ferof - Group 1 winner over varying distances, i have him as a KG winner, hope Ruby is on board that day.

Cut The Cards - A JP mare who is still well ahead of the handicapper.

Well Sharp - After his jumping season i had him at least 30lbs ahead of the handicapper after they more than strangled him on his final hurdle outing, then he went to the flat and the rest is history. He will return to jumping no doubt.

Merehead - Hopefully they will make full use of his ratings, hurdling or chasing.

Oscar Rock
Boston Bob

Hey, Sonko's had more than two. In that case I'll add Boston Bob to my two.

I think I'll use my additional pick on Le Bec then. Very impressed with the run earlier on. Liked the horse last year but it always looked as though it wanted a fence. It showed that today, winning very nicely ahead of the useful Bears Affair. Could be a lively one for the Jewson.

Broadway Buffalo
Caid du berlais

Shutthefrontdoor. Makes his Chase debut at Aintree on Saturday.

Silviniaco Conti, Faugheen.

Just noticed that my main horse to follow 'Wrath Of Titans' has recently been switched from Gordon Elliot to Dessie Hughes (it's owned by the Ryanair guy).

No idea what the reason is, but assuming the horse isn't injured I have to say I see this as a massive positive with regards to the horses chances at Cheltenham.

Ptit Zig is my other one

West wizard
My tent or yours

Doctor Harper
My Tent Or Yours

Have to admit that despite winning Wrath Of Titans was a bit disappointing yesterday and hardly looked a Cheltenham Festival horse.

Hopefully some hurdles and a longer trip will see him in a better light.