The horse racing broadcasters continue their preview of the new jump season by picking out the hurdlers they are expecting big things from.
GARY O’BRIEN
Lossiemouth
Unbeaten in three starts last term, and only defeated once in her career to date (and what an unlucky defeat it was), Lossiemouth will surely go down the Champion Hurdle route this season. At just five years of age the best is surely still to come and she looks to have all the tools to have a major say in the blue riband.
Teahupoo
Very much the one they all have to beat in the three-mile division once again after going 3/3 last season, though he may have to deal with Lossiemouth or perhaps even State Man in the Hatton’s Grace at Fairyhouse on his return. Likely to have another light campaign.
Brighterdaysahead
Gordon Elliott was talking in terms of a Champion Hurdle tilt after Brighterdaysahead made a winning reappearance at Down Royal, but at this stage the Mares Hurdle appeals as a better fit at Cheltenham. The daughter of Kapgarde is a seriously classy performer and will be a formidable rival wherever she goes.
NICK LIGHTFOOT
Black Hawk Eagle
Kerry Lee has done well with Black Hawk Eagle since getting him from Ireland. There have been plenty of positives, so I would suggest putting a line through when he pulled up in the Morebattle Hurdle on final start of last season – the travel to the track wasn’t ideal and he’s better than that. His third placing in the Welsh Champion Hurdle on first run back this Autumn suggests to me that he probably needs to improve a bit, but could still take high standing in some fair handicap hurdles.
Blueking D’Oroux
This horse impressed me last season with what he achieved in a short space of time. He was a good winner of the Ascot hurdle last November from subsequent Grade 1 winner Strong Leader, and connections were well within their rights to have a crack at the Long Walk Hurdle last Christmas. Still only a five-year-old, it sounds like the plan is to work backwards from another tilt at Ascot’s feature staying hurdle.
Dysart Enos
It was a huge shame that Dysart Enos’ novice season was curtailed. She suffered an over-reach in the hours before the Cheltenham Festival, and as a result didn’t get to test herself against Golden Ace – whom she had beaten the previous season – and Brighterdaysahead.
The reasons for why she is in the list are two-fold: I think she’s massively talented, and Fergal O’Brien has nominated the Greatwood Hurdle as a target. I love the idea of good horses running in big-field historic handicaps, and I’d love to see her win that.
Bowenspark
Bowenspark made a satisfactory return at Aintree in late October in a two-and-a-half-mile handicap hurdle, which tends to be a race to follow each year. I liked him as a novice hurdler, and while the aim will be soft-ground steeplechases I wonder if they can have a bit of fun over hurdles first. A mark of 121 could see them have a few options over timber if chasing isn’t the immediate aim.
Tellherthename
This five-year-old could join Dysart Enos in the Greatwood Hurdle. It was a bit of an up-and-down season last time around, looking awesome on a couple of occasions at Huntingdon but then, in contrast, looking anything but when upped to Grade 1 company, which is forgivable. He has left Ben Pauling and now resides at Jackdaws Castle with the O’Neills. Don’t forget him – he’s only five and has a rating of 135 which, to my mind, leaves him competitively treated for some of the big handicap hurdles.
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