NATIONAL HUNT 2025/2026 SEASON TEN TO FOLLOW
BY ANDY HOLDING
CALIFET EN VOL – Nicky Henderson
Game winner of the Sidney Banks Novices’ Hurdle at Huntingdon, in a fast time, the son of Califet was a warm order to back up the impression he created that day in a Grade 1 at Aintree on his final start of the season.
Unfortunately, for all concerned, he ended up finishing tamely from two out after travelling like the winner for most of the race, but he did come back with a significant injury that rather explains away why he didn’t see out the final half a mile as well as anticipated.
Said to have done exceptionally well over summer out at grass, he has come back looking in great shape and he is set to embark on a campaign over fences that hopefully should turn out to be a fruitful one.
GAMEOFINCHES – Willie Mullins
Created a favourable impression when scoring with ease on rules debut in a bumper at Punchestown and, as a result, was one of the leading fancies for the Champion Bumper at Cheltenham a month later.
Despite falling short of expectations on the day, he didn’t run too badly on ground plenty quick enough, and he left the impression he was still rather a work in progress.
Seen as a long-term chasing type, connections are set to bypass hurdles and go straight over fences, and he should take high rank in staying novice contests this season under testing conditions.
LARGY GO – Jonjo & A J O’Neill
Impressive when winning an Irish point at Loughbrickland on his debut, such was the performance both visually and, on the clock, new connections had to go to 305k to acquire his services.
Considering his overall time was 11 seconds quicker than established point performers Ballyphilip and Winged Leader suggests he could easily live up to star billing over this side of the Irish Sea in the novice hurdle department this season and he is very much one for the future when he eventually goes over fences.
LOVE ME TENDER – Willie Mullins
Impressive on both his two starts over hurdles and his speed figure when lading a Grade 3 at Tipperary on his most recent outing, suggests he could end up being top class.
Not only did Willie Mullins’ unbeaten gelding clock an overall time six seconds faster than older horse Gaucher over the same C&D, but he was also 3.8 seconds quicker than his stable mate on the final circuit.
Using Gaucher (rated 150) as a guide, which can be tenuous at this time out year, admittedly, the son of Doctor Dino must be a fair prospect in the making based on the data he showed at the Limerick Junction venue and it would come as no surprise if he were to make the transition to Grade 1 company a seamless one further down the line. Something along the lines of The Royal Bond at Fairyhouse could easily be on the agenda for this exciting prospect.
MASKED MAN – Nigel & Willy Twiston Davies
A smooth winner of an Irish point, the son of Masked Marvel made an immediate impact on these shores when routing his opposition on rules debut at Chepstow and the data points towards his performance were built on sound foundations.
Producing a solid overall speed figure if not a spectacular one, he was, however, the quickest horse from three out of all the hurdle races run over the three days of the big meeting at the Welsh venue, including the Welsh Champion Hurdle on the Sunday.
For a three-mile point winner to show that much speed suggests he might well do better over the minimum trip in the short term, but either way, the sky could be the limit for this exciting four-year-old.
SOLDIER IN MILAN – Emmet Mullins
Landed a gamble when accounting for a big field in a bumper at the Punchestown Festival and looks the type who should have bags of improvement to come.
Whether he will be sent over hurdles or fences in the short term only time will tell but he is in safe hands and remains one to keep on side.
SWITCH FROM DIESEL – Ross O’Sullivan
Showed top class form in bumpers last season and was the only one to offer any resistance to Bambino Fever in a Grade 1 at Punchestown on her final start.
Asked to race on the Flat following a 186-day break at The Curragh recently, you would not have given tuppence for her chances of winning when she flopped out of the gates but to her great credit, she passed all her 22 rivals in the final mile to land an improbable success.
Moreover, she was the only horse on the card to win coming up the stands side rail, so her winning effort was easily an upgradable one.
Making her debut over hurdles at Navan last week, she jumped well in the main but ultimately was unsuited by the pedestrian pace and, as a result, her keenness through the early exchanges caught up with her late on. Likely to be more at home in stronger run events, she remains one to keep on side.
SORTUDO – Willie Mullins
A creditable seventh in the Champion Bumper at the Cheltenham Festival, the son of Authorized turned in one of the most eye-catching displays in the division next time out at Fairyhouse and on the evidence of that performance, the future should turn out to be bright.
The way he galloped his rivals into submission on testing ground strongly pointed towards a horse replete with stamina and he can be seen to good effect under similar conditions over hurdles during this season.
Distances between 2m4f and 3m should suit best.
THE JUKEBOX KID – Ben Pauling
It has been well documented the brilliant start to the season made by the Naunton handler and I could have easily added Diva Luna to the list, but arguably just as impressive on his chase debut was this guy and he might just turn out to be the one of the pair worth following.
As we have seen many times in the past, novice handicap chases are often a rich source of future winners and the race won by this six-year-old at the Yorkshire venue should turn out to be no different.
Grand Geste ensured the gallop was strong from the outset and he soon had most of his rivals at full stretch, all bar Ben Pauling’s inmate who had little trouble popping away in second. Once the leader began to falter three out, the son of Jukebox Jury soon took advantage, and he stayed on powerfully all the way to the line to record a convincing success.
The key element towards the strength of this form was the overall speed figure in comparison to the two listed races won by Paggane and Resplendent Grey – which was significantly quicker – and providing the data turns out to be an accurate guide, he is likely to make hay in the early part of the season before the handicapper realises his true worth.
WILLIAM MUNNY – Barry O’Connell
Having nominated this lad as one to follow over fences this season at the end of the Cheltenham festival, it came as a bit if a blow to hear connections are likely to go down the Champion Hurdle route.
That said, you can easily see their rationale in what looks open division and with the news filtering through the grapevine surrounding the loss of State Man for the season, their decision seems even more justified.
Everything about last season’s Supreme suggested it was a high-class affair and the speed figure backed up that view, being significantly superior to the one produced by Golden Ace & Co in the Champion Hurdle over the same C&D (four seconds).
With that in mind, the son of Westerner wouldn’t have to improve to feature against the more establish brigade and with his conqueror, Kopek Des Bordes, reportedly going down the novice chase route, the door is left wide open for an outlier to come in from left field and make his presence felt.
RECOMMENDATIONS
William Munny – ½ point each-way@12-1 (Champion Hurdle)