Four Horses To Follow For The Jumps Season

Pym for Nicky Henderson is a horse that is held in such a high regards and after only racing a few times you can see the clear potential this gelding has and will be another strong addition for the British Champion trainer at the Cheltenham Festival.

This five year old has only ran four times in his career, his first performance as a three year old was at Ayr in a bumper and he went on to win in style looking a smart prospect. From there he was not seen again for the whole season.

As a four year old very similar to last season he was only seen twice over bumpers where he didn't win any of them and didn't look the same horse as when he was a three year old.

This season he made his return last weekend at Chepstow and got off the mark in style with plenty left in the tank.

(Credit At The Races) Trainer Nicky Henderson has said: "He is a horse we have been waiting for and he looks an exciting prospect."

Next up is the Amy Murphy trained Mercian Prince and this horse looks like he could be a really smart chaser this season after having a less than impressive start to his racing career.

This seven year old before changing hands in 2016 over to Amy Murphy was a very average horse but since then has really come into his own winning four out of his 12 runs and placing in others.

This season he is yet to get started but we really think he is ready for his break through season. Looking back at his run at Cheltenham last year he didn't look quiet right and it looked a bit to soon for him, but from what his trainer Amy Murphy has said about him it is hard not to think he will do well this season.

(Credit Racing UK) The trainer has said: “I feel a bit sorry for Mercian Prince, as if it wasn’t for Kalashnikov, he would be our stable star as he won a Class Two and a Class Three handicap last season.

“He has been an absolute star for us, I owe him an awful lot and if there is a horse in the yard that deserves to win a big one, it’s him.

“He ran well over the National fences at Aintree last season, he just got tired in the heavy ground. He could aim for the Grand Sefton again, but I do think he has a black-type race in him.

“He could be one to get into the BetVictor Gold Cup. He was cantering at Cheltenham on Trials Day coming down the hill and then came down at three out.

“At the Festival he got struck into, so you can write that run off.”

Our third horse to follow for the upcoming jumps season is the Gordon Elliot trained Dinons who this summer has really turned into a smart, progressive horse that has the potential to go and win a black type race at some of the big festivals this year.

As a three year old he started his career in a bumper at Fairyhouse and came second in an ordinary race from there he wasn't seen again. As a four year old he returned and again only for one run in a bumper at Fairyhouse and it was even worse finishing ninth and again he was not seen again all season.

As a five year old Gordon Elliot has now seemed to have got him spot on and especially in his last four runs where he is unbeaten and they have all been smash up jobs being clear of the rest of the field by many lengths.

It looks as though Elliott as a really smart novice since he has been riding over hurdles and the long term goal for this horse will be the Cheltenham festival.

The last of our horses to follow this season and probably the most well known of the four is Presenting Percy for trainer Patrick Kelly. This seven year old has been an ultra consistent hurdler and now chaser for many years but this year we really think he can be the horse to go on and win the Cheltenham Gold Cup.

This is why we have added this horse into the mix as a horse to follow. The majority of the jumps racing world will know or should know who this Irish based horse is after winning at the Cheltenham Festival for back to back years.

His first winner at the festival came in 2017 when he won the Pertemps Handicap Hurdle and really made a name for himself on the big stage. This year he backed this up in sublime fashion by easily romping home to take the Grade 1 RSA Chase and set a marker for next season.

Now the season is upon us the obvious step up for this horse who we know stays longer than three miles would be the Gold Cup and the jockey who has rode him most his career, Davy Russell thinks so too.

It is all down to his owners with what actual race he will be put in, if fit for the Cheltenham Festival but we think if he is supplemented he is the one to beat this season in the Gold Cup on the Friday.