Cap Du Mathan (FR)

4 b g (42-)

Kapgarde – Nounjya Du Mathan

Paul Nicholls

Leading bloodstock agent Anthony Bromley has bought some wonderful horses for owner Andy Stewart over the years. Ten-time Grade 1 winner Big Buck’s tops the list, but his familiar red, black and white silks have also been carried with distinction by Celestial Halo, Cenkos, Le Roi Miguel, Napolitain, Saphir Du Rheu and Tataniano, who all scored at the highest level, too. Grade 2 winners Hoo La Baloo, Le Duc, My Will, Tatenen and Turko weren’t bad either.

Following a few ‘quiet’ years, Stewart has once again called upon the Newmarket-based agent and arguably his most interesting purchase is the twice-raced Cap Du Mathan. A four-year-old by Kapgarde, he raced a couple of times over hurdles at Auteuil under the guidance of Arnaud Chaille-Chaille.

Making his debut in a conditions event for unraced colts and gelding in October, he finished a creditable fourth behind the Guillaume Macaire-trained St Romain Du Derby (the third, fifth and seventh have won since). He returned to the Parisian track three weeks later and was a two-and-a-half-length runner-up behind Arverne.

The winner was subsequently sold to J.P. McManus and finished third behind Quel Destin in the Grade 1 Finale Hurdle at Chepstow over Christmas, while the third and sixth have won since. It appears Andy Stewart and Paul Nicholls have another exciting recruit from France on their hands.

Dickie Diver (IRE)

6 b g (1/214-)

Gold Well – Merry Excuse

Nicky Henderson

Nicky Henderson is blessed with a whole raft of promising novice chasers for this season. Angels Breath, Birchdale, Champ, Mister Fisher, Precious Cargo and Rathhill are all set to embark on fencing careers this winter.

Dickie Diver is another name to add to the list and there is every reason to believe he will develop into Grade 1-winning chaser in the future.

A 20-length winner of his only Irish point when handled by Michael Goff, the Gold Well gelding was acquired by J.P. McManus for £210,000 at the Goffs UK January Sale at Doncaster last year. Dickie Diver didn’t make his rules debut until January 2019 and, following an absence of 383 days, he ran a cracker at Chepstow and was unlucky not to maintain his unbeaten record.

Staying on strongly after the last, he failed to reel in subsequent Grade 2 winner Lisnagar Oscar by a head. Barry Geraghty’s mount had previous winners Truckin Away and Down The Highway behind him in third and fourth respectively.

Returning to the same course and distance a month later, Nicky Henderson’s charge made short work of his 13 opponents. Aidan Coleman took over in the saddle and, despite a mistake at the last, he won hard held by two and a quarter lengths. The six-year-old acquitted himself well in the Albert Bartlett Novices’ Hurdle at the Cheltenham Festival finishing a highly creditable fourth, faring best of the home contingent.

Beaten by less than 11 lengths, he held every chance at the second last before keeping on in the closing stages. Given the fact he only made his rules and hurdling debut two months earlier, he achieved plenty in a short space of time earning an official rating of 141. He is a tremendous chasing prospect and one who could provide Nicky Henderson with his fourth win in the RSA Chase at Cheltenham next March.

Dickie Diver, now in the McManus colours - is another name to add to the Nicly Henderson novice chase team \ Healy Racing

Eldorado Allen (FR)

5 gr g (23/1U-)

Khalkevi – Hesmeralda

Colin Tizzard

Owner Terry Warner won the Greatwood Hurdle at Cheltenham (November 17th) with Rooster Booster (2002) and Detroit City (2006) and it will be interesting to see if the lightly-raced Eldorado Allen is targeted at the two-mile event.

Previously trained in France by Philippe Peltier, the grey was runner-up in an APQS flat race (1m 4f) before finishing third on his hurdles debut at Auteuil – the Prix De L’Yonne hurdle, which has been won by the likes of Aux Ptits Soins, Blue Dragon and Franco De Port in recent years – in March last year.

Subsequently bought on behalf of Warner and John Romans, the Khalkevi gelding made a sparkling UK debut for Colin Tizzard at Sandown in November (2m/Heavy). Leading two out, the five-year-old powered away for a four-and-a-half-length victory from subsequent winners Finawn Bawn (twice), Star Of Lanka (twice), Oakley, West To The Bridge (twice), Duarigle and Let’s Get At It (three times).

Reappearing less than a month later at Aintree, he unseated his rider at the first having been hampered. Not seen since, he has yet to race beyond two miles one and on anything quicker than soft ground.

Regardless of whether he heads to Cheltenham in November or steps up in trip, Eldorado Allen can win a big handicap at least this season.

Faustinovick

5 b g (2/2-)

Black Sam Bellamy – Cormorant Cove

Colin Tizzard

Owners Paul Taylor and Richard O’Dwyer were responsible for one of the leading novice chasers last winter. Lostintranslation won the Grade 2 Dipper Novices’ Chase at Cheltenham on New Year’s Day and the Grade 1 Mildmay Novices’ Chase at Aintree in April, in addition to finishing runner-up behind his old rival Defi Du Seuil in the JLT Novices’ Chase at the Cheltenham Festival.

Colin Tizzard’s seven-year-old is set to head down the Gold Cup route this season and, with an official rating of 161, he doesn’t have to improve too much to emerge as a leading contender.

The Flemensfirth gelding isn’t the only exciting prospect who carries the Taylor and O’Dwyer silks because they are also responsible for the twice raced Faustinovick.

Like his more illustrious stablemate, the five-year-old began his career in Irish points finishing runner-up behind the potentially top-class Andy Dufresne at Borris House in March 2018 before being sold for £170,000 at the Aintree Sales the following month. Faustinovick made his rules debut in a 13-runner bumper at Newbury in early March this year.

Sent off 4/1, Robbie Power’s mount ran well in second finishing six lengths behind subsequent Grade 2 winner McFabulous. Considering it was his first run for 358 days and Paul Nicholls’ victor scored in three of his four bumpers last season, it was a most encouraging run. Expected to go straight over hurdles, the Black Sam Bellamy gelding is one to follow this season and beyond.

Faustinovick (right) follows home Andy Dufresne - he could be another star for Colin Tizzard \ Healy Racing

Ferny Hollow (IRE)

4 b b g (1-)

Westerner – Mirazur

Willie Mullins

Cheveley Park Stud made a significant splash on the National Hunt scene last season with Cheltenham Festival victories for Envoi Allen (bumper) and A Plus Tard (novices’ handicap chase).

Their familiar red, white and blue silks were carried to victory on 13 occasions in Ireland and a handful of times in the UK during the 2018/2019 campaign. With the likes of Allaho, A Plus Tard, Envoi Allen and Malone Road among their ranks, more big race successes look assured this term, too.

Their squad of jumpers has been bolstered still further with the addition of two more former Irish pointers, namely Deploy The Getaway (£200,000) and Ferny Hollow.

The latter was purchased for £300,000 at the Cheltenham February Sales having won his only start by 15 lengths at Knockanard (2m 4f) for Colin Bowe four days earlier.

From the family of Granville Again and Morley Street, he overcame a mistake at the second last before powering away for a decisive success.

Willie Mullins has won the Cheltenham Festival bumper on no less than nine occasions and, both he and Cheveley Park Stud, may have a serious contender for the 2020 version.

Ferny Hollow will carry the Cheveley Park Stud for Willie Mullins \ Healy Racing

First Account

5 b b g (1/32-)

Malinas – Kind Nell

Donald McCain

It was well documented that it was a tough second half of the season for Cheshire handler Donald McCain with only 13 winners from the start of Janaury until the final day of the campaign in late April.

However, on the flip side, the Grand National-winning trainer has some well-handicapped inmates as a result, and none more so than the lightly-raced First Account.

A winning pointer for Colin Bowe, the Malinas gelding was beaten by less than six lengths by Al Dancer (rated 151) and Windsor Avenue (134) on his hurdles debut at Carlisle (2m 1f) in October.

The five-year-old returned to the Cumbrian venue two months later but didn’t look comfortable on the inner track eventually finishing second behind Captain Zebo (rated 130) with the subsequent EBF Final runner-up One For Rosie back in third.

Absent since, due to the unhealthy nature of his stable, he is set to go chasing and looks a good thing to win a novices’ handicap chase over two or two and a half miles off his opening mark of 114. Look out for him at one of the autumn meetings at Carlisle (October 17th or 24th).

Fly Smart (FR)

4 b g (2-)

Day Flight – Abacab

Willie Mullins

Willie Mullins has won the Skybet Supreme Novices’ Hurdle at the Cheltenham Festival on no less than six occasions and three of those winners were owned by Rich and Susannah Ricci, namely Champagne Fever (2013), Vautour (2014) and Douvan (2015).

The brilliant but ill-fated Vautour began his career under the tutelage of Guillaume Macaire in France and the same connections have returned to the same source to acquire this potentially high-class novice hurdler.

A four-length winner on the flat at Niort (1m 3f/soft) in September last year, he then finished a two-length runner-up on his hurdles debut in the Prix Isopani at Auteuil (2m 2f/very soft) the following month.

The form of his race has worked out exceptionally well – the third, fourth, fifth, sixth, seventh (twice), eighth (four times, including listed and Grade 3 chases) and ninth (three times) have all won since.

Bought soon afterwards on behalf of the Riccis, he has been given plenty of time to settle in at Closutton. It would be no surprise to see the Day Flight gelding develop into a live contender for next March’s Festival opener.

My Whirlwind (IRE)

4 b f (1-)

Stowaway – Garranlea Maree

Nicky Henderson

Legendary owner J.P. McManus is currently responsible for some high-class mares.

The Peter Fahey-trained Gypsy Island was unbeaten in four bumpers last season, Elimay won at the Punchestown Festival and Sancta Simona is a Grade 3 winner. His team of mares has been bolstered still further during the spring with the addition of My Whirlwind.

The Stowaway filly became the most expensive point-to-point mare bought at public auction when acquired for £400,000 at the Cheltenham Festival Sale in March and has subsequently joined Nicky Henderson.

A four-length winner at Ballycahane in March, she powered away after the second last and looked a high-class mare in the making. Trained by Pat Turley, she is from the family of Mister Morose and Albertas Run and is therefore bred to be smart.

Despite the fact she is only four, one would expect her to go straight over timber with the Grade 2 Dawn Run Mares’ Novices’ Hurdle likely to be her number one target this season.

Nicky Henderson has trained some top-class mares over the years and he may have been sent another one.

Phoenix Way (IRE)

6 b g (1/521-)

Stowaway – Arcuate

Harry Fry

This former Irish winning pointer was included in this feature 12 months ago and retains his place for a second year with the strong belief that Harry Fry has barely scratched the surface with this potentially well handicapped six-year-old.

Phoenix Way was denied the opportunity to show what he is capable of during the second half of last season, due to a minor injury.

A 12-length winner of his point at Killeagh in January 2018 for Donnchadh Doyle, he was subsequently sold for £270,000 17 days later at the Goffs UK January Sale at Doncaster.

Despite being strong in the market on his rules debut in a two-mile maiden hurdle at Bangor in November, he could only finish fifth behind Donald McCain’s The Some Dance Kid (won twice more since and rated 133). Phoenix Way shaped much more encouragingly next time though when a five-length runner-up behind the well regarded I Can’t Explain in a similar event at Sandown less than a month later. Subsequent winners Hold The Note (3rd), Baddesley Knight (5th) and Greaneteen (6th) were in behind.

Stepped up to two and a half miles for the first time at Plumpton early in the new year, Harry Fry’s charge made no mistake at the Sussex track. Partnered by Aidan Coleman, he was always going well and quickened up smartly on the run-in to win by a length from Hughie Morrison’s Third Wind.

The runner-up won his next two starts, including the EBF Final at Sandown in March. The third home (Commanche Red) also won next time.

Unfortunately, that was the last we saw of Phoenix Way, who returned to his owner’s stud in Ireland for recuperation during the spring/summer following a setback.

However, the Stowaway gelding is all set to make up for lost time with the £100,000 Grade 3 Betfair Exchange Stayers’ Handicap Hurdle at Haydock Park (23rd November) pencilled in as a possible starting point.

The step up to three miles is expected to bring about further improvement.

Trueshan (FR)

3 b g (Flat: 6-112)

Planteur - Shao Line

Alan King

Alan King sent out 91 winners last season and earned £1,259,316 in prize money. Alsa Mix, Sceau Royal and The Glancing Queen supplied the Barbury Castle team with Grade 2 victories, while Talkischeap provided the icing on the cake to an excellent campaign with a stunning 10-length win in the Bet365 Gold Cup at Sandown on the final day of the season.

David Nicholson’s former assistant feels the stable are particularly strong in the novice hurdle department with bumper winners Heart Of A Lion, Major Dundee, San Rumoldo, Sheshoon Sonny, The Glancing Queen and Wynn House.

Add to that a potentially strong team of juvenile hurdlers and all the ingredients are there for a formidable squad of youngsters.

Trueshan, who appreciates ease in the ground and stays well, looks well bought at 31,000gns and is set to develop into a leading three-year-old hurdler this winter. A gelded son of Planteur, he finished sixth at Nottingham on his only outing as a two-year-old last season.

Stepped up to a mile and a half this summer, he hasn’t looked back since winning twice at Wolverhampton and Ffos Las (good) and finishing second in a competitive handicap at Haydock (1m 6f) in September off a mark of 91. His trainer excels with his juvenile hurdlers, winning the Triumph Hurdle twice courtesy of Penzance (2005) and Katchit (2007), and he may have another very good one on his hands.

Mark Howard, author of One Jump Ahead

One Jump Ahead (196 pages), which includes interviews with Kim Bailey, Harry Fry, Warren Greatrex, Philip Hobbs, Alan King, Tom Lacey, Donald McCain, Olly Murphy, Paul Nicholls, Jonjo O’Neill, David Pipe & Nicky Richards, can be purchased for £10.99 (plus £5 postage overseas) from www.mhpublications.co.uk