CARIBEAN BOY (FR)

4 gr g Myboycharlie (IRE) – Caribena (FR)

Nicky Henderson

High profile owners Simon Munir and Isaac Souede tasted Grade 1 success on either side of the Irish Sea last winter courtesy of Bristol De Mai, Footpad, L’Ami Serge, Sceau Royal, Terrefort and We Have A Dream.

The sextet all started their careers in France and, with the assistance of racing manager Anthony Bromley, the pair have recruited from the same source once again during the summer. Despite only being four, this gelded son of Myboycharlie is expected to embark on a novice chase career having won one of his eight races over hurdles at Auteuil for François Cottin.

His sole win was gained at the Parisian track in October last year and he rounded off his French career with a narrow defeat in a listed hurdle at the same venue in April. Purchased a month later at the Arqana Auteuil sale during the Grand Steeplechase weekend for €180,000, the tall grey gelding has yet to race beyond two miles two but it would be no surprise if he followed in the hoofprints of the aforementioned Terrefort and developed into a Scilly Isles/JLT Novice Chase contender.

Messrs Munir and Souede have won the last four renewals of the former event. Either way, he is an exciting prospect for fences.

Dlauro - the German-bred gelding cost £410,000 at the Cheltenham February Sales. HEALY RACING

DLAURO (FR)

5 b g Lauro (GER) – Gergovie De Bussy (FR)

Joseph O’Brien

Owner Lloyd Williams and trainer Joseph O’Brien combined to win the Irish Derby at the Curragh in June when Latrobe beat Rostropovich by half a length. The pair are also responsible for the potentially high-class National Hunt horse Dlauro, who was acquired for £410,000 at the Cheltenham February Sale having won his only Irish point for Donnchadh Doyle 11 days earlier.

A German-bred gelding with French jumps and flat winners in his pedigree, he made an instant impact on his point debut at Belharbour in February. He made all the running and, having jumped slickly, he won eased down by six lengths without ever being troubled. Visually, it was a very taking performance.

O’Brien, who also has a Melbourne Cup on his CV, trained two Grade 1 winners over jumps last season, namely Edwulf and Tower Bridge, and he may have another waiting in the wings.

Withdrawn from a bumper at the Punchestown Festival due to having a temperature, Dlauro is a horse we are going to be hearing plenty about this winter.

ENERGUMENE (FR)

4 b g Denham Red (FR) – Olinight (FR)

Willie Mullins

Relegate provided Willie Mullins with a record breaking ninth win in the Cheltenham Festival bumper last March.

Indeed, the head of Closutton ran five horses in the 2018 renewal and they finished first, second, third, fifth and seventh. The fifth home, Blackbow, won his only English point-to-point for Sophie Lacey before being acquired by the Co. Carlow handler.

Ireland’s champion National Hunt trainer has returned to the same source and purchased the Larkhill winner Energumene. By the same sire as Mullins’ nine-time Grade 1-winning chaser Un De Sceaux, the gelded son of Denham Red cost €50,000 as a three-year-old at the Derby Sale in Ireland and will run in the Tony Bloom colours.

Making his debut in the first division of the open maiden over three miles at the Wiltshire track in January, he ran out a three-and-a half-length winner from Ain’t No Limits, under Tommie O’Brien. His winning time compared favourably with his stablemate Sebastopol (subsequently won a bumper at Ayr in April for Lacey), who won the second division 35 minutes later (1.40 seconds faster).

It is also worth noting that Energumene was only born on June 13th, 2014 and therefore wasn’t even physically four when making his first public appearance.

Speaking to Tom Lacey during the summer, he was adamant Energumene is a superior horse to Blackbow, which bodes well for his career under Rules.

The Cheltenham bumper looks a realistic aim for the four-year-old, who is now owned by Tony Bloom.

Ballinaboola winner Envoi Allen will carry the famous red, white and blue silks of Cheveley Park Stud in Gordon Elliott's care HEALY RACING

ENVOI ALLEN (FR)

4 b g Muhtathir – Reaction (FR)

Gordon Elliott

The famous red, white and blue silks of Cheveley Park Stud are set to be carried by around 20 National Hunt horses this winter, with Gordon Elliott, Willie Mullins, Henry de Bromhead, Nicky Henderson, Alan King, Jimmy Moffatt, David Pipe and Sandy Thomson featuring on their trainer’s roster.

Based at Duchess Drive in Newmarket, the stud has invested heavily in new jumping stock. Beyondthestorm (£150,000), El Merano (£120,000), Lethal Steps (300,000gns), Malone Road (£325,000), Ontheropes (£240,000) and Pragmatic (£82,000) were all bought at public auctions.

Irish pointer Envoi Allen was acquired for £400,000 at the Cheltenham February Sale having won his only start ‘between the flags’ in decisive fashion 11 days earlier. Trained by Colin Bowe, the Muhtahir gelding was sent off 3/1 for a two-and-a-half-mile four-year-old maiden point at Ballinaboola. From a French jumps family on the dam’s side, he impressed with some neat jumping before readily pulling clear to win by 10 lengths under Barry O’Neill.

Now under the guidance of Gordon Elliott, one would expect Envoi Allen to start his rules career in a bumper and, while there is plenty of stamina in his pedigree, he didn’t look short of speed last February.

Therefore he may prove most effective over shorter trips once tackling obstacles. Cheveley Park Stud have enjoyed plenty of success at the highest level on the flat and it is possible they have acquired a budding Grade 1 winner over jumps, too.

FARID (FR)

3 b g Diamond Boy (FR) – Querrana De Sivola (FR)

Willie Mullins

Espoir D’Allen developed into a high-class juvenile hurdler for J.P. McManus and Gavin Cromwell last season winning four of his five starts, including a Grade 2 at Leopardstown on St Stephen’s Day.

This Diamond Boy gelding won the same 12-furlong AQPS flat race at Lignieres (soft) in April as Espoir D’Allen the previous year – by a neck for the same connections, namely owner Walter Connors and trainer Mlle Anne-Sophie Pacault. The runner-up has won since.

Snapped up by J.P. McManus, he is believed to be useful and is considered Triumph Hurdle material as his new owner seeks his third win in the Grade 1 event in the last four years. Sent to Willie Mullins this autumn,

I spoke to A.P. McCoy about him at Ayr last month and, while he is considered more of a hurdling type than embryonic chaser, he is a potentially smart prospect.

GAELIK COAST (FR)

4 b g Coastal Path – Gaelika (IRE)

Donald McCain

During the last 12 months, Grand National and Cheltenham Festival-winning trainer Donald McCain has re-established himself as the northern powerhouse as far as National Hunt racing is concerned. The way he has rebuilt over the last three seasons following the crushing blow of losing the Rooney-owned horses is admirable to say the least.

His seasonal tallies during that time period have been 53, 80 and 98 and, now with the assistance of newly-appointed stable jockey Brian Hughes, the Cheshire-based handler is long odds-on to train over a 100 winners for the first time since the 2013/2014 campaign.

Testify provided his stable with their first Grade 2 winner for nearly five years when winning the Altcar Novices’ Chase at Haydock in January.

The Irish pointing scene has served McCain well over the years, most notably his triple Grade 1 winner Peddlers Cross, who was acquired for £100,000 at the Aintree Grand National sale in April 2009.

Nine years later at the same sale, the same connections paid £110,000 for another unbeaten pointer. Gaelik Coast is a French-bred bay gelding who was trained by Donnchadh Doyle to win his sole point at Castletown in April. Partnered by Rob James, he took charge with three fences to jump before staying on strongly to register a four lengths victory. Purchased 11 days later by McCain on behalf of Tim Leslie, he is described as ‘a sharp racy sort’ by his new handler and, rather like Peddlers Cross, he may be targeted at a bumper before sent hurdling. The four-year-old could be a real force on the northern scene at least this winter.

GOSHEVEN (IRE)

5 b g Presenting – Fair Choice

Philip Hobbs

It is well documented Philip Hobbs endured a tough spell last winter with the Minehead trainer’s seasonal tally of 63 winners his lowest total since the 1992/1993 campaign. However, there is every reason to believe normal service will be resumed during the 2018/2019 season with an abundance of talent at Sandhill Stables.

One of the youngsters Hobbs is particularly looking forward to is this thrice-raced gelded son of Presenting. A half-brother to Vesper Bell, who was runner-up in a Grade 1 novice hurdle for Willie Mullins at the Punchestown Festival in 2012, Gosheven made his debut in an 11-runner bumper in bottomless ground at Wincanton last Christmas. Green early on, he was soon pushed along by Micheal Nolan but responded to his urgings in the closing stages. Although beaten in excess of 20 lengths, he finished fifth with encouraging signs for the future.

With that experience under his belt and sent hurdling for the first time at Kempton in March following an 81-day break, the five-year-old ran well to finish third behind Alan King’s Chosen Path. Champion jockey Richard Johnson took over in the saddle at the Sunbury track and, having been tapped for speed when the tempo lifted after the third last, Gosheven stayed on well and was only beaten around seven lengths by the 132-rated winner.

Even more improvement was forthcoming in a hotly-contested novice hurdle at Cheltenham last time. Sent off 33/1 in the 14-runner event over an extended two and a half miles in April, the Presenting gelding stayed on strongly to grab fifth position. Beaten less than seven lengths, the race was won by the 138-rated Diese Des Bieffes. Back in sixth and seventh were Onefortheroadtom (rated 137) and Grade 1 winner Poetic Rhythm (rated 145).

Bred to stay three miles, Philip Hobbs believes Gosheven is one of his leading novice hurdle prospects for this season. Improving with each start, it would be no surprise to see him develop into an Albert Bartlett Novices’ Hurdle prospect. He looks to have a bright future.

NEVER ADAPT (FR)

3 ch f Anabaa Blue – She Hates Me (IRE)

Nicky Henderson

Champion trainer Nicky Henderson has won the Triumph Hurdle on no less than six occasions and, if his ‘summer signings’ are anything to go by, the head of Seven Barrows is likely to have at least one leading contender for the 2019 renewal. Both Adjali and Never Adapt plied their trade with Guillaume Macaire in France before being snapped up for big bucks. Along with Farid, J.P. McManus added this daughter of Anabaa Blue to his squad.

A 10-length winner on her debut in a newcomers’ event at Compiegne in mid-March, she galloped her 13 rivals into submission. While the form hasn’t worked out particularly well, she is described as a big scopey filly who has been provisionally pencilled in for the Listed Wensleydale Hurdle at Wetherby (Nov 2nd).

Last year’s Triumph Hurdle favourite, Apple’s Shakira, was also an unbeaten once-raced filly who began her career across the English Channel before being bought by McManus and sent into training with Henderson.

PHOENIX WAY (IRE)

5 b g Stowaway - Arcuate

Harry Fry

J.P McManus bought Unowhatimeanharry shortly after his victory in the Grade 1 Albert Bartlett Novices’ Hurdle at the Cheltenham Festival in 2016. Since then, Harry Fry’s stable star has won five of his nine subsequent starts, including further Grade 1 victories in the Long Walk Hurdle at Ascot and the Ladbrokes Champion Stayers Hurdle at the Punchestown Festival.

Placed in the Stayers’ Hurdle at Cheltenham in 2017, the 10-year-old could only finish 10th in the same championship event last March. The same owner has sent this unbeaten winning Irish pointer to Paul Nicholls’ former assistant having been bought for £270,000 at the Doncaster January Sale.

A powerful gelding by Stowaway, the former Donnchadh Doyle inmate was a 12-length winner of an above average maiden at Killeagh nine days before he went under the hammer. In a race which was run at a decent tempo, he clocked the day’s fastest time by over 10 seconds.

The form looks sound and his dam introduces flat speed, as Group 1 performers Colonel Collins and Commander Collins are found in the third generation. With Unowhatimeanharry reaching the backend of his illustrious career, Harry Fry may have been sent a ready-made replacement.

Incidentally, the West Country handler has taken charge of another gelded son of Stowaway who learned his trade in the pointing field. King Roland now belongs to Masterson Holdings Limited having won his only point by 10 lengths at Larkhill on Easter Sunday for Tom Lacey. The pair could be very useful indeed.

Raya Time - bought for £150,000 after his Killarney win

RAYA TIME (FR)

5 gr g Al Namix (FR) – Ruthenoise (FR)

Henry de Bromhead

Roger Brookhouse paid £130,000 for the Sam Curling-trained Summerville Boy after the Sandmason gelding had won a Killarney bumper by four lengths in May 2017. The rest, as they say, is history with the six-year-old subsequently landing two Grade 1 novice hurdles last season, including the Skybet Supreme Novices’ Hurdle at Cheltenham in March.

The same owner has returned to the same source who won the same race with debutant Raya Time last spring. A grey gelding by Al Namix, he was well supported beforehand and, having taken up the running with three furlongs to run, stormed clear to record a 14-length success. Brookhouse shelled out £150,000 for him nine days later and he has since joined Henry de Bromhead, who trained the runner-up (Jan Maat) at Killarney.

It is asking a lot for lightning to strike twice, but he is an interesting prospect nevertheless, and don’t be surprised if he pays a visit to Prestbury Park during the first half of the season. Time will tell whether he makes the same journey next spring.

Mark Howard, author of One Jump Ahead & Racing UK.

One Jump Ahead (172 pages), which includes interviews with Kim Bailey, Harry Fry, Philip Hobbs, Anthony Honeyball, Alan King, Tom Lacey, Donald McCain, Olly Murphy, Paul Nicholls, Fergal O’Brien, David Pipe, can be purchased for £9.99 (plus £5 postage overseas) from www.mhpublications.co.uk