With the Silver Trophy run at Chepstow in the middle of October and the Charlie Hall Chase come and gone at Wetherby by the time you read this column, I thought I would put into play a group of horses worth following in the 2023/24 National Hunt season and some further long range ante-post suggestions as well.
1: AURORA VEGA When you are bred as well as this filly is, then results will be expected, but that blood potential has already turned into racing reality following just the three runs under rules in bumpers for Willie Mullins.
Those wins in came at odds of 1/5, 1/7 and 2/13 suggest that all three victories were straightforward, the last of them in a Listed race at Gowran Park. That day she beat no less than five previous winners and did it in wonderfully fluent style under Patrick Mullins, merely nudged out when taking command just inside the quarter mile pole. By Walk In The Park out of the mighty Quevega, this athletic mare is already priced up as low as 14/1 for the Dawn Run Mares Novices Hurdle at the festival with only Dysart Enos (brilliant winner of the mares bumper at Aintree and also three from three) and Brighterdaysahead (unbeaten in two starts for Gordon Elliott) ahead of her in the ante-post listings.
She certainly has a huge engine judged on her initial season on the level and if she manages to handle a hurdle as well as her mum and dad did we could be in for a real treat this season.
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Esta historia es de la edición November 2023 de Racing Ahead.
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Karl Hedley reports as jumps challengers pile on the heat across the water
WELL SET TO STEP AHEAD
Ben Morgan has ten warming prospects to follow in the coming weeks
CUE FOR MANY A CELEBRATION
Graham Buddry recalls the life and times of jumps legend Cue Card
KID KAN DOO FOR NICHOLLS
Paul Jacobs casts a close eye over leading picks for this month's big races
TWISTER RUNS MASTER CLASS
John Anthony watches Nigel Twiston-Davies' star catch time judges' eye
NO LEAVES ON LINE TO SLOW THESE FLYERS
Simon Nott enjoys a West Country Weekend catching up with ring pals
EXPECTATIONS SOAR AT RIDGE
Nick Townsend talks to rising Newmarket training star James Owen
KID KAN DOO FOR NICHOLLS
Paul Jacobs casts a close eye over leading picks for this month's big races
NORMA'S COLOURS ARE FLYING PROUD
Robert Cooper sees Percy Willis and Kaadam grace white and green spots and red cap
CHIANTI FLOWS AS NEW LION GROWLS
Prior to the National Hunt season 'proper' getting underway at Chepstow the question on many people's lips was whether or not Willie Mullins would target a second consecutive British trainers' title.