Ben Pauling: My Five to Follow ahead of 2024/25 Jumps Season
Cotswold based handler Ben Pauling nominates his five horses to follow this jumps season.
Should be a top-class novice chaser, we're desperately waiting for some ground, but I think he's out of the top drawer. I don't think it matters whether we start over two and a half or three but I do think he's as good as we've had for a very long time. He's in good order, his work has been good and he's an exceptional jumper.
He had a bit of an eye opener in the Rising Stars [at Wincanton on Saturday]; they went an absolute idiot [gallop]. He travelled and jumped very well although it was very quick, even Insurrection struggled to lie up; he unfortunately came to grief three out, bit novicey and just dived at it. He wasn't beaten and I think probably would have got there which would have been some performance first time out. He's a magnificent beast this year and I'm very much looking forward to seeing how he gets on, he could be one for the Scilly Isles [at Sandown].
She will be aimed at the better novice hurdles. She's in very good form early season. She was laid off for two weeks but she'll be coming back in the next few weeks and I'm looking forward to seeing her.
Having finally got his head back in front over fences I think he can go forwards. He'll be in all sorts of things, the Grand Sefton, he'll be in some better novice handicap chases, he might even make into a proper novice in time and I think the slightly altered National Hunt Chase is a very good target for him.
Roysse got beat but don't worry about that, he is like a rhinoceros and you're never going to get him fit first time out. He'll go for a maiden hurdle at Newbury.
More horses to follow
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