When it comes to discussions about those that will be fighting it out at the top of the trainers' championship in years to come, the name of Harry Fry is one that crops up time after time.
It is easy to see why so much is expected of the 30-year-old, given the giant strides he has made in the five years he has been at the helm of Manor Farm Stables.
Although dealt the cruel blow of losing the exciting Neon Wolf, Seaborough-based Fry still has among his armoury of 80 horses a wealth of talent he hopes will take him to all the major meetings throughout the season.
"The aim is to have more winners and prize-money than last season and that is the target each season," said Fry.
"It is always a big positive if you hit that target and we could do better this season than last with what we have got.
"Unowhatimeanharry winning two Grade One races was special and Neon Wolf at Haydock was probably as exciting a day as any I've had. That performance really made the goosebumps stand up on the back of your neck.
"Those days are what it is all about and we will try to keep improving again this season."
Fry's 5 to follow:
AMERICAN
"He did nothing wrong over fences and we are looking forward to a second season over them. The logical target for him is the Ladbrokes Trophy and that is what the focus is on at the moment, as he has got the ideal profile for the race.
"If he gets real soft ground, which he should at that time of year, then it is even better. We will know after that whether to stay at that level or go up in grade. He knees are fragile, so we just have to be cautious.
"He just gallops and jumps and that is what won him the race at Uttoxeter. The race at Warwick he just jumped them into the ground. Down that back straight I don't think I've seen anything jump like he did, let alone a novice doing that."
HELL'S KITCHEN
"He only had one start last year, as he had a few niggles, but hopefully they seem to be behind him now. We are looking forward to getting his career back on track over fences.
"He was too keen for his own good on his one start over them and unfortunately he didn't see the track again after that.
"He will be out either at the end of this month or early November when there is genuine soft ground about. We might even drop him back to two miles and go from there."
IF THE CAP FITS
"He was a good bumper horse and finished fourth in the Aintree bumper which is normally a good race. We are looking forward to getting him out over hurdles. He will want two and a half miles in time, but we will probably start him over shorter. He has filled out and hopefully he will progress to be a nice novice hurdler."
MINELLA AWARDS
"He was second in the spring at Plumpton, then he won the EBF Final at Sandown before winning a race at Punchestown. He relished the step up in trip there and it was in a time not much slower than Unowhatimeanharry's race.
"He did nothing but thrive all spring. He is only six so hopefully there is more progress to come this year.
"He will start in the Fixed Brush Hurdle at Haydock and that will tell us whether we stick to hurdles and step him up a grade or go novice chasing. He won a point-to-point before he came to England and he jumps really well. He is a lovely horse going the right way."
UNOWHATIMEANHARRY
"He continued to thrive last season. We are looking forward to following a similar route this season and we will start off at Newbury on December 1 in the Long Distance Hurdle, then hopefully go for the Long Walk. The races plan themselves at his level.
"He is nine now going on 10 and there are no plans to go novice chasing, we will just stick to what we are good at.
"He had to improve from winning an Albert Bartlett and he did that having started the season rated 149 and ending up rated 167. It is amazing to think the progress he has made from being a 123-rated maiden. I imagine I won't have another like him.
"He was not quite 100 per cent at Cheltenham and you only have to be off a fraction at that level. He was spot on at Punchestown and it was great to see him beat Nichols Canyon at his own game as it turned into a sprint and he was a good two-miler."
