Timeform: Novices to watch out for over the festive period

Trainer Gordon Elliott has confirmed that Timeform’s highest-rated novice chaser in training, Envoi Allen (154P), is set to miss the Christmas action to wait for a Grade 3 at Punchestown in January. His absence obviously robs the division of its star attraction during the busy festive period, but, without Envoi Allen to scare the opposition away, we can at least look forward to some fascinating clashes amongst the best of the rest.

Elliott himself is still sure to be well represented, with Pencilfulloflead (153p) set to test the waters at Grade 1 level for the first time in the Faugheen Novice Chase at Limerick on Boxing Day, seeking to provide his trainer with a third win in the race since 2017. Pencilfulloflead only won a maiden hurdle last season but has taken superbly to chasing, stepping up on his debut success with a decisive victory in the Florida Pearl Novices’ Chase at Punchestown last month. That success came over two and three quarter miles, and he shapes as if likely to stay further, but Elliott is keen to drop him back in trip on what will be testing ground at Limerick. Peniclfulloflead is open to more improvement and sets the standard on form in a race that could also feature Asterion Forlonge (151p), who ran to a smart level at the first attempt over fences when winning at Punchestown last month.

Felix Desjy (152p) is another Elliott-trained runner to have quickly reached a smart level over fences, and there is the prospect of even better to come. Felix Desjy ran out a determined winner of the Craddockstown Novice Chase at Punchestown last time, asserting on the run-in to win by a length and three quarters from Sizing Pottsie, with Darver Star (142p) another eight lengths back in third. Sizing Pottsie gave the form a boost when winning a competitive handicap at Fairyhouse on his next start, so Felix Desjy shouldn’t be underestimated when stepping up in class for the Grade 1 Racing Post Novice Chase over two miles and one furlong at Leopardstown on Boxing Day. The potential opposition includes Darver Star, who is on a bit of a retrieval mission, and the exciting Willie Mullins-trained pair of Energumene (148p) and Blackbow (146p), both impressive debut winners over fences.

It’s a sign of Mullins’ strength in depth in this division that we’ve yet to mention Monkfish (148p), who won the Albert Bartlett Novices’ Hurdle at last season’s Cheltenham Festival and looked a hugely exciting prospect when making a winning start to life over fences at Fairyhouse last month, barely needing to come off the bridle to win by four lengths (had plenty in hand). Monkfish looks sure take all the beating in the staying novice ranks over the coming months, though he’ll face a stiff test of his credentials when lining up in the Grade 1 Neville Hotels Novice Chase at Leopardstown on Tuesday, with Latest Exhibition (144p), who chased home Pencilfulloflead at Punchestown last time, and Conflated (145) heading the list of dangers.

Over in Britain, Nicky Henderson will be attempting to record another victory in the Grade 2 Wayward Lad Novices’ Chase at Kempton on Sunday with Shishkin (151P), who, along with Envoi Allen, is one of the few top novices with a large ‘P’ attached to his Timeform rating, denoting that he is still open to significant improvement. Shishkin overcame adversity to win a strong renewal of the Sky Bet Supreme Novices’ Hurdle at the Cheltenham Festival on his final start last season, and he made an impressive start to his chasing career after nine months off at Kempton last time, coming home unchallenged after a fluent display of jumping. That victory only consolidated his standing as one of the most exciting prospects in National Hunt racing, and he’ll get another chance to underline that point when he comes up against the smart Gumball (148p) in the Wayward Lad, a race his trainer has won with the likes of Sprinter Sacre, Simonsig and Altior in recent years.

Looking a bit further into the future, Protektorat (149p) is set to put his unbeaten record over fences on the line in the Grade 2 Dipper Novices’ Chase at Cheltenham on New Year’s Day. Protektorat looked an exciting recruit to the chasing ranks when winning at Carlisle in October, and he enhanced his reputation with a wide-margin win at Cheltenham’s November Meeting. It was only a four-runner novice chase, but a good time adds substance to the excellent visual impression that he created on his way to a 17-length success. Protektorat raced with zest at the head of affairs and, pleasingly, jumped much straighter than had been the case at Carlisle, where he had shifted to his left on that right-handed course. He looks to have the tools to make up into a leading novice.

The large 'P'

Ballyadam (143P) possesses the highest rating earned by a novice hurdler in Britain and Ireland this season after his victory in the Royal Bond Novice Hurdle at Fairyhouse last month. A ready winner on his hurdling debut at Down Royal in October, Ballyadam was conceding experience to his six rivals at Fairyhouse but ultimately proved well up to the task, just needing to be kept up to his work to land the spoils by a length and a half. There’s room for improvement in his jumping, but he’s clearly a smart hurdler in the making and should continue to take plenty of beating, with the large ‘P’ attached to his Timeform rating denoting that he likely to prove capable of significantly better when the situation demands it. His next appearance will come in the Future Champions Novice Hurdle at Leopardstown on Sunday, a Grade 1 in which he could face a rematch with the placed horses from the Royal Bond, Cask Mate (139) and N’Golo (139).

Willie Mullins – the trainer of N’Golo – could also be represented by last season’s Champion Bumper runner-up Appreciate It (127p), who barely needed to come off the bridle to justify odds of 12/1-on on his hurdling debut at Cork last month. That form is working out well, so Appreciate It will be worth his place back up in grade over hurdles, with longer trips also likely to be explored given that he won over two and a half miles in bumpers.

Tuesday’s Challow Novices’ Hurdle at Newbury is the big race in this division in Britain over Christmas, and this year’s renewal has the makings of a cracking contest. Does He Know (135p) is just one of several exciting contenders to look out for as he seeks a four-timer following wins at Ludlow and Cheltenham (twice). His latest success came in the Hyde Novices’ Hurdle at the November Meeting, not needing to improve to win by three lengths. He was well on top at the finish and has certainly earned a crack at Grade 1 company, especially when you factor in his scope for further progress. The opposition is likely to be headed by Star Gate (134p), who easily won the Winter Novices’ Hurdle at Sandown recently, and Bravemansgame (131p), who is yet to be tested at graded level but looked a smart prospect when doubling his tally over hurdles at Newbury last time.

The Dan Skelton-trained Third Time Lucki (135p) was successful on his first two attempts over hurdles before stepping up in grade for the Sharp Novices’ Hurdle at the November Meeting, where he wasn’t seen to anything like best effect in a race dominated by the front-running For Pleasure (136). The effort of trying to close down the winner from two out seemed to tell on Third Time Lucki in the straight, fluffing the last and making no further impression on the run-in as he was beaten three and three quarter lengths. He still pulled well clear of the rest, though, and is open to more improvement, so it will be interesting to see whether he’s up to defying a double penalty in the opening race at Kempton on Boxing Day.

Finally, we’ll hopefully see Dusart (130P) back in action over the next couple of weeks after he produced one of this season’s most eye-catching performances by a hurdling debutant when successful at Newbury last month. Settled just behind the leaders in the early stages, Dusart was always travelling strongly and quickly asserted after hitting the front two out, ultimately landing the spoils by two and a half lengths. A half-brother to the dual Cheltenham Festival winner Simonsig, Dusart is open to significant improvement and seems sure to go on to bigger and better things. He could enter the reckoning for the Grade 1 Tolworth Novices’ Hurdle at Sandown in early-January.