2025/26 Horses To Follow
Horses To Follow 2025/26
In this piece I'll be sharing my opinion on a whole host of interesting candidates . From barely raced novices to already well known stars, this is my early guide to making the 2025/26 season a profitable one.
So get your trackers out and let's rattle through my horses to follow for the season ahead..
#1 - Davy Crockett
Trainer: Willie Mullins
Owner: JP McManus
Form: 11-
Division: Novice Hurdles
Comments:
I bet you knew it wouldn't take long for me to mention a Willie Mullins novice but this might be a new record, however this is one I'm sure a few people are already getting excited about based off the breeding alone. He's sired by Camelot who was a group one winner on the flat over 1m4f whilst the Dam is none other than Champion Hurdle winner Annie Power (you might've heard of her).
Now I originally started writing this before his run at Galway where I thought he was quite impressive. He made quite a big mistake at the 2nd last that day but managed to kick on and showed a great engine to win nicely. Although he's quite a small horse I could see him being a big player going forward and will most likely have a big say in the Novice Hurdle division.
Willie Mullins has stated that they will target the Royal Bond in November and hopefully he can kick on from there.
#2 - Wilstar
Trainer: Olly Murphy
Owner: Diana Whateley
Form:31-
Division: Novice Hurdles
Comments:
I'm heading back to this side of the water for my 2nd horse to follow and that is the Olly Murphy trained novice in the name of Wilstar. Olly is a trainer whose most definitely on the up and is progressing with every campaign so it won't be too long before he makes his mark among the top trainers in the UK and he could have a special one here.
He won his bumper at the 2nd time of asking back in April after running way too keen first time out at Warwick. Now I'm not too sure that this is a horse to be following into the spring festivals come to end of the season but he strikes me as almost a Potters Charm or Celtic Dino type where he can pick up plenty of prize money in the first half of the campaign but might run into a few better come Cheltenham. If this Doctor Dino Gelding is good enough to be a graded horse I could see him running in races like the 2m grade 2 at Ascot in November but time will tell.
#3 - Doctor Du Mesnil
Trainer: Willie Mullins
Owner: Over the Sticks Syndicate
Form:1-
Division: Novice Hurdles
Comments:
There seems to be a bit of a theme here as I'm going to tell you about another exciting novice by Doctor Dino, this time with Willie Mullins.
Again we've only seen him once in a bumper at Cork where he was a very impressive winner by 11 lengths. He was given an RPR of 129 for that run which in perspective is higher than Kopek Des Bordes' bumper last season and the same as Ballyburn's the season before so as you can imagine, there's a lot of talk about this lad going into the new season.
It's almost impossible to tell where he will end up in the Spring festivals but he's currently 33/1 and 25/1 for the Supreme and the Turner's respectively and I'm sure if he lives up to the hype those prices won't stick around for long.
#4 - The Jukebox Man
Trainer: Ben Pauling
Owner: Harry Redknapp
Form:13221-
Division: Novice Chasing
Comments:
I'm heading to open company of the chase division for my next horse to follow and that is Ben Pauling trained The Jukebox Man. He was heading for a fantastic novice season over fences before he got injured following his win in the Kauto Star novice chase at Kempton on Boxing Day which meant he missed the spring festivals.
He was on course to run in the Brown Advisory at Cheltenham festival last year before his injury which he would've had a massive chance in, especially when you see how that race panned out.
Now there's obviously a level of risk with this lad as we're yet to know how much that set back left its mark but he is back in the yard with Ben Pauling and hopefully he can pick up where he left off and have his say in the 3mile chase division.
It might come a bit too soon but if they can get him there I believe he'd have a massive say in the King George at Kempton, A race on the same card where he won 12 months ago. If everything goes to plan I imagine he'll be campaigned as a Gold Cup horse come the end of the year.
#5 - Derryhassen Paddy
Trainer: Lucinda Russell
Owner: Morrison-Bell & Russell
Form:11113-
Division: Novice Chasing
Comments:
I'm staying in the UK for my next selection with Lucinda Russell trained Derryhassen Paddy. Comments made at the end of the last campaign would suggest he's all but confirmed to go Novice chasing this season and I've just got a feeling that fences could be the making of him. Lucinda is a trainer known for producing top 3 mile chasers picking up plenty of prize money in big handicaps and graded races across Britain and this lad fits that profile to a tee.
He won his point to point as a 4yr old back in 2023 before having a very successful Novice hurdling campaign with wins coming at Uttoxeter and Windsor before coming 3rd in the grade 1 Albert Bartlett at last years Cheltenham Festival.
The only downside to this selection is that it seems soft ground is essential to him which is always worth to bear in mind when it comes to the Spring festivals. However if he does get his ground I could see him being a big player in a race like the Ultima Chase over 3 miles or maybe even an outside chance in the Grade 1 Brown Advisory. Either way he's a very exciting horse to go forward with into the 2025/26 campaign.
#6 - Grangeclare Park
Trainer: Gordon Elliot
Owner: KTDA Racing
Form: 1-
Division: TBC - (Potentially Bumpers)
Comments:
I'm heading back over the Irish sea for my next horse to follow which is my first PTP recruit in Grangeclare Park. This horse might be the hottest topic from the PTP scene over in Ireland but with good reason. The 4yr old Walk in the Park gelding was purchased by KTDA Racing after his 18 length win at Curraghmore back in April.
He will be going to Gordon Elliot's yard where I imagine he'll make an appearance in a Bumper at Down Royal in November. I don't think they'll be in a rush to get this lad out over hurdles as I think he'll be more of a long term project but has the size and scope to make for one hell of a chaser down the line.
If he was to run at Cheltenham in March he fits the 'Gordons Champion bumper horse' profile quite nicely but either way this is one everybody should have in their trackers for seasons to come.
#7 - Mange Tout
Trainer: Gordon Elliot
Owner: Robcour
Form: 1-
Division: Juvenile Hurdles
Comments:
It's time to head over the channel for my first French recruit of the season in the name of Mange Tout. This 3yr old filly was very impressive in her only run in France where she bolted up in the Prix Du Grand Maitre at Compiegne winning by a whopping 15 lengths!
It's too early to tell what race connections will target come to the spring festivals if any at all however based how dominant she was on her debut she's definitely thrown her hat into the ring of being one of the most exciting juveniles heading into this season.
The half sister to Cheltenham and Aintree festival winner Impaire Et Passé will run in the famous colours of Robcour and will be training with Gordon Elliot for the 2025/26 campaign which has attracted a lot of attention - and rightfully so!
#8 - Jeroboam Machin
Trainer: Emmet Mullins
Owner: Paul Byrne
Form: 111-
Division: Novice Hurdles
Comments:
Again, there's another element of risk involved when it comes to this selection as he too unfortunately missed out on most of last season due to injury. The Emmet Mullins trained gelding was last seen in February 2024 where he won a bumper at Leopardstown by 4 1/2 lengths beating the likes of Redemption Day, the Yellow Clay and The Enabler which has turned out to be a very solid form line.
From what I can gather he suffered quite a nasty tendon injury which has kept him off the track for over a year so from an ante-post perspective I wouldn't be keen on backing him for any of the big festivals as we don't know how much that injury has left it's mark. However if he can fully recover he'll be a very exciting addition to the Novice Hurdle division and is definitely one to keep in mind going forward.
#9 - Live Conti
Trainer: Dan Skelton
Owner: G Mason, J Hales, P Hogarth, Sir A Ferguson
Form: 112-
Division: TBC - (Potentially Novice Chasing)
Comments:
It's about time I add a Dan Skelton trained horse on the team and I'm doing so with last years exciting juvenile in Live Conti. He came over from France after winning a conditions race at Auteuil before winning at his first attempt on British soil at Weatherby - Albeit going off a 1/9 favourite.
He then headed to Aintree for the Grade 1 Juvenile where he finished 2nd to Murcia whilst beating the like of Fred Winter winner Putyourhandstogether which is pretty solid form as a first attempt at graded level.
As for this season It's still unclear what direction he will take but I presume her will go novice chasing. Now I don't think he's good enough to have his say in an Arkle or something like that but there's plenty of 2m Novice Chases in Britain this side of Christmas that I think he could be competitive in - The Grade 2 Arkle Trial in November springs to mind.
Obviously this is all speculation as we don't know what plans the Skelton team have for him this campaign but either way he's one to have in the tracker for sure!
#10- Quilixios
Trainer: Henry De Bromhead
Owner: Cheveley Park Stud
Form: 124F-
Division: Open Chasing
Comments:
I'm going to stay in the 2 mile chase division for now and side with a horse who is already well known to most however I think he's being bitterly over looked once again. He was right there with Marine Nationale jumping the last in the Champion Chase when he came down and was in with every chance of winning it up until that point.
The Irish 2 mile chase division is rather weak at this time and definitely has room for one to come in a shake the division up. He was first seen over larger obstacles at Naas last November where he beat Marine Nationale before finishing 2nd to Jonbon In the Tingle Creek at Sandown. He was well beaten next time out where Solness caught everyone off guard at the DRF in a race that subsequently collapsed due to the rattling fast pace set by the winner.
Looking at the champion Chase market for next year Cheltenham Festival he is the one at a price that sticks out to me and I cant believe he's a 40/1 shot for a race he had every chance of winning at this years meeting.
#11 - Heldam
Trainer: Willie Mullins
Owner: Bryan Drew
Form: 1-
Division: Novice Hurdles
Comments:
This is my last Willie Mullins Novice I swear.. but this one might be the most exciting of the lot. He won a Punchestown PTP back in February and since then has been purchased by Bryan Drew - The same owner as Final Demand. He beat another exciting prospect in Lord Rouge that day so even though he's only had the one run that's already some decent form to go off.
Owners comments state that the horse will skip bumpers and go straight to Novice Hurdling this campaign whilst also stating that he may be a faster horse than Final Demand, implying he will most likely go the 2 mile or 2m4f route come the spring festivals.
He's currently a massive price of 40/1 for the Supreme Novice hurdle at Cheltenham and although it's far too early to be suggesting he'd run there, I could think of a lot worse prices at this stage for the big week in March.
#12 - Rocky's Diamond
Trainer: Declan Queally
Owner: Margaret Kiely
Form: 131410-
Division: Novice Chasing
Comments:
My last horse to follow is Declan Queally trained Rocky's Diamond. This 5yr old gelding first caught my attention at the Christmas meeting at Leopardstown where he finished 3rd in the Savills Hurdle behind Home By The Lee and Stayers Hurdle winner Bob Olinger. He then went on to win next time out at Gowran Park before finishing 4th in the Stayers himself.
This is quite impressive form, especially as a 5yr old so there's nothing to say he won't improve with age as he matures. He's also set to go Novice chasing this season and actually holds an entry in a Beginner's Chase at Galway this following Monday as I'm writing this so I'll be very intrigued to see how he gets on there first time out over timber.
I'm hoping fences could be the making of this lad and wouldn't be surprised if he picked up one of those staying novice handicaps in Ireland before the season is over - get him in the tracker!
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