HORSES TO FOLLOW

AUTHOR: Star Sports Content

Star’s Jumpers To Follow 2025/26

The jumps season is well and truly into gear, with some big early-season races already run and some of the bigger names in jump racing closing in on a return to action, writes WILLIAM KEDJANYI.

With a full season ahead of us, we’ve rounded up some of the top minds around to bring you their horses to follow over the next few months – find their horses to follow below!

Steve Ryder (@SteveRyder13), Racing TV analyst and Racing Weekly Tipster/ProducerĀ 
BOSSMAN JACK

Dan Skelton has lots of promising youngsters and one of his leading prospects for the season should be Bossman Jack. A half-brother to the talented yet fragile Gidleigh Park, the five-year-old was an impressive winner of a Wincanton bumper on the 16th January. Settled in rear that day under Fergus Gillard, he made steady headway before showing greenness when leading entering the final 2f of the race.

Bossman Jack still pulled three lengths clear of the runner-up Necronaut at the finish and although that rival was beaten on his next start, the third Constantinian won on his next start to give substance to the form. Not seen since because of a small setback, he should be an exciting novice hurdler for this season.

Bill Esdaile (@BillEsdaile), City AM Racing Editor
TAPONTHEGO

Taponthego has long been on my radar as a real future chasing talent. He rounded off last season with a good fourth in the Martin Pipe at Cheltenham and caught the eye with a good chasing debut at Gowran early this month. He looks the type to continue on an a steep upward curve.

Paul Ferguson (@paulfergusonJTF), author of Weatherby’s Jumpers to Follow 2025-26
UPON TWEED

Given the number of horses I cover in Jumpers To Follow, it is never easy to nominate just one. However, Nicky Richards had a good crop of bumper horses last term, and Upon Tweed created a lasting impression when making a winning debut at Newcastle, at the expense of Conman John, who has already won over hurdles this season. The son of Berkshire is a half-brother to If In Doubt (winner of the 2015 Great Yorkshire Chase) so should stay further in time, but he didn’t look devoid of pace in his bumper, so could easily start off over 2m. Having changed ownership over the summer (will return in the colours of Eddie Melville), I am hopeful that he will develop into a nice novice in the North in the coming weeks/months.

Paul Ferguson’s Jumpers To Follow 2025-26 can be bought by clicking here:

Stephen Harris (@Stephenh61), Punter & Producer of Horse Racing Daily YouTube Videos
ANNO POWER

Harry Fry is an extremely shrewd operator who places his horses carefully and rarely overfaces them in the early days, and his mare Anno Power is likely to take high pecking order in this division over the winter months. She has always been held in the highest regard at home, doing very well to win at Sandown in November 2024 despite doing everything wrong, and simply found Taunton too sharp when turned over at 2/5f in May 2025.

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Andrew Mount (@TrendHorses), tipster for GG.co.uk
IN D’OR

There are plenty of punters expecting horses previously ridden by David Maxwell to step forward this season now that the plucky amateur rider has retired from the saddle and while theyā€™ve already had their fingers burnt when 5-4 favourite Queensbury Boy could only finish fourth in the Persian War at Chepstow on October 10th, I have high hopes for In Dā€™or (below, winning at Ascot in January). Venetia Williamsā€™ seven-year-old won three times in small fields on right-handed tracks when ridden by Maxwell, but it was his 40-1 sixth of 18 to Haiti Couleurs in the National Hunt Challenge Cup at the Cheltenham festival that really caught my attention.

That race worked out well, with the winner following up in the Irish National and fourth-placed Resplendent Grey landing the bet365 Gold Cup. The 3m6f trip seemed to find him out (his wins have come over trips of 2m5f-3m) and his current handicap mark of 133 could be on the generous side.

Paul Jacobs (@pjacobstipster), Six Time Racing Post NAPS Champion
BENTRAGHHILL

I could throw you anyone of 50 fairly obvious horses to follow for the coming jumpsā€™ season, but where is the fun in that? So I have decided to go down the left of centre route and fire you an unexposed player for the next six months or so to follow.

Its always interesting to pay attention to the point to point season in both Ireland and the UK from the past year and see where these quite frankly exorbitant purchases have found a new home and not necessarily how much for. For the record BENTRAGHHILL ran in just the one P2P in April and certainly showed plenty of promise even though beaten to the tune of three lengths by Smoke Trail who has since joined Lucinda Russell and Michael Scudamore and I know is well regarded. My horse to follow travelled strongly through the race until outpaced between the third and second last. When his winning chance had gone, his amateur rider was relatively easy on him yet he kept on strongly from the last obstacle.

An athletic, but rangy enough gelding, the five-year-old was subsequently bought for 150,000 Euros and has gone to Willie Mullinsā€™ yard. His breeding suggests he will stay very well, by Getaway out of a Definite Article mare, but he is also not short of speed. Watch out for him in a low key novice hurdle up to two and a half miles to start with as he is likely to go under the radar.

Anthony Dunkley (@AJD1Racing), Racing TV Analyst and This Racing Life Presenter
BLUEY

Bluey for Emma Lavelle has already commanded attention after a wonderful round of jumping on Chase debut at Kempton, where she left a more experienced field trailing in her wake. She looks a natural at her fences, has pace to burn and crucially doesnā€™t look ground dependent or one dimensional in terms of how you can ride her. Whether sheā€™s happiest over 2m or 2m4f remains to be seen but even though sheā€™ll still only be 7 in January, she has to be considered for Black Type races sooner rather than later. I think sheā€™s very talented and can keep improving.

Matthew Sutcliffe (@MattySutcliffe), gg.co.uk tipster and panelist, Weekend Watch
AUTHOCELTIC

Having initially been earmarked for the Triumph Hurdle at the start of his career, Authoceltic has long threatened be a promising type under rules. He made a solid debut when a nine-length third to the now 148-rated Salver at Exeter in the 2023/24 season, though given Williams described him as a ā€œfast ground speed merchantā€, it was no surprise to see him a further twenty eight lengths behind that rival in the Finale Juvenile Hurdle at Chepstow next time out.

Authoceltic was something of a ā€˜projectā€™ for the yard being a rare colt under rules and while his temperament may have been honest enough for an entire, itā€™s hard to dismiss the natural edge the geldings so it wasnā€™t surprising to see him go 0-5 that season. He was only seen once last term when fourth of six beaten nine lengths at Newton Abbot, but the winner is now rated 130 over fences and he was eventually gelded a month later prior to being off for the rest of the season.

He reappeared this September when very fresh at Worcester over 2m4f so it was no surprise to see him weaken late on, and he improved drastically on that last time out. He made his chase debut at Newton Abbot back down to two miles in a trappy looking four-runner affair where he was immediately reined back in rear, settling a couple lengths off the leading trio for the most part. He jumped well in the main and travelled strongly throughout, and had he not been steadied into the last, then becoming unbalanced on landing, I think he wouldā€™ve won.

A cynic may suggest it wasnā€™t the most vigorous ride in the finish with Chester Williams training the winner and chinning his Motherā€™s horse, but regardless of any tin-foil conspiracies, it was still a career best and he looks to be a horse with a ton of potential now going chasing as a gelding. The handicapper has put him up 3lbs to 105, but heā€™s a half brother to the yards 148 rated chaser Saint Segal and the 141 rated hurdler Celtic Dino, so heā€™s bred to be smart and Iā€™d be of the opinion he could have at least 20lbs in hand over fences this season providing they keep him to good ground and donā€™t stray and further north in trip than 2m4f.

Steven Dowler (@Architect_Tips), Tipster
HONKY TONK HIGHWAY & SWITCH FROM DIESEL

Dan Skelton looks set for another big campaign, and Honky Tonk Highway (below) could be the type to land a very valuable handicap for the team as sheā€™s sure to be well handicapped (mid 120s I presume) if connections take up that route, which I think they should.

A Listed winner on debut in a bumper at Sandown, she was down the field at Aintree on her only other start in that code, but advanced her form over hurdles with a win and two seconds.

She made Derryhassen Paddy battle hard when a nose-second at Windsorā€™s Winter Million fixture, where she had her first start over three miles. The winner advanced the strength of the form by finishing third in the Albert Bartlett at Cheltenham.

Dan Skeltonā€™s inmate even beat Diva Luna in a three-mile point-to-point. With enough evidence in her back catalogue, Iā€™ll be surprised if sheā€™s not winning her share this season.

A bit of a left-field choice that has slipped under the radar and not been mentioned much, but is worth the inclusion. The Ross Oā€™Sullivan-trained mare Switch From Diesel has exclusively been kept to NHF races and did really well earlier this year.

If you take Bambino Fever away, she would have won all four starts. She finished runner-up to that rival at Leopardstown in a Grade 2 event and was last seen filling the same spot behind the champion at the Punchestown Festival.

Inbetween those two events, she won both starts and surely now is the time to send her over an obstacle. I think sheā€™s a very good mare based on what I have seen of her, and is only getting better. With a view to Cheltenham, she has three options – the Supreme, Turners Novices and the Maresā€™ Novices Hurdle. The latter could seem a decent target out of those. Only time will tell where she ends up but Iā€™m optimistic she will win plenty of races and could easily take high order in the major novice events.

Kate Austin (@kateaustin496), Secretary, London Racing Club
GOLD CAST

I’m going to choose one that I saw go through the sales ring at the ARQANA HIT sale in early July. Previously trained by the seriously underrated Mickael Seror, she was a winner in her juvie programme, over the Auteuil hurdles, at the third attempt. I watched as Mickael tried to keep her in his yard, but he lost out to Anthony Bromley, bidding for Paul Nicholls. She ended up as one of the top five sale lots. She’s a strong filly, well-defined and brave. Watch her develop in her 3 Auteuil races & you’ll see why Paul wanted her. Her name is Gold Cast (Telecaster x Shannon Marigold (Martaline). I think she could prove to be 24 carat.

Ed Dark, Star Sports Trader
SOOMAROOY

Soomaroy is a horse I have high hopes for this season. He was ultra impressive when winning his maiden point-to-point at Ballyraghet, and was then sold at the Aintree sale 2 weeks later and snapped up for Ā£190,000 for Nicky Henderson. He’s been working with all the good horses at Seven Barrows, and the Supreme should be the plan this year, but he will be a proper chaser next season, and that could be when the fun really starts.

Neil Watson (@WattyRacing), Racing Writer
QUEEN KATE

While over 68,000 plus a few extra went to Cheltenham on Gold Cup Day back in March, some of us who much prefer being able to move about and enjoy a day of racing at a more leisurely pace went to Doncaster instead for a card which might not have had the same impetus as the one at Prestbury Park but you can still spot a decent horse if you look.

It took until the last race, a race in which I was kindly asked by Bobby Beevers to assist in the Best Turned Out award and present the winning connections their prize, that I did indeed spot a good one.

Queen Kate easily obliged in the afternoon’s concluding bumper, where she kept on nicely, much to the delight of owners Big Time Billy Racing.

After that, the Bowens aimed the bar high for her second start which was in the Grade 2 Nickel Coin Bumper at Aintree where she ran a cracking race to be fourth at 50-1 behind favourite Seo Linn who has been making fair inroads on the flat.

In the summer, Queen Kate had a confidence-boosting win at Newton Abbot and she should be more than capable of making her mark over timber this season, definitely one to keep an eye on.

CJ Cooper (@CJRacing) Punter
ASK BREWSTER & SIR GINO

I’ve got two for this upcoming campaign. First off, I suggest we keep an eye on Ask Brewster, the rapidly improving staying chaser trained by Evan Williams. A very taking reappearance winner at Chepstow, his sound jumping and powerful galloping style should serve him well this coming season, and there’s plenty to be won with him.

Nicky Hendersonā€™s Sir Gino was simply breathtaking on his chase debut at Kempton, and I was excited for his future, greatly looking forward to Newburyā€™s Game Spirit Chase and then on to Cheltenham. Sadly, we never saw that, but I just want to see him back in the new year on the road to a thrilling victory in the Champion Chase at the Festival come March – fingers crossed he comes back to his best.

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