THE NATIONAL HUNT season is about to kick off in earnest right about now. As ever there is a plethora of rivalries and clashes to look forward to, Nicholls versus Henderson for the champion trainer title, Long Run the new star will look to repel all comers. Is there life in the old guard Kauto Star and Denman? Will Big Bucks’ stay unbeaten or can a worthy rival emerge to challenge this ‘monster’?
The answers to these questions will be resolved over the coming months. So let us take a look at the various top drawer divisions.
2m Hurdlers
It is all about Hurricane Fly after his five Grade1 wins last season and is a true champion with 11 wins from 13 races over hurdles. There appears to be no apparent challengers in Ireland for his crown and with last year’s champion hurdle second, third, fourth turning their hand to other codes/distances and many of the top novice hurdlers from 2011 going chasing Spirit Son, Zarkandar and perhaps an on song Binocular are left to challenge the Willie Mullins horse.
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| Big Bucks' Photo: Google Images |
Staying Hurdlers
Big Bucks’ hit his prime last season and his win at Aintree was simply sublime; with just two hurdlers to jump the commentator Mark Johnson described his might “Big Bucks’ just coasting on the bit and Ruby Walsh has time to adjust his goggles!” Putting it plainly he is the best horse in training and in Oscar Whiskey and Thousand Stars he will have two new rivals to swat like all who came before.
In Ireland Willie Mullins again holds all the aces with Mourad, Quevega and the aforementioned Thousand Stars looking likely to share the races between them.
2m Chasers
Sizing Europe took home the ultimate prize in the Queen Mother Champion Chase at the Cheltenham festival but overall last year no horse dominated the division. Master Minded is going to race over further this season. Big Zeb is now 10 years old and may have his best days behind him. Captain Chris improved all season and finished with Grade1 wins in the Arkle and the Ryanair novice chase at Punchestown. Despite reports that he may be best over further the record of Arkle winners in the following years Champion Chase is very good (4 wins from 7 who tried) so he may well run at a variety of distances. Finian’s Rainbow, Ghizao, Realt Dubh, Golden Silver, and French Opera are others of note in the division and I’m sure all will hold strong chances of making the winners enclosure at some point.
Staying Chasers
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| Long Run leaves old guard in his wake in last years Gold Cup Photo: Google Images |
Last year’s Gold Cup signalled the end of an era. Kauto Star and Denman who have given us so much to savour in the last five years are coming to the end of the line and six year old Long Run is very much the leading contender for all the major prizes. With Weapons Amnesty and Imperial Commander out for the season others will look to provide a challenge to the Waley-Cohen’s animal. Diamond Harry will be back in action and will be one to follow early in the season as he is best fresh. Time for Rupert will look to fulfil the promise he failed to deliver on in last season’s RSA chase after a satisfactory reappearance in the Charlie Hall Chase.
Ireland appear to have a stronger division of staying chasers this year than in recent season’s Bostons Angel, Jessies Dream, Quel Esprit and Quito de la Roque all expected to come through from the novice ranks to challenge for honours. Pandorama on soft going will be a force also.
Master Minded and Riverside Theatre will be tried at the longer distances but will probably end up over two and a half miles as the season progresses.
Next the novice divisions of hurdling and chasing will be examined and they look as interesting if not more so than in recent seasons. Plenty of top hurdlers from 2010/11 are turning their hand to the bigger obstacles and we will see them next.
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