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Captain's Blog - 16th September 2011

I have put together 5 horses to follow for the jumps season already and will add a couple more today. First up a horse who could become a leading player amongst the staying chaser ranks.

Sam Winner is trained by Paul Nicholls and was a more than useful hurdler last season. He ended the season being rated 148 on the back of a fourth in the Triumph Hurdle to stable companion Zarkandar. He disappointed at Aintree on his final start of the season when he was probably over the top. Ruby Walsh who rode him in the main last season thinks a lot of this horse indeed he opted to ride him ahead of Zarkandar in the Triumph Hurdle. In terms of long term targets he could turn out to be an Arkle or an RSA chase horse for the Festival. Consequently his trainer Paul Nicholls has plenty of options with this fellow. Whatever his target he is one that must be followed in the forthcoming season in Novice chases. That is my sixth horse to follow in the list - Sam Winner.

Zarkandar
© Racehorse Photos

Number seven is a horse I have already mentioned. Zarkandar won the Triumph Hurdle in tremendous style at Cheltenham and then rather scrambled home at Aintree where he showed another side to his talent with a tough battling display. In essence he is a strong traveller with a turn of foot who is ideally suited to strongly run races and to Ruby Walsh's patient style of riding. He has a classy flat pedigree and will have too much speed for many of those that he will come up against this forthcoming season. Whether he is good enough to make a splash in the Champion Hurdle is a different matter as he will need to improve if he is going to boither the likes of Hurricane Fly. It is not out of the question though that he will be able to make such improvement. In short follow him and you have a classy hurdler on your books who will win races. There you have it horse number 7 - Zarkandar.

1. Keys
2. Hidden Keel
3. Crack Away Jack
4. Montbazon
5. Mille Chief
6. Sam Winner
7. Zarkandar

The final three will follow tomorrow.

Many thanks to those of you who got involved in the Kempton show last night. We received a host of missives and the show was great fun to work on.

All the best.

Today's Selection

3.55 Ayr - Another Citizen (each way)