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Captain's Blog - 17th September 2011

We have seven horses to follow for the jumps season alrerady and now here are the final three.

For the first of these I am heading to Ireland for we need a staying chaser in our list and I think the Willie Mullins trained Blazing Tempo fits the bill. This Mare won the Grade A Galway Plate in impressive fashion before finishing a decent fourth in the Kerry National the other day and she would have finished a lot closer but for one bad error in the final mile. The Kerry National may just have stretched her stamina as well and it may be that two and a half miles is her best trip rather than three. She is already rated 151 and has only raced over fences seven times. This represents an impressive rise through the rankings and I think there is still a lot more to come. An added bonus is that Ruby Walsh will be on board most of the time and Willie Mullins stated yesterday that she will be campaigned over here. She is a smart prospect and warrants a place in our ten to follow. Number eight - Blazing Tempo.

Number nine in our list is represented by Woolcombe Folly. This horse was hugely impressive when winning a handicap chase at Cheltenham last season. He was quietly fancied for the Queen Mother Champion Chase after that but he ran poorly as he did next time out at Aintree. He is only eight yesrs old and has plenty of potential at two miles over fences this year. He is rated 167 and has only had seven runs over fences, four of which he has won. I am slightly concerned that he only ran three times last year and he may be a little fragile, but Paul Nicholls is just the man to keep the wheels in motion and I expect this classy two mile chaser to have a big season. So there you have number nine - Woolcombe Folly.

Bobs Worth
© Grossick Racing Photography

Finally number 10 for you. Nicky Henderson has a wealth of talent in his yard and to pick just one horse from Seven Barrows is almost an impossible task, but I have plumped for Bobs Worth who is a straightforward, tough and talented individual. He won the Albert Bartlett Novices Hurdle at the Cheltenham Festival and also won two other Novice hurdles at Cheltenham last season. He clearly goes well at the track which bodes well for his future which will almost certainly lie over fences. He could make up into an Arkle type although with an unbeaten record over hurdles he would remain a force in that sphere as well, but I am confident that this horse will become a leading Novice chaser when the time is right. There you have it number 10 is Bobs Worth. The list is finally complete and here it is.

1. Keys
2. Hidden Keel
3. Crack Away Jack
4. Montbazon
5. Mille Chief
6. Sam Winner
7. Zarkandar
8. Blazing Tempo
9. Woolcombe Folly
10. Bobs Worth

I hope you find this list at least thought provoking and with a bit of luck following these horses will prove profitable this season.

All the best.

Today's Selection

2.35 Catterick - Al Furat