Ten Horses to Follow
for the 2011/12
NH Season

Captain Sunshine
5 b g Oscar (IRE) - Gaye Fame (Ardross)
Trainer: Emma Lavelle
Captain Sunshine, who has a stout, proper staying jumping-pedigree, was handed a pretty tough assignment on his debut and only start so far, and on what he showed in the valuable DBS Spring Sales Bumper at Doncaster in March, can't fail to win races. He was clueless in the early stages of the race and pushed along, then overcame scrimmaging around six furlongs out, and stayed on nicely in the straight to run third, looking strong at the finish, to Montbazon and the front-running Close House, who'd ensured a well-run race. His dam Gaye Fame, who won a bumper and mares' novice hurdle, has already produced an above-average jumper in Cheltenham Festival winner Oulart, and there's every chance that Captain Sunshine, a lengthy, workmanlike gelding in appearance, will go on to better things. Novice hurdles over 2m4f to 3m will be his bag this season.

Celtic Folklore (IRE)
6 b g Luso - Lady Orla (IRE) (Satco (FR))
Trainer: Willie Mullins
Ticking over during the Summer of 2011, helped in no small way by his first win in the Galway Plate, Willie Mullins will field his usual strong team in all departments during the season proper in 2011/12, and Celtic Folklore could well play an active part as a novice chaser. The six-year-old has only had three starts, first off winning a bumper at Punchestown before turning to hurdles. He landed the odds in a Thurles maiden in February, then missed Cheltenham and Aintree, instead going on to the Punchestown Festival for a winners-of-one novice. He acquitted himself with credit in the 2m contest, going off in a clear lead but ultimately setting it up for Kid Cassidy, who brushed him aside after the second last, Celtic Folklore left second by a faller at the last. He ran into a good one there, but was too forcefully ridden anyway. Not to worry, because chances are that Celtic Folklore is in for a good season, which may very well be over fences at up to 2m4f, and he may stay further.

Columbus Secret (IRE)
6 b g Luso - Bid For Fun (IRE) (Auction Ring (USA))
Trainer: Keith Reveley
'Got there eventually' seems an appropriate way of summing up Columbus Secret's progress in his novice chasing season. Although he got a 66/1 win in a maiden chase at Catterick in December along the way, his early outings over fences had contained less than perfect jumping, and he also showed a tendency to find little. Come the Spring, he was a different animal. None of the opposition gave their running at Southwell in a 3m110y handicap chase on April 13th, as Columbus Secret sauntered clear to a 22-length victory over King Jack, but he had a much stiffer examination at Perth on April 28th. In a competitive intermediate handicap chase over 3m in which they went 4/1 the field, Columbus Secret won readily, beating Sotovik by 10 lengths. That runner-up went on to demolish the field in a similar contest at the Scottish track the following month, suggesting that I'm not wide of the mark in rating Columbus Secret 133 - coincidentally the official mark he was put up to after the Perth win. There's more to come from this young chaser.

Fists Of Fury (IRE)
7 ch g Beneficial - Shean Alainn (IRE) (Le Moss)
Trainer: Charles Byrnes
Fists Of Fury, a full brother to the 2009 RSA Chase winner Cooldine, could well be one of the leading contenders for that race himself in 2012. Given some stiff tasks after winning a 2m2f maiden hurdle at Thurles in November, Fists Of Fury was unable to add to that victory but posted some cracking efforts in defeat, on one occasion splitting Mossey Joe and Askanna, subsequent one-two in a Grade 2 novice hurdle at Punchestown (finishing the other way round), in the Grade 3 Stayers' Novice Hurdle at Cork in December. Fists Of Fury took his chance in the Grade 1 Sefton at Aintree in April and ran with credit, running close to the pace throughout and leading with four to jump, headed turning out of the back straight and struggling, then rallying from the second last and keeping on for a fine fourth place behind Saint Are. Fists Of Fury, who's also related to Brackenfield, reportedly has the build for the larger obstacles and should win his share on his way to Cheltenham.

Galaxy Rock (IRE)
7 b g Heron Island (IRE) - Blue Pool (IRE) (Saddlers' Hall (IRE))
Trainer: Jonjo O'Neill
Galaxy Rock had a Scottish National entry in the latest season. He didn't take it up, but would have been worth his place in that field given the way he stayed on to take fourth in the Fulke Walwyn Kim Muir Chase at the Cheltenham Festival. Ridden with typical patience by Mr J.T.McNamara and surviving a couple of mistakes, Galaxy Rock stayed on into a prominent position with three to jump, but had no answer to Junior, to his credit nearly getting third. This was his third start in blinkers; the 129-rated hurdler won his first two in the headgear, a beginners' chase at Folkestone and a weak Class 3 novice at Leicester before he went to Cheltenham. Instead of going to Ayr, he returned to Prestbury Park in mid-April and had been found another weak race, a five-runner 0-130 handicap chase over 3m4f110y. Galaxy Rock readily beat exposed handicapper Shammy Buskins by 14 lengths. Proven on heavy ground, the Welsh National would be an appropriate target for Galaxy Rock in 2011/12.

Rathlin
6 b g Kayf Tara - Princess Timon (Terimon)
Trainer: P. J. Rothwell
Having Kayf Tara for a sire suggests that novice chase prospect Rathlin will turn out a stayer, but with his run style, for now he's a two-miler. He first put himself on the scene when making a lot of the running to take a maiden hurdle at Gowran Park in March, headed after getting in close to the second last but soon leading again and pushed out to beat Sicilian Secret with something in hand. With that behind him he went to the Supreme Novices' Hurdle at the Cheltenham Festival and, though he ended up a setter-upper for Al Ferof and the placed horses, did better than expected, especially after ending up widest of the whole field on the bend passing the stands and not getting the lead until the top of the hill, pushed along going to two out and losing a few places, holding on to sixth close home. A mistake at the last cost him a Grade 2 win at Fairyhouse over Easter, Rathlin rallying to reduce the distance between him and beneficiary Prima Vista to a length and three parts, this race notable for his not being asked to lead until two hurdles out. He was probably over the top when running a below-form fifth to Shot From The Hip at Punchestown. Rathlin is reportedly a chasing type in appearance and, unlucky not to have a Pattern-race win to his name over hurdles, should prove difficult to catch over fences.

Red Merlin (IRE)
6 ch g Soviet Star (USA) - Truly Bewitched (USA) (Affirmed (USA))
Trainer: Donald McCain Jnr
This hurdler ended the latest season on a roll, and should be competitive in good 2m handicap hurdles in 2011/12. Red Merlin started over hurdles with a promising second to Minella Class at Newbury, but failed to confirm that on his next two runs, highly tried on heavy ground in the Tolworth at Sandown behind the same horse on the first of them. He belatedly confirmed the promise of that first effort at Doncaster in March, Red Merlin surviving the odd mistake, putting down a challenge with two to jump and pricking his ears before the last, where his final error resulted in his jockey Henry Brooke getting in a tangle with the reins. Brooke was unable to give Red Merlin maximum assistance on the run-in and his victory over Kaolak was worth at least double the winning distance of one and a quarter lengths. He landed the odds in much softer races at Hereford and Wetherby in March and April respectively to round off his first campaign over hurdles. An official rating of 130 gives Red Merlin just over a stone to find on his form over hurdles so far, but he was in the 90s on the Flat and that suggests that he could find the necessary improvement.

Richie Rob
5 b g Robellino (USA) - Friend For Life (Lahib (USA))
Trainer: Neville Bycroft
This one already looks 100% stamina after just three starts in bumpers. Richie Rob had his first start in December on the Fibresand at Southwell, in one of the many NH Flat contests that took part on the all-weather tracks when the snow took hold, and he was a staying-on second to Lombardy Boy. Next time, he showed a bit of what he's going to be all about. Presented with one of the toughest tests a young jumper in the making can face - a heavy-ground bumper at Carlisle - Richie Rob, off the bit before a mile had elapsed, came there going best three furlongs out and stayed on to go clear in the last 300 yards to beat next time out-winner Rojo Vivo by 22 lengths. His last start is best ignored, the good ground and more competitive opposition in the Grade 2 bumper at Aintree all against him. Richie Rob will need at least 2m4f the way he races, and should get a couple of novice hurdles over that trip or further in the mud.

The Polomoche (IRE)
8 b g Beneficial - Lessons Lass (IRE) (Doyoun)
Trainer: Marcus Foley
Having spent the majority of his riding career as Nicky Henderson's number two jockey, whilst also enjoying some success on outside rides (notably on handicap chaser Cassia Heights), Marcus Foley embarked on a training career in the 2010/11 season. He took over the handling of former Henderson inmates Terramarique, a regular ride of Foley's towards the end of his time in the saddle, and The Polomoche, a 143-rated hurdler. Foley looks likely to get some wins to his name with the latter, who won two out of three in points and hunter chases last season. First up was a ready win between the flags at Kingston Blount on March 12th, beating More Trouble by an easy seven lengths. There was a blip next time at Maisemore Park on April 3rd, when a below-form fourth to Surenaga, but after a short break, he returned to winning ways with a hunter chase-win over 2m4f at Aintree on May 13th, beating Lord Henry by a length and a quarter. More hunters and point-to-points are likely to be won by The Polomoche in 2012. He could be at his most effective when fresh, and might be best at short of 3m, so the Aintree Foxhunters' looks a suitable target.

Wyse Hill Teabags
6 b g Theatrical Charmer - Mrs Tea (First Trump)
Trainer: Jim Goldie
The sound-jumping but ill-fated Endless Power, and the smart Flat handicapper Hawkeyethenoo, have been the stable stars up to now for dual purpose trainer Jim Goldie, based at Libohill Farm on the outskirts of Glasgow. A horse quite possibly on his way to being mentioned in the same breath as those two is Wyse Hill Teabags, who became a useful hurdler in 2010/11, not running out of the first three in five starts over timber. After winning over 2m4f at Musselburgh on his second outing, Wyse Hill Teabags was given a tougher assignment in the Premier Kelso Novices' Hurdle and ran a good third to a couple of useful Northern novices, Bold Sir Brian and Desert Cry. After landing the odds with something in hand in an easier race at Kelso in March, he took his chance in the Listed 2m4f handicap hurdle at Aintree in April off a mark of 133 and went down with honours, holding a chance till blundering at the last and just failing to get second to Russian War after staying on well in the last 150 yards. Wyse Hill Teabags is likely to stay 3m, would have possibilities for novice chasing although he can win again over hurdles, and we might not have seen the best of him yet.

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