The attention turns away from the novice hurdles and onto some of the fan favourites and the new kids on the block.
Andrew – Open Hurdlers To Follow
- Home By The Lee
- Stayers Hurdle 33/1
- Joseph O’Brien
Last season was the season of arrival for Home By The Lee. Started off by taking the Grade 2 Lismullen Hurdle at 28/1, and proved that was no fluke by taking the Grade 1 Christmas Hurdle at Leopardstown. Onto Cheltenham where in my opinion was massively unlucky not to win.
A shutting mistake at the 6th put him from in touch to near out the back but yet finished 3 3/4L off Sire Du Berlais. This season he will be overlooked again, and I have him as a big player in a poor division.
- Iroko
- Stayers Hurdle 40/1
- Oliver Greenall & Josh Guerriero
To this day I still don’t know how he managed to mow down No Ordinary Joe in the Martin Pipe, but mow him down he did.
Now, yes there has been talk of him going chasing, but with the stayers division at its poorest it has been in years, it is crying out for someone in the UK to mop up the 3m Hurdle division.
To me, he is it. With Iroko being only 5, there is a lot of time for him to go chasing, and a year-over hurdles to dominate the UK stayers hurdle division is staring them right in the face.
Dave – Open Hurdlers To Follow
- Irish Point
- Stayers Hurdle 25/1
- Gordon Elliott
A big strong looking grey horse but seemed quite immature and unable to finish out his races last year given a break and turned back out at an Aintree grade 1 and he bolted up.
Seems sure to progress and is an exciting type
- Lossiemouth
- Mares Hurdle 7/2
- WP Mullins
Grey
Fast
Amazing
Made my Cheltenham last year, & will win the mares.
Tom – Open Hurdlers To Follow
- Gaelic Warrior
- Stayers Hurdle 5/1
- WP Mullins
Third time lucky? Twice second at the Cheltenham Festival he was beaten by a good one in the Ballymore but won very well over 3m at Punchestown.
The division is crying out for a star and this could be him.
- Impaire Et Passe
- Champion Hurdle 6/1
- WP Mullins
Caught the eye when winning in a canter on his debut at Naas. Bolted up in the Ballymore with some good horses in behind. He should take plenty of beating in Ireland before hopefully taking on Constitution Hill in the Champion Hurdle.
One to follow this season and hopefully when he goes chasing the season after.
Sean – Open Hurdlers To Follow
- Ashroe Diamond
- Mares Hurdle 7/1
- WP Mullins
I think she needs to be well respected and is serious competition going in against Lossiemouth as she has only been beaten by G1 Geldings over hurdles such as: – Marine National – Irish Point – Facile Vega – Ill Etait Temps – Finished in front of Champ Kiely in the Royal Bond.
And put away all the mares in the G1 at Fairyhouse proving back in against her own sex she is a serious animal and I look forward to seeing her in the coming season.
- Shoot First
- Stayers Hurdle 40/1
- Charles Byrnes
Victory at Cheltenham stamped of a horse who was going places he is off a mark 137 still he could yet plot a route to the 2024 Pertemps. He had Salvator ZIggy behind in 4th at Cheltenham who then went on to finish 2nd in the Pertemps.
He also had Botox Has in 2nd behind him and he is a good solid yardstick to base on and he was not asked for maximum effort and won snug at the line.
