Five British Horses To Follow for 2025/26 – @RoadCheltenham’s National Hunt Preview
It’s good to be back, it’s good to be back.
The wait is over – the jumps are back. It’s been a long old summer for National Hunt fanatics but Chepstow is a matter of days away and I cannot wait for the jumps action to get started.
What better way to get back into the swing of things than with my jumps horses to follow for the 2025/26 campaign? Here, I’ve selected five British-trained horses to keep an eye on this season.
Hopefully my selections will go on to enjoy fruitful campaigns this winter, and one or two may even shine at the spring festivals. Without further ado, let’s get straight to it and I’m kicking things off with a promising novice chaser for the Kim Bailey & Mat Nicholls yard.
THE KEMBLE BREWERY
- 6-yo gelding, Blue Bresil x Legendara (Midnight Legend)
- Owners: Breakfast At 10 Svndicate
- Trainer: Kim Bailey & Mat Nicholls
Rated 129 over hurdles, The Kemble Brewery looks to have plenty of scope to improve over fences and I was delighted to hear that Kim Bailey & Mat Nicholls plan to go down that route this season.
He got the better of Jurancon – one of my horses to follow last term – on hurdles debut before bolting up at Ffos Las next time out. He then had to settle for second behind the well regarded Meetmebythesea under a double penalty.
Meetmebythesea is now rated 133 over hurdles, which would make The Kemble Brewery very well in off his BHA mark of 129. In a handicap, there would be a 15lbs swing in favour of Kim Bailey & Mat Nicholls’ horse for a two-length defeat.
He went out like a light in the EBF Final at Sandown but connections will hope that a wind operation will do the trick. I wouldn’t be giving up on him and he can feature in some of the nicer British novice chases in the early stages of the campaign.
Trainer Kim Bailey said:
We have tinkered with his wind over the summer and he is a very exciting horse to go novice chasing this winter.
SENATOR
- 3-yo gelding, Doctor Dino x President Line (Martaline)
- Trainer: Jamie Snowden
- Owner: Thomas Mold
A €140,000 purchase at the ARQANA Summer Sale, Senator is impeccably bred and I’d be hugely shocked if he can’t make into a top juvenile hurdler in Britain. By Doctor Dino and out of a five-time winning mare, he certainly looks the part on the page.
He’s not short of speed, having finished third in two flat races in France – and he caught the eye on both occasions as he stayed on strongly to hit the line hard. I was taken by just how positive Jamie Snowden was on him during a recent stable tour video.
Doctor Dino has been one of the top sires when it comes to juvenile hurdlers in recent years and this fella could be the real deal. Yes, it’s October but his trainer will surely hope that he makes into a Triumph Hurdle type in the spring.
I’m not entirely sure where he’ll start off but chances are that Snowden will take his time before targeting a nice Graded race. If good enough, you’d imagine the Grade 2 Finesse Juvenile Hurdle on Festival Trials Day could be on the radar.
Trainer Jamie Snowden said:
He has schooled well over hurdles and looks a seriously smart juvenile hurdle prospect for the winter.
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KINGSTON QUEEN
- 5-yo mare, Kingston Hill x Competitive Affair (Presenting)
- Trainer: David Pipe
- Owners: The Kingstonians
Connections had several exciting days out following Kingston Queen last year and she seemed to get better with racing, winning the Listed Mares bumper at Market Rasen in January before finishing third in the Grade 2 Nickel Coin Mares bumper at Aintree.
She finished a neck behind subsequent Punchestown Festival winner Baron Noir at Plumpton in December and the form of that race looks strong, with the third and fourth placed horses winning since.
She was a consistent bumper horse and it looks like she’d be versatile with regards to ground – though she wouldn’t want extreme conditions either way. I’m excited to see what she can do over hurdles, particularly if she steps up to 2m4f.
David Pipe could be in for a big season, with plenty of nice types joining the yard from the point-to-point sphere, and hopefully Kingston Queen can take high rank at Pond House over the next few months.
Trainer David Pipe said:
She shows great heart and determination. We cannot wait to see her over hurdles this winter and she is a very exciting prospect.
KEOPS DES BORDES
- 5-yo gelding, Tunis x Carmen Des Bordes (Network)
- Trainer: Dan Skelton
- Owner: Colm Donlon
While stablemate Mydaddypaddy has attracted plenty of attention ahead of the new season, Keops Des Bordes is the Dan Skelton horse that makes my list. He was raw on debut at Warwick but he will have learned plenty for the experience.
No Drama This End went on to run a nice race in the Grade 1 Champion Bumper but I’d rank Keops Des Bordes as the better long-term prospect for sure. Regarded as a proper chaser in the making, it’ll be interesting to see how he gets on this season.
Connections will consider starting him off at two miles I’m sure but I’d love to see him go straight up to the intermediate trip. He looks a three-mile chaser but he could make into a Grade 1 Challow Novices Hurdle horse this campaign.
He can take high rank in novice hurdles this season and it’s likely that Skelton will look to split his best prospects. If Mydaddypaddy sticks to the two-mile route, we could see Keops Des Bordes aimed at something like the Turners Novices Hurdle all being well.
Trainer Dan Skelton said: “
He is a proper horse, he wants time but he is a real animal for the future.
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CAPTAIN BELLAMY
- 6-yo gelding, Black Sam Bellamy x Himitas (Lomitas)
- Trainer: Paul Nicholls
- Owner: Mrs Johnny De La Hey
Captain Bellamy looked like a hugely exciting prospect when he joined Paul Nicholls ahead of the 2023/24 jumps season but it hasn’t really gone to plan. With just one win from six races under rules, many will be asking – why is he on this list?
Well, I can’t help but think this horse was made for a fence and he could have scope to improve significantly when he goes novice chasing. He is a giant of a horse and he has been immature in his races, showing little respect to his hurdles.
He pulled clear with Queensbury Boy at Newbury and that was a decent run. He might not make into a Graded chaser but he’s surely likely to be much better than a mark of 120. You’d imagine he’ll be primed and ready to make hay when he reappears.
Union Avenue, the horse who finished second to him at Dromahane, won his first two races under rules before finishing three lengths behind Royal Infantry in a Listed bumper at Newbury and Captain Bellamy beat him with ease so hopefully he makes into a more accomplished chaser.
Trainer Paul Nicholls said:
I think he’s crying out for fences now and his mark of 120 looks so attractive I’ll be looking for a nice novice handicap somewhere.