Thistle Ask Shines In The Haldon Gold Cup | @RoadCheltenham’s Weekly Column

There was barely a minute to breathe for jumps racing fans this week, with the National Hunt campaign now in full swing. With the biggest trainers starting to unleash some of their better winter prospects, it’s an exciting time to be a jump racing fan.

Here, I look back on some of the best performances over the past week. With several eye-catching performances throughout the last seven days, there’s a good chance we’ll have seen a future star or two – so get the trackers ready…

I start at Hereford on Monday and DOCTOR KILDARE recorded his second victory in the space of seven days. He’s yet to be reassessed by the handicapper but will likely have a rating that should see him eligible to contest some nice handicap hurdles this winter.

Mares Novices Hurdle winner AIR OF ENTITLEMENT had to settle for second behind FAD EADRAINN but I’d say she deserves the benefit of doubt. She was giving a stone away to her race-fit rival and will strip fitter for the run. Don’t give up on her just yet.

We saw several nice prospects in the novice hurdle division at Chepstow on Wednesday and we start with ROCKING MAN for Sam Thomas. Off the track for 588 days, he bolted up to win easily while runner up CARLENRIG will be winning races sooner than later.

KINGSTON QUEEN was one of my British horses to follow this season and she got off to the perfect start with a facile win on hurdles debut. David Pipe looks to have a strong set of novice hurdlers and she can take high rank in the mares’ division this campaign.

THE BLUE ROOM and DOUBLE MEASURE are two names worth noting for the season ahead and both will win plenty of races in time. The former was arguably more ‘street smart’ than the runner up but both are lovely prospects going forward.

I was hugely impressed with SOBER GLORY and he looks a proper animal to me. He was neat and tidy over his obstacles and he pulled clear of the field to win with any amount in hand. The second, KADASTRAL, was given a quiet ride and is one to keep onside.

KOVANIS stepped forward from his debut run over hurdles to win the opener at Clonmel on Thursday and he could make into a nice horse this year. He had a big reputation after arriving at Cullentra House last season and he looks a nice prospect up in trip.

Willie Mullins unleashed SPINDLEBERRY, a market leader for the 2026 Mares' Chase, in the Listed race and she produced a huge performance to prevail despite giving weight to the field. She’ll be a major player in March if she goes for that race.

IL ETAIT TEMPS was faultless when winning the Grade 2 Clonmel Oil Chase and reports suggest that he’ll now head to Sandown Park for the Tingle Creek. While this wasn’t the strongest race in the world, he couldn’t have been more impressive.

Another British meeting and another nice novice hurdler for Philip Hobbs and Johnson White. CAPTAIN HUGO did the job nicely, though I’d expect SINNATRA to reverse the form if they met again. Expect both to thrive and compete in decent races this year.

JACKIE HOBBS gave Harry Derham his seventh winner from 17 runners when winning at Newbury on Thursday. It looked a hot race on paper and there were several eye-catchers back in the field – I’d recommend going back and tracking a few of these mares.

HAITI COULEURS won the Pertemps qualifier cosily enough and it sounds like Rebecca Curtis’ stable star will now head to the Betfair Chase. He’ll probably come on for the run and improve for the return to fences so he’s well worth keeping an eye on at Haydock.

I thought LISBANE LAD produced a massive performance to win on debut at Exeter on Friday, especially as he was running off level weights against older horses. He looks a fair sort and hopefully he can compete in nice races this season.

Dan Skelton has the bit between his teeth and the British trainers title is his number one aim this season. DOYEN QUEST got the better of QUEBECOIS to win the Future Stars Novices' Chase, with Harry Skelton giving his mount a canny ride to win going away.

As big as 16/1 earlier in the week, THISTLE ASK led his rivals a merry dance to win the Haldon Gold Cup. It was a brilliant training performance from Skelton and that success pocketed £59,440 in prize money. He’s undoubtedly one of the best target trainers in the game.

JUBILEE ALPHA was turned over at Wincanton and a poor round of jumping, particularly late on in the race, cost her dearly. With the run under her belt, maybe she could reverse the form with SWEET CARYLINE but I’m not sure I can trust her going forward.

I thought class got BLUEKING D’OROUX through in the Grade 2 Rising Stars Novices' Chase but he’s by no means a natural chaser. It’s hard to say what Paul Nicholls will do with him now, but reverting to hurdles could be an option.

BREAK MY SOUL was impressive on chase debut at Gowran Park on Saturday and her connections suggested that she’ll have some big targets down the line. She looked a real natural over her fences and I can’t wait to see her next time out.

It looked a clash between the top two in the second division of the maiden hurdle on paper but THEDEVILUNO got the job done, paying a handsome compliment to the likes of Theflyingking and Doctor Du Mesnil. His form is stacking up nicely.

Could IMPOSE TOI make into a Stayers' Hurdle contender? Only time will tell. He looked to have plenty in hand when winning the Pertemps qualifier at Aintree on Saturday, but he would need to improve again to be winning a Stayers' Hurdle in March.

I was hugely taken by HIDDEN HISTORY and I’d be amazed if he didn’t have a fair bit of scope in his current mark. Reportedly needing the run, he found plenty for pressure and could come on leaps and bounds with race fitness on his side.

MAMBONUMBERFIVE got off the mark on his first start over fences and he has always looked like a proper chasing type. Ben Pauling has wasted no time going over the bigger obstacles and he could make into a very nice chaser by the end of the season.

Jamie Snowden deserves plenty of credit for getting COLONEL HARRY primed and ready to rock and roll after 311 days off the track. He came there swinging and clearly took a liking to the Grand National fences. Could he be one for the Topham in April?

OUR BOY STAN could turn out to be well above average but he’ll need to improve in the jumping department. However, he showed plenty of staying power over the minimal trip and he’d have no issue whatsoever stepping up to the intermediate distance.

Get PORT AUTHORITY in the tracker if you haven’t already. He was a hugely impressive winner for Gordon Elliott at Naas on Sunday, bolting up to win easily enough. Elliott’s horses have generally been needing the run so you can make the performance up.

 I was really impressed with ONLY BY NIGHT in the Grade 3 Barberstown Castle Chase and she is a real player in the Mares' Chase division. CHAMP KIELY lost little in defeat and he’ll have bigger targets ahead, almost going back out in trip.