Update from Chris Days Ten To Follow this National Hunt season 2014/15.

 National Hunt season 2014/15   from The Hit&Miss Sports Blog

Update report from our ten to follow analyst  Chris Day @Chrisday100

Early days but a couple of our selections have had early sighters, unusual for potential top class horses so early in a season and, as expected, ran as if needed on each occasion.


First up, Taquin Du Seuil ran in a Graduation Chase at Newton Abbot over 2 miles 5 furlongs, a trip he was always likely to find too short around the track’s tight oval circuit. He jumped fine but was hampered by a faller as the race developed and allowed pretty much to come home in his own time by Richie McLernon, deputising for the injured Tony McCoy.


He’s going to have to step up a long way if he goes to the Paddy Power or Betfair Chase next but that sort of improvement on the big day is nothing new to his trainer and I remain confident after good wins for Goodwood Mirage and John’s Spirit last week that the stable are finding their feet.


Our big hurdling hope, Calipto, ran in a 2 mile hurdle at Cheltenham at the weekend and was heavily backed in receipt of weight from one of last season’s best juvenile hurdlers, Tiger Roll. He travelled supremely, had his rival off the bit 3 out and looked all set to win in facile fashion before folding disappointingly it seemed at the time and being collared up the hill.


Nicholls said after that the horse had a breathing problem, something he has become the master at treating over the years. If so, he can either go for the Greatwood in a tongue tie, or have the operation done now with a view to aiming at the Betfair in February.


If he does go for the Greatwood, I think a big field would ideally play to his strengths as a strong travelling sort and certainly wouldn’t have to make the running there. He is clearly considered to be above his mark by a yard who have loads to work him with.


The positive for another of our selections, Brother Brian, was the comfortable success of Boondooma at Chepstow recently. He is likely to return to the course for the Silver Trophy this weekend and, having finished well behind Hughie Morrison’s horse at Cheltenham in April, franked the form in no uncertain manner.


Let’s hope we can benefit when he makes his return presumably soon.


This week looks superb from a novice chase point of view even before the weekend Chepstow and Aintree declarations are known and Saphir Du Rheu, another one of our selections, is worth keeping an eye out for, although he may not be a betting proposition wherever Nicholls chooses for his first run now that he appears to have ruled out staying over hurdles since the news that More Of That is to stay over the smaller obstacles.