By Samantha (@sam_angelina22)
Welcome to my 2019/20 Twenty To Watch Blog!
I’m hoping this list of horses is full of future winners and if it can work out as well as last year, I’ll be very pleased! We’ve got lots to look forward to over the next six months and hopefully some of these will prove themselves as superstars but, most importantly, they all come home safe after every run.
Please take some time to check over my list and feel free to share what you think on the @ReinItInRacing twitter page! 🙂
Thanks, Samantha
1.First Flow
7yo Bay Gelding (Primary x Clonroche Wells)
Trainer – Kim Bailey
Owner – Mr A N Solomons
This horse was on last year’s list and I have been waiting for so long to see this horse go chasing so hopefully he’ll actually jump a fence this season! In November 2017, he won by four lengths on hurdling debut and then by twenty lengths in late December. He won the Supreme Trial (Grade Two) in January but pulled up in the big race after making a few little mistakes. He wasn’t seen for over a year but then made his sole run of the campaign when fifth in the Imperial Cup. He’s a big strong horse and was entered at Uttoxeter in a chase in May but was pulled out because he needs soft ground. I’m really looking forward to seeing how he can do!
Target – Red Rum Handicap Chase, Aintree National Meeting
2.Relentless Dreamer
10yo Brown Gelding (Kayf Tara x Full Of Elegance)
Trainer – Rebecca Curtis
Owner – Nigel Morris
Relentless Dreamer is the oldest runner in my list. He made his chase debut all the way back in October 2015 but it took him until the next June to win over the big obstacles. He’s won four times since then, including last time out. That was a brilliant victory in a handicap chase at the Cheltenham October meeting. That was on officially good but probably softer ground and he beat gallant handicapper Cogry, who won a grade three chase subsequently. An injury has put him off the track since then but I like his will to win and is from a yard in incredibly good form. The Rebecca Curtis team sadly lost promising chaser Drovers Lane recently and he was meant to be on this list.
Target – Betway Handicap Chase, Aintree National Meeting
3.Andy Dufresne
5yo Bay Gelding (Doyen x Daytona Lady)
Trainer – Gordon Elliott
Owner – John P McManus
Andy Dufresne caught my eye after an easy as pie win in a NH flat race, in which the second has won twice since but the rest haven’t done as well. He’s a point to point winner and changed hands for £330,000 after that victory. He runs in the green and gold colours of JP McManus and was a non runner due to unsuitable ground in April. He beat the winner of that race in his only race under rules so probably wouldve won that too. He’s out of a mare, who won over hurdles, and I think he’ll be really well suited.
Target- Ballymore Novices Hurdle
4.Farouk De Cheneau
4yo Bay Gelding (Day Flight x Kardamone)
Trainer – Nicky Henderson
Owner – Owners Group 049
I am beyond excited to say that I am a proud part owner within Owners Group 049 as I got him as an early birthday present! He’s by Day Flight, who is the sire of A Toi Phil. His dam has produced three winners over jumps from three runners and she’s a daughter of Network, who’s is the sire of Sprinter Sacre, Le Richebourg and Saint Are. Farouk has already won one race, which was in France at Vittel, so is an exciting recruit to hurdles. I can’t wait!
Target- (To be determined when I know more)
5.Longhouse Poet
5yo Bay Gelding (Yeats x Moscow Madame)
Trainer – Martin Brassil
Owner – Sean and Bernadine Mulryan
This horse is from the same trainer/owner combination of City Island, who won the Ballymore at the Cheltenham Festival and featured in last year’s list. They are similar types. Longhouse Poet won a point to point in January by four lengths, under Derek O’connor. He was prominent on rules debut and extended clear so easily under O’connor again. He should enjoy obstacles and a similar campaign to City Island is expected, providing he’s good enough.
Target- Albert Bartlett
6.Reserve Tank
5yo Bay Gelding
Trainer – Colin Tizzard
Owner – The Reserve Tankers
This guy burst onto the scene quite late last season. It took him three tries to finally win over hurdles but there has been no stopping him since then. They stepped him into grade one company at the Aintree National meeting after his second novice hurdle victory. He won by three and a quarter lengths at 20/1 over two miles four and stayed on quite impressively. To conclude the season, he went over to Ireland and won the Champion Novices Hurdle at Punchestown. He’s a really lovely big horse and looks absolutely tailor-made for fences. He’s in great hands with Colin Tizzard and could be a Gold Cup prospect one day.
Target – JLT Novices Chase
7.Enemy Coast Ahead
5yo Brown Gelding (Malins x Penang Princess)
Trainer – Tom George
Owner – McNeill Family
Enemy Coast Ahead is owned by the McNeill Family and has been seen once on a racetrack. He was held up but led over two furlongs out and the trainer’s son Noel George only has to shake him up to go clear by 10 lengths. He showed a good attitude that day and, judging from the pictures on social media, he’s a cheeky chappy. It will be interesting to see if he can take the next step up over hurdles. The yard brought him along steadily and he seems a speedy horse.
Target—Supreme Novices Hurdle
8.Cepage
7yo Bay Gelding (Saddler Maker x Sience Fiction)
Trainer – Venetia Williams
Owner – The Bellamy Partnership
This horse has been ultra consistent after coming over from Emmanuel Clayeux to Venetia Williams in December 2016. Since then, he’s never been out of the top four, apart from falling. He ran just once last season in the Caspain Caviar Gold Cup. He ran really well and the winner of that race was Frodon. We all know what he’s been up to since! Venetia is extremely good with her chasers and this horse is likely to be a little bit less exposed than some of the more seasoned chasers hell be tackling this term. I think he’ll run very well this season.
Target – Brown Advisory and Merriebelle Stable Plate
9.Beakstown
6yo Bay Gelding (Stowaway x Midnight Reel)
Trainer – Dan Skelton
Owner – Bryan Drew
This horse caught my eye at Warwick Races in January due to the pure size of him. He must be around 17hands and looks like he’s crying out for fences. He’s done pretty well over hurdles, considering this. He won a maiden hurdle, came second to a subsequent grade two placed horse and then won a grade two at Warwick. That was a very impressive victory but he couldn’t back it up at Cheltenham when pulling up before the last. I think he’s better than that and will be a good chaser.
Target – JLT Novices Chase
10.Flanking Maneuver
4yo Bay Gelding (Beat Hollow x Corskeagh Shadow)
Trainer – Colin Bowe
Owner – Gigginstown
I have been watching out for this horse since last June when he was sold at the Goffs Land rover Sale. He’s by Beat Hollow and out of Corskeagh Shadow. He’s a full brother to two NH Flat Race winners and halfs to a listed winner over hurdles so he’s bred to be successful. In his sole point to point, he was fourth and then ran in a race won by the likes of Commander Of Fleet, Vision Des Flos and Petit Muchoir in recent years. He raced in about fourth for most of the way and I thought he’d be well beaten but actually he stayed on to be fourth. There should be a decent prize in him as Gigginstown bought him for €170,000.
Target – Gaskells Handicap Hurdle, Aintree National Meeting
11. Mulcahys Hill
7yo Bay Gelding (Brian Boru x Belsalsa)
Trainer – Warren Greatrex
Owner – McNeill Family and Peodec Networks LTD
I adore Mulcahys Hill. He such a wonderful, gorgeous horse.. I had the pleasure of meeting him at the Lambourn Open Day 2019 in March and I fell even more in love with him there. He has had his issues and I’ve been told he can be a bit of a pickle on the gallops by people in Lambourn. For me, he never showed his true potential over fences as a novice last season. He’d been second in the Challow Hurdle in December 2017 so he’s no mug but, other than a second at Bangor behind subsequent multiple grade two placed Jerrysback, he hasn’t gone close. He fell in a horrific race at Cheltenham last time out and I hope he can at least win one race this year. I’ll still love him even if he doesn’t win though.
Target – Silver Trophy Handicap (Grade 2 Limited Handicap), Cheltenham, April
12.Elixir De Nutz
5yo Grey Gelding (Al Namix x Nutz)
Trainer – Colin Tizzard
Owner – Terry Warner
Elixir De Nutz was a new horse last season after two runs for Phillip Hobbs. He was second on debut for the Tizzard yard to Olly Murphy’s Supreme second Thomas Darby. Next time, he won the grade two Supreme Trial, then a novice hurdle and finally the Unibet Tolworth Hurdle. I was all over him for the Supreme Novices Hurdle at the Cheltenham Festival. Sadly, he missed that race due to an injury. The plan is for him to be a Champion Hurdler this season and he’s still a horse who is improving, so should be successful in the 2019/20 season.
Target – Champion Hurdle
13. O Connell Street
5yo Bay Gelding (Fame And Glory x Victorine)
Trainer – Nicky Henderson
Owner – Magniers/Mrs P Shanahan/Justin Carth
Me and this horse go back to March 2018 when I met him at the Lambourn Open Day. He was such a sweetie but I didn’t hear a word about him until March 2019 when he ran in a NH Flat Race at Market Rasen. He was second that day and, forty two days later, he ran at Warwick in a similar race. He was very keen and was fourth off top weight. He is out of Victorine, who is the dam of the wonderful City Island and multiple chase winners Fort Worth and Easy Street. I’m really excited to see how he can do this year as hurdles will probably be his thing.
Target – Ballymore
14.Champ
7yo Bay Gelding (King’s Theatre x China Sky)
Trainer—Nicky Henderson
Owner – John P McManus
This horse was one of the stars of last season. He won his first two races, after three starts, in May 2018 then he won the Ladbrokes Handicap Hurdle after pulling out Aidan Coleman’s arms. Next time, he returned to Newbury and won the Challow Hurdle by two and a half lengths to Getaway Trump. He had a bit of a break and then ran in the Ballymore. He was second to City Island that day and then stepped up to three miles for the Doom Bar Sefton Novices Hurdle, which he won incredibly convincingly. He is built to chase and looks a very good staying chaser in the long run.
Target – RSA Novices Chase
15.Ard Abhainn
5yo Bay Mare (Jeremy x Sheer Frustration)
Trainer – Gordon Elliott
Owner – Mrs Maura Gittins
Ard Abhainn is one of just two mares. She was last seen on the 4th October when she came fourth of sixteen in a listed mares flat race. She got a bit one-paced but only got denied a neck for third, as she was staying on at the end. That was a fair run as she hadn’t been seen for 135 days, on the day when she won a 20 runner flat race at the Punchestown Festival. She was quite far back but ran on very well as they turned for home. She showed a good attitude to peg back two horses that day and that will stand her in good stead.
Target – Dawn Run Mares’ Novices’ Hurdle
16.The Big Breakaway
4yo Chestnut Gelding (Getaway x Princess Mairead)
Trainer – Colin Tizzard
Owner -?
I have a feeling that Colin Tizzard likes this horse after I heard him speak passionately about him in an interview. He’s a half brother to an Aintree Grade Three winner Kildisart and he was purchased for a lot of money. This was after a point to point victory over three miles. I don’t know which ownership he’ll be racing for as of yet but he should be a horse to follow in predominantly bumpers this year.
Target – Champion Bumper
*UPDATE- This horse is running over hurdles this season. New target- Ballymore
17 Bannixtown Glory
5yo Bay Mare (Fame And Glory x Me Auld Segosh)
Trainer – Donald McCain Jr
Owner – Miss Charlotte Mccracken
This mare is one of the more obscure runners on my list. She won a point to point and is currently two from five under rules. Her defeats have come behind good mares Nordican Bleue, Oksana and Sid Hoodie, who beat her last time. Her two victories have been very smart and she still seems a bit novice. She took them along last time and just faded towards the end but I’m looking forward to seeing how she progresses.
Target—County hurdle
18.Fakir D’Oudairies
4yo Bay Gelding (Kapgarde x Niagaria Du Bois)
Trainer – Joseph O’Brien
Owner – John P McManus
This horse wasn’t particularly successful in France but came over to the Joseph O’Brien yard and won a 22 runner maiden and then a grade two by thirteen lengths. He was a good fourth against older runners in the Supreme and was then second in Aintree and Punchestown 4yo Grade Ones. He’s currently 25/1 for the Arkle and I think he will go chasing. If not, he’ll have a Champion Hurdle campaign.
Target – Arkle Novices Chase
19. Clara Sorrento
8yo Grey Gelding (Maresca Sorrento x Call Me Clara)
Trainer -?
Owner – Terry Warner Bloodstock
This horse was recently sold from Gigginstown and Noel Meade to Terry Warner Bloodstock so I am not actually sure where he is. He’s won twice over hurdles and switched to fences. In October 2018, he finally opened his account over the bigger obstacles and then came second in a grade three behind a subsequent winner. He hasn’t been seen since and will be one for Irish Handicap Chases.
Target – An Riocht Chase, Killarney, May
20.Manofthemountain
6yo Bay Gelding (Mahler x Womanofthemountain)
Trainer – Emma Lavelle
Owner – Paul G Jacobs
Emma Lavelle had a good season with Paisley Park last year and hopefully this horse cab reach similar heights. He was third in a point to point and was then in training with Jamie Snowden. He ran three times for him but was a new horse with Lavelle. He’s two from two and I really like him. He looks a lovely, traditional chaser and is still quite unexposed.
Target – Kim Muir Challenge Cup.
REIN IT IN 
I’m in Farouk too owners Group is fab!
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