Timeform 10 To Follow: Willie Mullins reveals who’s “top of the pile” in novice division

The list includes Mullins’ unbeaten Even Tho who was so impressive when winning two bumpers last season, including a Grade 3 at Punchestown by 16 lengths, which saw her record a Timeform rating of 112p.

Bossman Jack (148) is the highest rated of Timeform’s 10 to follow, having won the Grade 1 Mersey Novices’ Hurdle at Aintree in the spring, and he is set to head over fences this season.

Henderson has two horses featured, unbeaten hurdler Crystal Island (134p) and Roccontier, who achieved a rating of 121p when winning by 18 lengths on his only start to date, over hurdles at Market Rasen.

Snowden also has two horses included; winning juvenile hurdler Senator (115) and taking debut bumper winner Cameron De Fiacre (98p).

Olly Murphy’s Gee Force Flyer (118p), Rebecca Curtis’ Doujadou (114p) and Chester Williams’ mare Indannya (114) were all hurdle winners last season, while the Harry Derham-trained bumper winner Lover Desbois (107) completes the list.

“Even Tho (pictured above) won the Grade 3 bumper at Punchestown by 16 lengths, which excited us as we hadn’t really asked her any questions at home and I didn’t know how good she was going there, apart from that she came with a nice reputation.

“She has the potential to be a Grade 1 mare, and I’d say she’d be near top of the pile if not top of the pile of the mares’ novice hurdlers this year.

“Though she fell in her point-to-point, it’s good that she’s got that experience as she heads over hurdles this season. Hopefully we’ll see her on the track at some point in November.”

“He obviously had a great season last time. He improved and did everything we hoped he would as a novice hurdler, and probably even a bit more as we always thought he would be a better chaser.

“He goes chasing this year, and will probably start off over two miles – once it’s rained enough – and then we’ll go up in trip. I don’t necessarily see him as an out-and-out-three-miler – I think he has a bit more tow than that for now – but whether he ends up over three miles in the spring we’ll have to see.

“He does still have a child’s brain, so that’s something we have to keep working with, but he’s a lovely horse. I’m very excited about him.”

“We were very pleased with his two runs last year as he was still quite a big weak horse and he definitely needed plenty of time.  We have yet to decide whether he will stay over hurdles or go novice chasing but I hope he is a horse with a future.”

“He is a very tall horse, and it was surprising to find him mature enough to get to a racecourse, but he had pleased us at home and always jumped extremely well so we let him have a run at Market Rasen.  I have no idea what he beat but it certainly could not have been any easier for him.  He is obviously still a novice over hurdles and I think he could be very exciting as he grows up.”

“He’s a National Hunt-bred horse that was running on the Flat, and then as a juvenile hurdler when he is your archetypal National Hunt type.

“I think there’s a lot more to come from him. He’s progressed over the summer, he’s jumping fences really well and he is going to go four-year-old chasing. He’ll definitely want to go up in trip.

“He’s done plenty of work, and we’ve got a handicap mark that we think we can use, as well as the four-year-old allowance to utilise. That diminishes by two pounds every month really, so we’ve got him ready early enough, and we just need the ground to be suitable.”

“I really like this horse. I thought he was very good and professional when he won his bumper at Fontwell. 

“I bought him as a two-year-old in France, and I sent him back to France to be backed and ridden away and they did a great job with him. He arrived with us through the winter of last season and we did plenty with him ahead of his bumper at Fontwell.

“He’s only four, so I would have thought we’ll be patient with him as he will be a lovely horse going forwards as a hurdler for the following season. I think we’ll aim him first for the Listed bumper at the Paddy Power meeting at Cheltenham in November.”

“Chasing is the plan for Indannya. We were on the fence on how she was going to start this season, but we’ve made the decision that she’ll start off over fences. She’s built for chasing and she’s got loads of options. I can see her starting off over two-and-a-half miles, after we’ve had some rain, and that looks the trip that will suit her well.

“I think she’s pretty smart. We pitched her into the Jane Seymour over hurdles, and she travelled really well but got caught up turning in, which was race over. She was then second favourite for a hot race at Newbury, but I’d say that the Wincanton run had taken the shine off her a touch. She’s only five and she’s physically improved significantly this summer. She’s always been a big, impressive horse. She was raw last year but she’s filled out now and looks much more the finished article. I’d be disappointed if a mark of 116 didn’t downplay her ability.” 

“Doujadou is a really talented horse. He was weak last season but has summered really well and looks bigger and stronger. We were trying to find out about him over hurdles last year and we think he’s more of a front-runner. Just letting him stride on seems the best way to ride him, and I think that if he had been ridden like that in Newbury last season, he’d have finished closer. He’s a brilliant jumper of a fence, I think he’ll be a better chaser than a hurdler, and he’s quite exciting.

“I think we’ll start him at two-and-a-half miles over fences as he’s not short of pace. He could get three miles if he learns to settle, not that he’d have to step up to that now. We’ll see him when we get some rain. There’s nothing set in stone in terms of targets but he should be ready to run in about four weeks or so, so we’ll look for something in the middle of November.

“He has the same owners as Haiti Couleurs. We’d hope he could reach similar levels as him, for all he’s a completely different horse. Doujadou seems to have a bit more class about him and he’s a quicker horse. I could definitely see him being a highly rated novice this season.” 

“So far in my training career, I think Lover Desbois has probably been the best bumper horse I’ve trained. He’s a very pacy horse, and he travelled very well at Newbury in the Goffs Hundred Grand Bumper when last seen. You would have to say getting a seven-pound penalty for his win at Kempton the month before was probably the beating of him that day – he gave a lot of weight to the first three home and wasn’t beaten far.

“I think he’ll start at two miles, but he won’t be ready to run until the end of November. He’s got a lot of talent and he’s a horse we’re very much looking forward to. His first main target will be a valuable maiden hurdle on Boxing Day at Kempton.”