Winless Ones To Watch part one: 2026-27 Jumps season horses to follow

Recent images of parched racecourses have haunted me of late, as the prospect of a “delayed” start to the National Hunt season grows stronger. And yet, social media is full of jumps content. It would be remiss of me to miss out!

This can be a tricky column to write and so I was delighted by the results from last year. Of the fifteen that ran more than once, eleven were winners with nine of those winning multiple times. The likes of King RaskoGrey (Dual Grade One winner), Eachtotheirown (Punchestown Grade One winner) and Klub De Reve (Dovecote winner) were notable success stories from novice hurdles, while Come Walk With Me (Fairyhouse and Punchestown festival winner) and Chuggy (completed a three-timer) more than played their part in handicaps. Here’s hoping for a similarly successful season this time around. 

As I do every year, I must continue to stress: this is not a list of horses to back blindly. The purpose of this list remains the same: to highlight horses that have the potential to improve beyond what they’ve shown thus far and, as a result of not winning last season, they will hopefully go under the radar. 

Thank you to connections who took the time to talk to me about their horses, and thank you to all of you who continue to support this column. 

I hope you enjoy!

Trainer: Dan Skelton

Ideal conditions: Novice Hurdles, ideally on galloping tracks over intermediate trips

With Kabral Du Mathan and Sinnatra, the Smiths and Skeltons have a lot to be excited about. While he hasn’t achieved anywhere near as much as those two, that combination could have another exciting young prospect in the form of Presley.

Sent off a well-supported 5-4 favourite for his racecourse debut at Chepstow in December, he was given a very patient ride by Charlie Todd (as many of Dan Skelton’s debutants are) before making headway as the field turned for home.

Ultimately, the race developed into a relative sprint which didn’t suit his track position, but he did record the highest finishing speed percentage as he stayed on into a respectable third. It looks a solid bit of form, too; the winner, Princess Day, won again next time out, and Keltype, back in fourth, went on to win on his next start.

Presley’s most recent outing came at Warwick in March, ninety-two days after his debut. Well supported in the market again, he was ridden in a more prominent position and while he finished a good second, yet again he didn’t look suited by the relative test of speed, with Warwick’s sharp track also contributing to that. Still, the winner that day (Merry Away) would frank the form by finishing fourth in the Grade 2 bumper at Aintree on his next start.

Everything about Presley suggests he will be better over hurdles and over further. He’s a half-brother to multiple three-mile winners and Dan Skelton has described him as “a big chasing type for the future”. He has the ability to start over two miles (particularly on a more galloping track), but he should continue to improve with experience and as he steps up in distance.

Trainer: Joseph O’Brien

Ideal conditions: Novice Hurdles over two-and-a-half miles (and further)

Despite his growing presence on the Flat, Joseph O’Brien continues to excel with limited numbers over jumps – and he has an interesting prospect with Techno Davis.

Sold for €160,000 as a three-year-old, he won a 5yo Maiden at Kirkistown in March, staying on powerfully and going away at the finish. 

And yet, having moved to Joesph O’Brien, we saw him quickly make his hurdling debut at the Punchestown festival just forty days after that point-to-point win. Up against much more experienced rivals, he did have some supporters (SP 10-1) – although those backers would never have been happy as he was never in a winning position.

Held up towards the rear, he found himself in last place running to two out where a sloppy jump didn’t aid his cause. Firmly ridden by J. J. Slevin by this point, who switched his mount out wide turning in, he kept finding gamely to finish a very respectable fourth, just six lengths off the winner.

This was an encouraging debut considering his inexperience and the form of the race has substance: the winner, Beauvallon, has since finished fifth in the Galway Hurdle off 133 while Gameball (third) occupied the same position at Galway, also from a mark of 133.

Techno Davis had the second highest finishing speed percentage that day and looks sure to be better over further and with more experience. He may not be up to graded level, but it would be no surprise if he were to turn up in decent Spring handicaps – possibly something like the Martin Pipe.

Trainer: Kim Bailey & Mat Nicholls

Ideal conditions: Handicap Hurdles, starting at two miles (further in time)

Bought privately having finished third at Compiegne on debut for Noel George (the form hasn’t worked out great), Leo Wood has left the impression that we’re yet to see the best of him.

In their “horses in training” brochure produced at the start of last season, Kim Bailey and Mat Nicholls said that “he has had a really good summer and now looks more like the finished article…we hope he will be a name to remember over hurdles this winter”.  

However, we wouldn’t see him until February, suggesting there was a hold-up of some sort. His reappearance came at Ludlow in a race that has worked out relatively well; sent off a well-backed 3/1 chance, he was given a patient ride in a race that developed into a sprint which perhaps didn’t see him to best effect.

He did move well into contention before flattening out close home, with the long absence maybe showing after the last. He was attempting to give twelve pounds to Misterdoc  (first, rated 125), with Dartmouth Castle (124) back in second. The third, Hornica, won NTO, as did Joeybottles who finished fifth.

We only saw him once more – that was at Warwick in March where he finished a respectable fourth, not beaten far. On this occasion, he was strikingly weak in the betting but he still gave a good account of himself, arguably stepping up on the form of his previous run. The winner, Cosmic Connection, is now rated 138 while Road To Wembley (second) won his next three and is now rated 124. 

Leo Wood is only rated 113 and shapes as though there’s more to come. By Cokoriko and a half-brother to Franco De Port, it would seem likely he will appreciate further in time.

Trainer: Anthony Honeyball

Ideal conditions: Handicap Hurdles over intermediate trips

We saw Jasmin De Grugy make rapid strides in handicaps for the Anthony Honeyball/J. P. McManus a couple of seasons ago; and while it’s not every day you can find such a progressive type, I hope Corner Forward might be able to mimic some of that success.

Pulled up at Fontwell on his rules/hurdling debut, he was a notable drifter on the day (a theme of his young career) and he was the subject to a lengthy stewards’ report. Richie McLernon reported that his mount began to hang and jump left-handed, severely at times, so much so that he thought something might be amiss.

It was therefore interesting to see him run at Hereford, Wincanton and Taunton on his next three starts; all at two-miles at right-handed tracks. On each occasion, he went off a big price and showed relatively little.

But it’s his most recent start which does lend some encouragement to his future prospects. Making his handicap debut at Ffos Las, again over two-miles, he went off at 14-1 having opened at 7-2 so clearly the market did not expect much.

Having raced prominently, he was swamped on the run to two out as they quickened but he kept on well to regain third, only beaten five and a half lengths at the finish. The race developed into a relative sprint, which clearly did not suit him, and it was a class 4 contest whereas he is eligible to run in a lower grade.

As we saw with Jasmin De Grugy, I expect Corner Forward to improve for a step up in trip. He remains on his opening mark of 96 - look out for him once he steps up in trip on left-handed tracks, ideally starting in class 5 company.

Trainer: Sam Thomas

Ideal conditions: Handicap Chases, two miles to intermediate trips

“He may need a win, but he didn’t get one last season, and thus finds himself on this list” – Dan Overall, 2025.

Here we are, a year later, and he still needs a win. A horse featuring twice in this column is a first, but the case for him is very similar to last season. If we go back to some of his form from his first season under rules, his third to Juby Ball (137) and Lud’or (146) now reads very well. 

He started last season rated just 115, and I hoped that mark would be exploited in handicap company. Unfortunately for us, his first start last season came in novice company at Ffos Las. The front two pulled well clear but he eventually came off second best to Le Frimeur; the winner has franked that form in no uncertain terms, having won the three-mile Grade 1 Novice Hurdle at Punchestown and is now rated 150.

Given that run, he was raised seven pounds to 122 but we wouldn’t see him again for nearly five months. That came at Ffos Las where he would again finish second, this time to Doujadou. The winner looks a lovely prospect for Rebecca Curtis and had previously finished behind Le Frimeur as well as fellow Grade 1 winner, Bossman Jack.

While he remains a maiden, he’s shown more than enough to suggest he’s capable of winning and it may be that fences bring out further improvement. His forward-going run style should suit that discipline, although he can jump out to his left so it would be a concern if he ran at a right-handed track. I think he’s capable of starting over two-miles given he has been outstayed over intermediate trips, albeit by strong and high-level stayers.