The 2020/21 National Hunt season is up and running, so now is a good time to look at three horses who are worth following in the campaign. Whether you are playing a fantasy horse racing game or looking to place some early ante-post bets on the big races, here are three horses you should not ignore.
As ever in the jumps season, all roads lead to Cheltenham, but there are also some prestigious contests before then that we have considered when highlighting these runners.
Altior
Altior was denied the opportunity to win the Queen Mother Champion Chase for the third straight year last March as an injury meant he had to miss the 2020 Cheltenham Festival. Nicky Henderson’s runner is now over those troubles and has unfinished business in the 2020/21 campaign where he can prove he is the dominant horse in the strong 2m division.
Altior’s only defeat over fences came in the Christy 1965 Chase at Ascot where he stepped up in distance to 2m5f. Losing to Cyrname over that trip did no harm to his reputation, however, it was clear that the chaser is at his best over 2m and that looks to be the plan going forward.
We should see Altior make his seasonal reappearance in the Tingle Creek Chase where he is 6/4 in the horse racing betting and odds for the race at Sandown. Connections will have the Desert Orchid Chase and Clarence House Chase in mind before Cheltenham.
Potters Corner
Potters Corner won the biggest prize of his career last season when he came out on top in the Welsh Grand National at Chepstow. The 10-year-old should once again be a big force in the gruelling contests over the next six months.
A return to Chepstow is expected on the 27th December. Christian Williams’ runner will have to carry more weight than in 2019, however, he is a tough horse so he should not be ruled out as he looks to defend his crown.
The main target at the end of the season is likely to be the Grand National at Aintree. He is 33/1 in the ante-post market for the marathon race where he definitely will be a strong contender.
Paisley Park
The 3m hurdles division has been dominated by Paisley Park over the last couple of years. Unfortunately for those associated to the horse, his winning run came to an end in the Stayers’ Hurdle last season as he could only finish seventh in the race.
With seven wins from his last eight starts, Paisley Park should not be written off just yet. He is still the horse to beat in his division and he is likely to prove that again.
Emma Lavelle’s runner is still just eight years old so we may not have even seen the best of him yet. When you look at what Big Buck’s achieved at a much higher age, we could see Paisley Park win many more Grade One races, including the Stayers’ Hurdle at Cheltenham.
No matter what, it looks to be an exciting season for racing fans. There are sure to be some surprises but these horses will surely have some success.