John McConnell Stable Tour

Form profile

A 140-rated hurdler, she finished in the frame in the Scottish Champion Hurdle and the Mares Champion Hurdle at the Punchestown Festival last season.

Trainer says

I probably shouldn’t have run her at Gowran Park last time as the ground was too soft and she probably needed the run. We’ll cherry pick some runs for her during the winter, and she could end up in the Mares’ Hurdle at the Cheltenham Festival. We would like to have another shot at the Scottish Champion Hurdle with her too. Longer-term, I’d love to give her another shot in a valuable Flat handicap over two miles as I think she’s fairly handicapped on the level.

Form profile

Placed in a point-to-point, she won a bumper at Limerick’s Christmas meeting.

Trainer says

Anything she did in a bumper was always going to be a bonus, so we were delighted with her campaign in them last season. She’s a really nice prospect for novice hurdles this season and she’s about three or four weeks off a run. Two-and-a-half miles will be a nice trip to start her over and we’ll see from there. She’s a lovely horse.

Form profile

A 132-rated hurdler, he shaped well without winning over fences last season.

Trainer says

We were very happy with his comeback run at Gowran Park. He travelled great and just got tired. We’ll target a valuable staying handicap hurdle with him. The Proudstown Handicap Hurdle at Navan in December could be where he ends up. I’d say chasing is probably off the table for him for the minute. He’s not overly big and probably jumps hurdles better than fences, but we might give him another go over them at some stage in the future.

Form profile

The winner of two point-to-points, he was a maiden hurdle at Perth in August.

Trainer says

He was very impressive at Perth, but we feel he wasn’t 100% right when he was beaten at Kelso after that. We think he’s a good bit better than that run. He’s a lovely horse. We think he could be one for the Albert Bartlett this season and is one to look forward to over fences.

Form profile

A 135-rated chaser, he made an impressive winning chasing debut in a novice chase at Limerick’s Christmas meeting and unseated his rider in his only subsequent start

Trainer says

Drumbear is nearly ready to run and could go to Ayr for a handicap chase next week. He had a frustrating time of it last season as he made a really good winning chasing debut at Limerick, but unseated his rider in his next start and didn’t get to run again. He has had some issues with his lungs which has made him a challenge to keep right. Hopefully we can get a clear run with him, as he has plenty of ability when he’s right.

Form profile

A 131-rated hurdler, he has won three of his five starts over hurdles.

Trainer says

He is going to go novice chasing. Physically, he has always looked a chaser. He was a bit disappointing in the River Don Novices’ Hurdle at Doncaster on his last start, but we found an issue after that which explained the poor run. He’s the type that should progress into a smart horse that will hopefully will plenty of races over fences. He should be out in four or five weeks.

Form profile

A 138-rated chaser, he won the valuable HSS Hire Handicap Chase at the Punchestown Festival in April.

Trainer says

He disappointed us on his latest start, and we’ve given him a break as he doesn’t want winter ground. We’ve tinkered with his wind as well. He should be back for the spring festivals. We’d love another crack at the Topham Handicap Chase at Aintree with him. He jumped a bit high in it last season, but I think he’s capable of running much better in it with that experience under him.

Form profile

A winning point-to-pointer, he made it third-time lucky in bumpers when winning at Sedgefield in October.

Trainer says

He was good value for his win at Sedgefield as he tried to duck out at the gate and nearly unseated Ben. The runner-up has won since too. He’s a real three-mile hurdler in the making. We’ve given him a break and he’ll be back in the spring. He’s a horse with a lot of potential.

Form profile

A winning point-to-pointer, he has won two of his three starts in bumpers.

Trainer says

He’s a lovely horse. Definitely one of our most exciting horses. The plan is to go novice hurdling with him. We’ll probably start him off over two-and-a-half miles and play it by ear from there. We have him entered at Wexford, but I’m not sure if we’ll start him there. If not, he’ll be out in the next couple of weeks. Hopefully he can take us to some big days this season.

Form profile

A 125-rated hurdler, he won a juvenile hurdle at Ayr in February.

Trainer says

He burst a blood vessel after one hurdle in the Lartigue Hurdle, which was unusual to say the least. It’s a worry, but hopefully it proves to be just a one-off. We’re going novice chasing with him and if he puts it all together, he could be a very nice horse. He has a lot of ability. I think he’ll stay further than two miles. He’s a gorgeous mover, so he won’t want the ground to be too soft.

Form profile

The winner of a point-to-point and a bumper, he has won both his starts over hurdles by wide margins this season.

Trainer says

He might go to the November Meeting at Cheltenham next. I know the two races that he won weren’t the strongest, but I thought he was impressive in winning them. We are hoping he can step up and be an Albert Bartlett type of horse, but he has a way to go until he gets there.

Form profile

Finished third in his only start in a point-to-point at Farmaclaffley in February.

Trainer says

He finished third to Intense Approach in a point-to-point for Brian Hamilton and we bought him after that. He’s a lovely horse. He’ll stick to bumpers this season and he’s a lovely horse for the future. He’s a real baby that will do nothing but improve.

Form profile

A winning point-to-pointer, he has won three of his four starts over hurdles.

Trainer says

He has done nothing wrong so far and is going to step up in class now. He’s entered at Cheltenham on Saturday, but he won’t be sure to run there. He isn’t one for winter ground and the spring will be more his thing. He could be one for something like the Martin Pipe or the Coral Cup.

Form profile

A 148-rated chaser, he won one of his five starts in novice chases last season and was still travelling well in front when falling at the second-last fence in the National Hunt Chase at the Cheltenham Festival in March.

Trainer says

He was running a very big race in the National Hunt Chase when making his exit. Nobody would dispute the thought that he was ridden a bit too aggressively, but he was still bang there. If he was ridden a bit more conservatively, I personally don’t think he would have fallen and that he would have won. I don’t think that’s a big statement to make. I believe he was the best horse in the race. We want to see him deliver this season and we think he can. I entered him for the Coral Gold Cup at Newbury this morning and that might well be his target. I read earlier that The Real Whacker is going to Carlisle for an intermediate chase, and we had already picked out that race for our fella’s comeback, so we might go there and take him on before going to Newbury. He’s exciting.

Form profile

Won a maiden hurdle at Carlisle in May.

Trainer says

We were disappointed with him on his return from a break at Cork last time, but we will forgive him it. He’s entered at Cheltenham and Galway over the weekend, and I’d be favouring Cheltenham at the minute. He’s a big horse, a chaser in the making, but I think he can make up into a smart novice hurdler.

Form profile

A 148-rated chaser, he won the Magners Plate Handicap Chase at the Cheltenham Festival and a valuable handicap hurdle at the Punchestown Festival last season.

Trainer says

He finished third in the American Grand National last weekend and he’s due back to us later this week. We don’t have a plan beyond getting him home and making sure he’s OK. He qualifies for veterans’ chases now, which will give us some more options. He doesn’t owe anyone anything at this stage, but hopefully he can bring us back to some more big days.

Form profile

Placed in a point-to-point, she won a bumper at Ballinrobe in September and finishing second in a Listed bumper at Gowran Park a fortnight later.

Trainer says

She’s being aimed at a Listed bumper at the November meeting at Cheltenham. She already got black type at Gowran Park on her latest start, and it would be great to get some more. We probably won’t go hurdling with her until next season and we are excited for her future.