Kauto, Denman, Sprinter and so many more: the greatest jumps horses of the 21st century ranked

Has it really been 25 years since we were counting down the days to the new millennium, all the while trying to ignore dire warnings of the impact of the millennium bug? During the subsequent quarter of a century, we've witnessed one of the truly great eras in jump racing, so it's been no enviable task whittling down the best of the last 25 years to just 25 horses . . .

25. Bristol De Mai

There were times when this Grade 1 novice chase winner was dismissed as a 'specialist', a horse who settled into a routine of beating up allcomers in good races on bad ground. He won his first Betfair Chase by 57 lengths from Cue Card when it was heavy, but his second (by four lengths from Native River) came on good ground, while his third was back in the mire from Clan Des Obeaux. Did he lack versatility? Nigel Twiston-Davies and Daryl Jacob will shrug and point to his £900,000 in prize-money.

24. Gloria Victis

Gloria Victis was already spoken of in hushed tones after just three runs in novice company in Britain and a sound thrashing of Marlborough under 11st 10lb in the Racing Post Chase, which tempted connections to favour the Gold Cup over the RSA Chase at the festival – a decision the racing world would come to regret. He had just been headed when he fell two out and was fatally injured, his potential unfulfilled. Perhaps he'd never have been a legend. We'll never know, but he was already very good.