Thyme Hill set for novice chasing as Philip Hobbs considers early starting point

Two-time Grade 1-winning hurdler Thyme Hill is to be sent novice chasing this season and his highly anticipated start over fences is likely to come in the next few weeks.

Trainer Philip Hobbs has not confirmed a starting point but has mooted novice chase options at Chepstow's traditional jump season opener next weekend over 2m7½f on Friday or a 2m3f Listed contest the following day.

The 2m5f intermediate chase at Newton Abbot on October 15, which was used as the launchpad for Bravemansgame last season, is also under consideration.

Thyme Hill has long been considered an exciting type to go chasing and has reportedly impressed in schooling sessions since the completion of his novice hurdling season in March 2020.

At that point, connections instead chose to try and turn him into a leading staying hurdler and the decision was justified by victories in the Long Distance Hurdle and Stayers' Hurdle at Aintree. While he missed the Cheltenham Festival that season with a setback, he finished second to Flooring Porter in the Stayers' Hurdle this March.

Hobbs said of the 161-rated hurdler: "He'll definitely go chasing now and we're looking forward to it but where we start off I'm not sure.

"We have options at Chepstow the week after next or there's an intermediate chase at Newton Abbot the following Saturday that he might run in. Where we'll go I'm not sure, it'll depend on the ground.

Thyme Hill: at the top of Philip Hobbs' gallop in Minehead, SomersetCredit: Edward Whitaker

"He's been really good. He schooled at the end of the season before last as we weren't sure what he was going to do but he's always jumped very well. Last season, he had a great campaign but he did so without winning a race which is always frustrating."

Thyme Hill is 16-1 for the Brown Advisory Novices' Chase with Sky Bet at the 2023 Cheltenham Festival, a race Hobbs last won 20 years ago with One Knight.

High-class stablemate Camprond ended his campaign with success at the Punchestown festival but he will remain over hurdles and could be stepped up in distance to fill the void left by Thyme Hill.

The six-year-old also finished fourth in the Greatwood and Coral Cup last season and is considered an exciting prospect,

"Camprond is really good but he won't be ready to run until the end of October at the earliest," Hobbs added. "He'll stay over hurdles and I don't think we'll go shorter than two and a half miles, but besides that I'm not sure."

Hobbs has yet to decide on a plan for Sporting John. He was a Grade 1 winner as a novice chaser and returned to form over hurdles last season.

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