'20-1 for the Stayers' Hurdle could be worth a punt' - your 2023-24 jumps season questions answered

We are in the early stages of the 2023-24 jumps season and the action is beginning to heat up with a host of top-class action on the horizon.

Ahead of what promises to be an unmissable campaign, our resident Punting Club judges, Harry Wilson, Joe Eccles and Liam Headd are on hand to discuss hot topics and their 2023-24 jumps season wagers . . .

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Could you give me an up-and-coming horse to look out for this season?
Joe Larl

Joe Eccles: I was mightily impressed by You Oughta Know's bumper debut at Kilbeggan in May, when he beat a subsequent wide-margin hurdles winner by 11 lengths, conceding 5lb. He supplemented that at Galway when last seen in August, when giving a stone and a beating to another subsequent winner in Toto Too. His bumper victories came despite both the Kilbeggan and Galway courses probably being a bit sharper than ideal, and on a more galloping track up in trip I can see him taking high rank in the novice hurdle division this season.

Harry Wilson: Johnnywho was extremely impressive when winning his bumper at a canter at Taunton in March. I couldn't wait to see him over hurdles and I certainly wasn't disappointed when he reappeared at Carlisle a couple of weeks ago, winning a novice without ever coming off the bridle. He is open to untold improvement and it would be no surprise should the Challow and possibly the Ballymore come into the reckoning. 

Liam Headd: I'll be keeping a close watch on the Paul Nicholls-trained Captain Teague, who bids for a second successive Grade 2 victory at Cheltenham on Friday. Following a long layoff after comfortably winning a point, the five-year-old ran out an easy winner on his rules debut in a bumper at Plumpton, a race which has produced two subsequent winners since. He then massively outran his odds of 40-1 when third in a Champion Bumper that is producing lots of winners. His hurdles debut in the Persian War was impressive and he should take high rank amongst the British novice hurdlers.

Captain Teague: won stylishly in the Persian WarCredit: Steve Davies

Do you think Shishkin is a viable contender for the Gold Cup?
Russell Collins

Joe: You'd be a brave punter to dismiss the chances of any six-time Grade 1 winner, never mind one with Shishkin's bouncebackability. History is not on his side though; he'll be ten by the time the tapes go up in the Gold Cup and you have to go back to Cool Dawn in 1998 for the last Gold Cup winner aged in double figures. I can see him finishing a gallant fourth or fifth but expect at least a couple to be too strong for him. Gerri Colombe has all the attributes you need for a Gold Cup and would be my idea of the winner at this stage.

Shishkin: stepped up to three miles impressively at Aintree in AprilCredit: Alan Crowhurst

Harry: Yes. Shishkin is one of the most talented horses in training and has every right to stake his claim in the Gold Cup. He defied all the doubters and showed he had all his 'old ability' when slamming Pic D'Orhy, who won the Marsh Chase on his next start, in the Ascot Chase and would've won the Ryanair had he not made a bad mistake three out. He was never stronger than at the line that day, something that was further emphasised in the Bowl at Aintree. The King George should be his for the taking.

Liam: You can never write him off. Things obviously went wrong in the Champion Chase and Tingle Creek in 2022, but he was back to his brilliant best when winning the Ascot Chase in style. There was talk of the Gold Cup then, which didn't materialise, but providing he puts up strong displays in the Betfair Chase and King George, that's where he’ll end up. I'm not quite sure he can win it, but I think he'll finish in the places if he gets there. Galopin Des Champs was phenomenal last season, while Gerri Colombe is showing significant improvement and will be tough to overcome. Don’t forget Bravemansgame, either.

Can anyone stop Constitution Hill from sweeping all before him again?
James Gibson-Wynes 

Joe: No. He has already scared away most of his rivals in the Fighting Fifth and barring incident both that race and the Christmas Hurdle are likely to be penalty kicks. Quite rightly, the Champion Hurdle looks like his toughest test this season, but I can't see State Man making up nine lengths from last year's running and Impaire Et Passe is going to have to improve a stone to get anywhere near him. Earlier this year, Paddy Power went 5-6 about Constitution Hill going unbeaten this season, that's since been chopped into 8-11 and I'd still rather be a backer than a layer at the prices.

Harry: No! No-one has got near Constitution Hill over two miles and with the opposition largely the same, you might as well hand him the races now. Impaire Et Passe is a serious horse, but a drop in trip didn't look the obvious move after his taking Ballymore success and he's going to find keeping tabs on Constitution Hill impossible. The only way Constitution Hill loses is if Nicky Henderson books me to ride.

Constitution Hill: unstoppable hurdler has won six Grade 1s in a row

Liam: This is an easy one – no! What we saw from Constitution Hill last season was simply incredible and the scary thing is, I think there's still so much more to come. He didn't have to beat much in the Fighting Fifth or the Christmas Hurdle last year and there won't be a rival getting anywhere close to him again in either. As Joe mentioned, his hardest challenge will be at Cheltenham, but his jumping is immaculate. If he stays fit, he'll win the lot.

The Stayers' Hurdle division looks weak and I believe that Theleme is a great price at 6-1 to take over, what does the panel think?
Lee Wainwright

Joe: We saw French raider Gold Tweet nab a big pot over hurdles last season in the Cleeve, and Theleme looks a better horse, so I can see the argument. However, odds of 6-1 make little appeal to me about a horse that hasn't won a race away from Auteuil — particularly with the Stayers' being such a Cheltenham specialists race. Teahupoo is young enough to improve on last year's slightly unlucky third and should be the outright favourite in my book, but for those willing to take a punt, how about Sir Gerhard at 20-1? It's clear that he doesn't like fences and in a recent Racing Post stable tour Willie Mullins noted that he was keen to step him back up in trip this season.

Harry: He's obviously better over staying trips than any other horse trained in France and sees out the trip well, but the only thing that would even make me take note of Theleme would be if the ground was bottomless. He's never tackled anything better than 'very soft' and that would worry me if the ground is quicker. I wouldn't forget about Sire Du Berlais. He added last season's Stayers' Hurdle to his two Pertemps Final wins and followed up with a convincing victory over Marie's Rock at Aintree. Although he'll be 12 in the new year, he comes alive in the spring and could take his tally at the festival to four.

Liam: There is no doubting Theleme's class after an almost perfect campaign in France, but I'd expect bigger odds given he's yet to race away from Auteuil. Cheltenham is such a different type of test, especially for those experiencing it for the first time, and for that reason I'm keeping a close eye on Marie's Rock. I was so impressed with her when winning the Mares' Hurdle in 2022 and she backed that up with the Mares' Champion Hurdle at Punchestown. Last season didn't go to plan, she had a big break between her Cheltenham win in January and the festival and I don't think that helped. However, connections upped her trip to three miles at Aintree and she came close to winning – she's one to note at double the price.

Is there an underrated or under-the-radar jockey that can help turn a profit this season? I think Freddie Gingell has a bright future.
Ben Ridge 

Joe: Danny Gilligan was in flying form through the summer, he rode 23 winners from 103 rides from May through to the end of September for a 22 per cent strike-rate, and if you'd backed those horses blind you'd be in level-stakes profit to the tune of £13.67. His winning ride aboard Ash Tree Meadow in the Galway Plate showed that he can cut it in a better class of race and he'll be a jockey that I'll be keeping a close eye on. In Britain, Toby Wynne has already ridden 17 winners this season from 108 rides for a 16 per cent strike rate and backing the conditional's horses blind during this period would have produced a £46.54 level-stakes profit. His link-up with the burgeoning training partnership of Oliver Greenall and Josh Guerriero should provide him with plenty of opportunities to increase his tally.

Harry: I agree with you, Ben. I'd also put Freddie Gordon on the list of future stars. He looks very professional in the saddle and impressed me no end with his winning ride aboard Small Bad Bob when I was at Plumpton last month. He claimed a first Cheltenham success on his 18th birthday in October and his links with his father Chris, as well as newly forged ties with Nicky Henderson, should see him fight it out for the conditional jockeys' title. I also think Elizabeth Gale can go far. She rode Celebre D'Allen to perfection at Aintree last month and her ambition and drive should get her to where she wants to be. As far as underrated jockeys are concerned, I don't think Rex Dingle gets talked about nearly enough.

Liam: Henry Brooke enjoyed a career-best campaign last season with 58 winners and there's no reason why he can't surpass that tally. He's been ticking off some big victories over the past few years and gave Gesskille a superb ride to win the Grand Sefton at Aintree last weekend. He's currently working at a 28 per cent strike-rate in the past fortnight (5-18) and has linked up nicely with joint-trainers Oliver Greenall and Josh Guerriero, a yard very much in form themselves.

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