Some equine superstars won’t need any introduction to anyone with a fleeting interest in jump racing. The likes of Constitution Hill, Galopin Des Champs, and Corach Rambler are all household names among racing fans, but there are some young horses making waves in the sport that may not yet be known.
Below are three such youngsters to keep your eye on as the Cheltenham Festival moves ever closer.
A Dream To Share
Although his name will be familiar to many racing fans, A Dream To Share is worth mentioning here as arguably the most exciting young horse in training today. Owned by the legendary J.P. McManus, A Dream To Share hit the headlines and became popular with those who bet on horses online when winning the Cheltenham Champion Bumper and following up in the Irish equivalent. He has yet to start his campaign over hurdles, but he is still fancied to win the Supreme Novices’ Hurdle at the Festival this season.
J.P. McManus is likely to have more than one runner in the opening race of the Festival, as Jeriko Du Reponet is another exciting young talent that is set to line up in opposition. Like A Butterfly and Captain Cee Bee have provided McManus with victory in the race in the past, and he will be hoping for more success in 2014, particularly with the top-class A Dream To Share.
Only By Night
The only female on the list, Only By Night has proven herself to be a top-quality bumper performer this season. Trained by Gavin Cromwell of Flooring Porter fame, the four-year-old is unbeaten in three racecourse starts for her current trainer and seems to be improving with every performance. The Cheltenham Champion Bumper is the target for the talented mare, and there is nothing to say she can’t beat the boys at the Festival in March.
Croke Park
Croke Park is another youngster set to have a big career on the racetrack. Unlike the previous four horses, he is very much a stayer in the making, so a tilt at the Albert Bartlett Novices Hurdle is likely. His connections, Gordon Elliott and Gigginstown Stud have had some of the sport’s best horses under their care, and Croke Park could be the latest in a long line of top-level race winners. His two racecourse victories have been achieved with the minimum of fuss, and he is only going to get better as his career progresses.
Named after the famous sports stadium in Ireland, Croke Park will be looking to give his owners a third win in the race after Weapon’s Amnesty and Very Wood’s victories. Surprisingly, Gordon Elliott has yet to win the Albert Bartlett at Cheltenham, but that may be about to change in 2014.
These are just three young horses that are set to light up the 2024 Cheltenham Festival, but there are plenty more talented sorts that have already shown their hands this season. Of course, there is also the possibility that another top-class young horse could hit the headlines in the interim.
