Robbie Power’s National Hunt Season Preview

Preparations are underway for the new National Hunt season.

I’m back riding since back before Galway so I’m fairly fit at this stage and obviously the preparation for the horses begins to step up.

The work increases week by week and lucky for me both Jessica Harrington and Colin Tizzard’s stables are both looking to start around mid-October of course weather depending. If the sun keeps shining it will be a bit later, like it was last year. I know Colin Tizzard is looking to run a few of his in the Chepstow meeting in mid-October.

Hopefully at some stage the heavens will open and the rains will come but until that happens we’re just going to have to be patient. Last year we had a very dry Autumn and we were very slow getting started so hopefully that doesn’t happen this year and we can get started. It’s a long winter and we have plenty of horses we can go to war with.

Lostintranslation
Of the horses in Colin Tizzard’s yard that I’m excited about the obvious one is Lostintranslation. He has the potential to be a top class staying chaser and was very impressive when he stepped up to three miles at Aintree. He’s a massive horse with a big frame and over the summer he has filled out that frame a bit more.

He’s likely to start off at either Carlisle or Weatherby. He has the potential to be a Gold Cup contender but it’s a big step going from novice company into open company.

It’s like stepping up from the Championship into the Premier League.

Sizing John & Supasundae
Jessica had a great summer, especially with the two year-old fillies and we’ve still got a big field to go to war with this winter with jumpers. The old stallworths are still there, Supasundae is there and Sizing John is back in work. Sean Byrne has been riding him out every day and he’s been doing some very steady work.

Sean’s been very happy with the work he’s doing, he’s moving great and fingers crossed we can get him back on the racecourse. He’s been off the track for nearly two years so if we can get him back it will be a great boost for the yard.

Supasundae did nothing wrong all last season.

He won his Grade One at Aintree and he’ll probably go down the Champion Hurdle route.

Chacun Pour Soi
Outside of those yards Chacun Pour Soi really impressed me last year. I was very lucky last year at Punchestown, the day after Ruby retired I got the spare ride on him in the Novice Chase. He really impressed me and I’ll be looking forward to watching him wherever he runs.