I can't wait for the National Hunt Jumps Season to get going again this winter, despite it only feeling like a short while ago we were celebrating Harry Skelton becoming Champion Jockey for the first time in his career.
My five horses to follow last year there were hit and miss, with some being successful and some being off their game completely.
The fantastic Cyrname's season fell apart massively after his Charlie Hall victory while Ribble Valley didn't kick on from his Carlisle success to rack up anymore wins.
Shan Blue, Thyme Hill and Protektorat all won Grade 1's though and I'd like to see that again from my selections this year.
So without anymore hesitation, let's jump into my five horses to follow for this season, pardon the pun...
My Drogo - Dan Skelton
This horse has already shown signs that he's got a real engine on him, and with the Skelton brothers reckoning he's only going to be better over fences, he's just got too much potential to ignore.
He finished last season unbeaten over hurdles, winning two grade two's and rounding it off with a demolition job at Aintree where he won his first grade one in devastating fashion by nine and a half lengths.
I also think the further he goes the better he's going to be, his options this season are endless though, because he'll start the season between the two mile to two and a half mile mark before stepping up to three and if the only thing that I can see stopping him from winning at Cheltenham already could be whether or not he does get up the hill.
He's my top pick for the season, and this exciting novice is definitely one for the notebook for the upcoming campaign.
Shishkin - Nicky Henderson
An unstoppable force from the beginning last season, Shishkin fulfilled his potential as the most exciting novice chaser in the game with a ruthless five from five record, and two grade one's at the end of it all.
Where he goes next is the exciting bit and Nicky Henderson will have him in top form to try and target the top two miler races in the world of jumps racing, where a certain Queen Mother Champion Chase at Cheltenham could end up being the target.
I'll admit, I had my doubts as to whether he would make that step up last season, but from the first time I watched him jump a fence on TV I knew that there was going to be nothing to worry about.
Slick and accurate jumping saw him gaining lengths over rivals last year and getting them in trouble, if he keeps that going then he might just win that Queen Mother Champion Chase come March.
Bravemansgame - Paul Nicholls
I found out how good Bravemansgame could be by accident last year when he won the grade one novices' hurdle around Newbury before Christmas time.
He blew away what was a smart few novices, and I followed him into Cheltenham hoping he had what it took to beat Bob Olinger.
Unfortunately he couldn't lay a glove on the Irish charge, but I think a switch to the larger obstacles this season will bring more improvement out of him, and even though in time I'd hate to see him go up against My Drogo, mainly because I like both horses, it could be a mouth-watering clash between the pair over the longer distances.
Sir Gerhard - Willie Mullins
Willie Mullins loves a Champion Bumper winner, and this year was no different when he nailed a one-two in the race, with the well fancied Kilcruit finishing second to Sir Gerhard.
The form was then reversed at Punchestown but I saw enough from this horse at Cheltenham that suggested he had what it takes to be a success over hurdles.
He battled hard to beat Kilcruit and even though either one of the two could be the one to beat in the novices hurdle scene, I'm going to go for this horse purely because he had the beating of his rival at Cheltenham and if they met again there I would think he would do it again.
Bob Olinger - Henry De Bromhead
Rachel Blackmore and Henry De Bromhead had a 2020/2021 season to remember with some excellent winners spread across the board of the season.
Bob Olinger rocked up at Cheltenham after winning a grade one in Ireland by six and a half lengths over the very likeable Blue Lord, he then bettered that with a seven and a half length win at the grade one at Cheltenham against the English horses as well and marked himself down as a horse to watch in the future in the process.
He's another horse with endless possibilities this season, and he goes into my notebook as the last of my five to follow for the upcoming jumps campaign.
Now that the horses are done, it's time to take a look at some of them jockeys to watch for the upcoming campaign, only five again and here they are...
Rachel Blackmore
The Queen of Cheltenham last season has established herself as one of the best jockeys in the game, riding big winners both over obstacles and on the flat.
She suffered a bad injury after Cheltenham but she'll be back soon, and even though last season was pretty hard to beat in terms of success, I'm sure she will be looking for even more domination this time around.
Horses connected with: Honeysuckle, Bob Olinger and Allaho.
Jordan Gainford
A name not many people would've heard of, Gainford caught my eye as a jockey to watch in the upcoming seasons with his brilliant ride aboard The Shunter at the Cheltenham Festival.
His partnership with Denise Forster is vital for him going forward to help him gain that experience, and it's interesting to see what he could go on to accomplish this year.
Horses connected with: The Shunter, Petit Mouchoir and Capuccimix.
Harry Skelton
The 2020/2021 season was one that Harry Skelton won't be wanting to forget about anytime soon, as he was crowned Champion Jockey for the first time in his career.
His brother Dan changed up his approach last season to try and target some of the bigger prizes in the sport and it looked as though he would have to wait a few seasons before getting the chance to be top jockey.
However, with Richard Johnson retiring, and Skelton in red hot form in 2021, he flew home in the title race to clinch it from former champion Brian Hughes.
With the quality of horses only seeming to get better and better in his brother's yard as well, the 2021/2022 season could be Harry's biggest one yet.
Horses connected with: Allmankind, My Drogo and Protektorat.
Brian Hughes
Despite finishing 2nd in that title race last season there, Hughes definitely lost nothing in defeat, and pushed Skelton all the way.
He's managed to build up a good lead through the summer jumping this time around which was hard last season due to the pandemic, and if his usual trainers in McCain and Nicky Richards can get there horses flying through the winter, he could be hard to peg back.
His strike rate in the north as well is very impressive, and he even showed last season there when he had to move away from the north to keep up his title challenge that he could still get the support he needed and notch up the winners.
An extremely talented jockey who will love nothing more than to become two time champion jockey come April 2022.
Horses connected with: Waiting Patiently, Ribble Valley and Lake View Lad.
Harry Cobden
Harry Cobden was also targeting a maiden jump jockeys title last season there before he suffered a season ending injury which ruined his chances.
He's back and ready to go now though this season, and with the help of the champion trainer Paul Nicholls on his side, he knows he holds a live chance if he stays injury free.
He'll have plenty of success in the big races again and with age being on his side compared to the likes of Skelton and Hughes, he really does look like a champion in waiting.
Horses connected with: Clan Des Obeaux, Greaneteen and Cyrname.
Time to look at the trainers now, five more names to follow...
Dan Skelton
As mentioned earlier on in the piece, Dan had a change of tactics last season to try and target some of the bigger races and win bigger prizes.
Despite not picking up any winners at Cheltenham again, he still have Grade one's to his name, with Shan Blue, Protektorat and My Drogo all doing the business.
It's seems to be only a matter of time before he is a real threat to the champion trainer title, and with the fact that it's rumoured he has around 170 horses in training for the winter, there's no reason why that season couldn't be this one.
Paul Nicholls
Speaking of champion trainers, here's the man that Skelton will have to beat if he wants to do just that.
Paul Nicholls just knows how to get his horses right for the big occasions, and has done so time and time again, season after season, and by now you just know what to expect from him.
His partnership with Harry Cobden is just getting started you feel, and the two can go on to achieve a lot in the game as a combination, and with Nicholls still as good as ever, you can expect the English trainers to come roaring back after an Irish domination at Cheltenham.
Henry De Bromhead
And here's the man who was heavily responsible for that Irish domination at Cheltenham, Henry De Bromhead, who had such a fine 2020/2021 season that I'm not sure if it can possibly be bettered.
He had so many big races winners throughout the campaign, and with the top jump jockey in the world riding for him in Rachel Blackmore, it's another deadly duo to put in the notebook.
A real threat to Willie Mullins over in Ireland now, Bromhead will be looking for another fine season at the top of the trainers table.
Nicky Henderson
Nicky Henderson saw his star horse Shishkin dominate the novice chase scene last season there, and the experienced trainer knows what it's like to have a star on his hands.
A trainer who's been at the top of his game for so long, there's nothing that Henderson hasn't done on the jumping scene, and despite old boy Altior lacking a spark last season, Shishkin definitely came in and managed to keep the fire burning.
He'll take on Nicholls again in the trainer championship, and will certainly be back up for the fight.
Willie Mullins
Another trainer who just seems to keep getting better and better, Willie Mullins keeps producing top class horses to win the biggest races in the world of jump racing and this season will of course be no different.
It's hard to predict where his superstars will come from year in year out, simply because his yard is that good, but Chacun Pour Soi is the horse that everyone will be talking about again this season, simply because he might finally win at Cheltenham.
I could sit here all day going though all of his horses that could be successful this season, but the truth is I don't have a clue either, so the best thing we can all do is sit and wait.
There's my preview done then for another season of the jumps, I'll be previewing Cartmel's final two meetings of the summer in the next couple of days and I'll be there at the course on Monday enjoying what will be the end of the summer jumping, as our heads slowly start to turn to Chepstow's big meeting.
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