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    Sunday, April 12

    Three to Follow as the 2022/23 National Hunt Season Gets Underway

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    October is the traditional crossover between the Flat and the National Hunt racing seasons, and while the early days over obstacles are considered something of a ‘loosener’ as the ground begins to soften, it won’t be long before some of jumps racing’s most prestigious renewals are being contested.

    All roads lead to the Cheltenham Festival for the best National Hunt horses and their connections, and ultimately it’s there that some of racing’s biggest paydays are to be found.

    But there’s plenty to look forward to in the weeks and months ahead too.

    Winter Is Coming

    The ante post racing betting markets are already open, with Gold Cup champion A Plus Tard the 4/5 favourite in the top racing tips to defend his Betfair Chase title in November and Energumene, the Champion Chase victor at March’s Cheltenham Festival, leading the way at 6/4 in the odds for the Tingle Creek early in December.

    Many racing experts have widened their scope to look at the daily bread-and-butter of the National Hunt campaign, not just the big meetings and races, but of course, it’s the Grade 1 renewals that most racing fans and punters look forward to the most.

    In that spirit, here are three contenders who could play a major role in racing’s key contests during the 2022/23 season:

    Protektorat

    Sir Alex Ferguson knew a thing or two about winning during his time as Manchester United manager, and as a part-owner of Protektorat he’s shown a keen eye for picking major winners in the making in racing too.

    Third place in the Cheltenham Gold Cup franked the talents of the seven-year-old, and a horse that has shown plenty of enthusiasm at both Prestbury Park and Aintree – where he has won a couple of high-quality races – offers punters plenty of options.

     

    Trainer Dan Skelton has dreams of Gold Cup glory in mind for next March, but first, there’s hope that a different Cheltenham renewal can land his team another significant payday. “You would have to say that the race that would suit him is the Cotswold Chase,” he has said. “I’m very positive about the horse and he is Gold Cup standard.”

    Edwardstone

    Although lightly raced in 2022 so far, Edwardstone – a rangy eight-year-old trained by Alan King – has still found time to win the Kingmaker Novices’ Chase at Warwick and the Arkle at Cheltenham, before finishing runner-up in the Maghull Novices’ Chase at Aintree.

    A stellar 20-race career has already yielded eight wins and seven finishes in the places, and you suspect more is to come as the horse is sent into battle in some of the National Hunt’s most prominent races.

    Edwardstone is third-favourite for the Tingle Creek at odds of 5/1, and it will be fascinating to see if this two-mile specialist can kick on this term.

    Redemption Day

    Come next March, Redemption Day could well be regarded as one of the finest novice hurdlers of his generation.

    He’ll likely be routed to the Supreme Novices’ Hurdle at the Cheltenham Festival, and in that regard, the five-year-old could not be in safer hands than those of course specialist Willie Mullins.

     


    A mightily impressive winner on debut at Leopardstown, Redemption Day has since twice been beaten by Facile Vega. But he looks a lively sort on firmer ground, and his speed over the hurdles could ensure a fine time of things in 2022/23.
    Redemption Day, like Edwardstone and Protektorat, is likely to be a key player come the business end of the campaign.