Jumping season is upon us, and excitements are running high. For those who don’t know, horse racing can, largely, be separated into two seasons, jumping and flat season. As you can probably assume, jumping season refers to races where horses have to jump hurdles, whereas flat racing refers to a simple race on a flat surface.
Throughout the year, fans tend to wait eagerly for the months to pass them by, so we can get to the discipline that we prefer. Many love the simple, matter-of-fact flat race that usually take place in summer and spring. However, the autumn and winter months belong to the jumps.
The National Hunt
The National Hunt refers to a group of races held in the United Kingdom, the Republic of Ireland, and France, which require horses and jockeys to jump over obstacles. National Hunt races are held throughout the year. However, as we said, most of the notable ones take place in the Autumn and Winter months.
If we take a look at UK’s National Hunt races, we would find that the Grand National and the Cheltenham Gold Cup are by far the most popular. Cheltenham takes place in February, but bookies promote the event all year round. As an example, look at Betfred Cheltenham offers, which tend to be very favorable, and thorough in their coverage of the event.
National Hunt racing tends to produce some fine horses. Think back to the stars of jumping. Horses like Kauto Star, Best Mate, Altior, and Hurricane Fly, among others. All of these have gone down in history as some of the best of all time. However, what are the athletes to look out for in the 2022/23 jumping season. Let’s take a look at the most impressive horses that should not go ignored.
Most Impressive Jumpers in 2022/23
Whether it be Cheltenham, the Grand National, or one of the other top-name jumping events, there are some incredibly jumpers to keep an eye out this time around. Certainly, you’ve heard of at least a few of these horses, as they have seen massive success in years past. So, without further ado, let us take a look at the top-of-the-line ones; the horses that truly deserve to be considered champions.
Constitution Hill
Undoubtedly, you’ve heard of Constitution Hill before. The 5-year-old Bay Gelding has already made a name for himself at events like the Fighting Fifth Hurdle. During the Newcastle race, he took the lead, winning the race by 12 lengths. All the more impressive that he went up against worthy opponents, such as Epatante and Not So Sleepy, whom he left in the dust.
Constitution Hill is still relatively new to the circuit. And already he has garnered international acclaim. During the last Cheltenham Festival, the gelding finished in 1st during one of the lesser races. Naturally, this year round, his team is looking to have him run at the Champion Hurdle, with the hopes of dethroning Honeysuckle, a two-time winner.
Gelino Bello
Gelino Bello is a six-year-old French-bred and English-trained horse, who has competed in six notable hurdle runs thus far. He is already ahead of the competition, having one a Grade 1 hurdle race. It would be a bettors dream to see Gelino Bello go up against Constitution Hill, in a match that finally decides who the superior hurdler is.
Netywell
Netywell is one of the horses expected to take home the most trophies in the 2022/23 jumping season. The five-year-old Bay Gelding has seen his fair share of hurdles, and has proven himself one of the best horses today. What Nety has going for him is his overwhelming size. And he certainly has the athletic capabilities to match. With the right jockey, he could prove to be the golden horse of the jumping season this time around.
Final Thoughts
The jumping season is in full swing. While flatheads might be waiting in anticipation for the spring months, jumping jacks are excited for the Cheltenham, the Grand National, and similar hurdle events. Certainly Constitution Hill is the horse on everyone’s mind. However, some are also expecting great things out of Netywell, Gelino Bello, and other top tier jumpers like Leave of Absence, Luke, Ahoy Senor, Butch, and the Big Dog.