Five big-name jumps horses who could return to action on Saturday - including a Cheltenham Gold Cup prospect

The jumps season ramps up a gear this weekend with Wetherby hosting its valuable Charlie Hall Chase card. Ascot is also in action, while over in Ireland Down Royal takes centre stage. Here, we identify five big-name jumps horses that could return to action on Saturday . . .

Luccia

bet365 Mares' Hurdle (1.50 Wetherby)

The Nicky Henderson-trained mare looked like a potential superstar when routing her rivals in a Listed bumper at Sandown back in March 2022, and she kicked off last season with impressive wins over hurdles at Newbury and Exeter.

She did not quite kick on as expected at the big spring festivals, however, finishing fourth when sent off the 6-4 favourite for the Mares’ Novices’ Hurdle at Cheltenham before a third against the boys in the Top Novices’ Hurdle at Aintree.

She still retains scope for improvement on the back of just six career starts and her form figures returning from an absence of 50 days or more read 111. She could face off against the smart Dan Skelton-trained Kateira, who was last seen chasing home Irish Point in the Mersey Novices’ Hurdle at Aintree’s Grand National Festival.

Luccia13:50 Wetherby

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Jky: Tnr: Nicky Henderson

First Flow

Byrne Group Handicap Chase (2.05 Ascot)

Kim Bailey’s veteran has gained 11 wins from his 25 starts under rules, but he has not got his head in front since landing the 2021 Peterborough Chase at Huntingdon.

He got no further than the sixth fence in the Ascot Chase earlier this year but showed his enthusiasm for the game remained when chasing home Hewick in the Grade 2 Oaksey Chase at Sandown back in April.

He reverts to handicap company on his reappearance this weekend, but the soft ground conditions are in his favour and his form figures at Ascot read 23113F, which includes a win in the Grade 1 Clarence House Chase, so he must be respected for all that the likes of Saint Segal, Frere D’Armes and Boothill look significantly less exposed.

First Flow14:05 Ascot

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Jky: Tnr: Kim Bailey

Thyme Hill

bet365 Hurdle (2.21 Wetherby)

Philip Hobbs and Johnson White have sent out five winners from 16 runners in October for an impressive 31 per cent strike-rate and the in-form training team unleash one of their big stars this weekend in Thyme Hill.

The nine-year-old was sent chasing last season with mixed success, running out an impressive 15-length winner of the Grade 1 Kauto Star Novices’ Chase at Kempton on Boxing Day but finishing a distant eighth in the Brown Advisory Novices’ Chase at Cheltenham, after which connections reported that he had lost his jumping confidence.

He ended his season back over hurdles in a Grade 2 at Sandown when beaten just a length and three-quarters into fourth. Stepping back up to three miles on his reappearance looks a big plus on that evidence, and he rates as the one to beat, for all that Stayers’ Hurdle runner-up Dashel Drasher would represent an obvious danger.

Thyme Hill14:21 Wetherby

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Jky: Tnr: Philip Hobbs & Johnson White

Gerri Colombe

Ladbrokes Champion Chase (2.35 Down Royal)

Gordon Elliott’s Gerri Colombe produced a fine novice chase campaign last season which saw him rack up four wins from five starts – three of those victories coming at Grade 1 level.

His only defeat came when denied by a short head by The Real Whacker in the Brown Advisory Novices’ Chase at Cheltenham and he put that defeat right with an impressive seven-and-a-half-length success in the Mildmay Novices’ Chase at Aintree in April.

In a recent Racing Post Stable Tour, Elliott reported the Cheltenham Gold Cup to be Gerri Colombe’s seasonal target and identified Saturday’s race as a good starting off point albeit with the caveat that the seven-year-old would “improve plenty for the run”. His potential rivals include stablemate Conflated, Ryanair victor Envoi Allen and Cheltenham Gold Cup winner Minella Indo.

Gerri Colombe14:35 Down Royal

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Jky: Tnr: Gordon Elliott

Ahoy Senor

bet365 Charlie Hall Chase (3.00 Wetherby)

Lucinda Russell's eight-year-old racked up a sixth win when landing the Cotswold Chase at Cheltenham in January and still looked well in contention when falling six out in the Cheltenham Gold Cup next time.

His jumping issues continue to provide cause for concern but he ended last season with a second to Shishkin in the Aintree Bowl and that represented a career-best performance on Racing Post Ratings.

He bombed out when sent off the 11-10 favourite for this race last season but his Aintree form puts him right among the top staying chasers in Britain. A small field suits as his chase wins have been recorded in field sizes of four, four, four and six.