Justin O'Hanlon: Eric Bloodaxe leaps out as a dark horse who might cause a shock

With such a bonus race bias towards chases in this season's Ten To Follow, concentrating on contenders for races over fences looks a winning strategy, with those at the staying end of the spectrum particularly at an advantage.

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To that end, Galvin is the one to have particular interest in. At the close of last season it looked likely he would be trained with the Grand National in mind. That race may still end up on his agenda, but his performance when narrowly beaten by Frodon in the Champion Chase at Down Royal puts him forward as a genuine Gold Cup contender. He is tough and hardy too, so the Irish trials at Leopardstown are likely to be in his sights and he will be very competitive.

With the Grand National in mind, it may pay to include Any Second Now. He was desperately unlucky in last season's race and there is every chance he could pick up a Graded chase or hurdle in his preparation.

Any Second Now retains plenty of potential and can pick up points on the way to the Grand NationalCredit: Patrick McCann

Just one British-trained horse makes it into this list. Shishkin is head and shoulders above the 2m opposition in Britain and, even if his colours are lowered at Cheltenham, he is likely to pick up at least one Grade 1 along the way.

Of the Irish horses in this division, there is no need to look beyond Willie Mullins and last season's brilliant novice chaser Energumene has every chance of overtaking Chacun Pour Soi as his leading two-miler.

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It is going to be interesting to see how Henry de Bromhead campaigns the brilliant Envoi Allen, whether as a Gold Cup horse or with the Ryanair Chase as his aim. The Punchestown Chase in early December looks his next obvious target but it seems inconceivable he will not be tried over 3m at some stage before March. He genuinely could end up anywhere.

Among the novice chasers, no horse has more potential star quality than Ferny Hollow. The 2020 Champion Bumper winner from stablemate Appreciate It, he could not have started his hurdling career any better than when beating subsequent champion novice Bob Olinger by quite a comfortable length in a Gowran maiden hurdle a year ago. A stress fracture ruled out the remainder of his season but if he can return to his best he is clearly an exciting prospect.

The unbeaten Honeysuckle will tread a familiar path this season en route to a prospective second Champion Hurdle success. She will not race at lower than Grade 1 level and is one of the first names on the teamsheet.

Klassical Dream may be fragile, but if Willie Mullins can get a clear passage with him he looks a likely candidate for the Stayers' Hurdle, such was the impression he created when winning the Champion Stayers at Punchestown in April.

His stablemate Kilcruit never stopped improving throughout last season in bumpers. He probably should have won the Champion Bumper at Cheltenham and certainly made amends in fine style at Punchestown. He is one of the top novice hurdle prospects this season and is likely to have a couple of Grade 1s in the bag before Cheltenham.

One dark horse to suggest for staying novice hurdles is Eric Bloodaxe. He was good enough a couple of years ago to beat Ferny Hollow and Wide Receiver in a pair of bumpers, and his return to form in winning a 2m3f maiden hurdle at Naas recently augured well for the season to come.

JUSTIN O'HANLON'S TEN TO FOLLOW
Any Second Now
Energumene
Envoi Allen
Eric Bloodaxe
Ferny Hollow
Galvin
Honeysuckle
Kilcruit
Klassical Dream
Shishkin

Read more on the Tote Ten To Follow

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