Four new entries over hurdles and Bravemansgame breaks into chasing top 20

Graeme Rodway with his pound-for-pound assessment of how the very best chasers, hurdlers, trainers and jockeys measure up

Introducing the all-new Racing Post Power Rankings: do you agree with Graeme Rodway's picks?

Hurdlers

Movers and shakers

Boom! It’s time for the first update of the season to the Racing Post’s Power Rankings and the heavy hitters still hold sway at the top of both lists, but the hurdles have been eventful.

Goshen’s switch to chasing opened up a space in the top four that has been filled by Epatante, but the biggest knockout blow came from Home By The Lee, who produced a power-packed finish to leave the flakey Bob Olinger on the canvas in the Lismullen at Navan last Sunday.

Home By The Lee won in the best per-furlong time on the card and it’s always encouraging when a horse is able to finish strongly in a race run at a true pace. The performance was good enough to be the first new entry in the top ten on either list and there should be more to come.

Home By The Lee: won the Lismullen Hurdle at NavanCredit: Patrick McCann

Bob Olinger himself moved into the top 20 at 13, but that puts him behind Knappers Hill and Sceau Royal, who fought out the finish to the Elite Hurdle at Wincanton. Sceau Royal was beaten, but he conceded 6lb to the winner and that is enough to move him into the top ten.

I Like To Move It carried topweight of 12st to victory in the Greatwood and that is good enough for 14th on the hurdlers list, while State Man makes some places courtesy of Darasso and Tommy’s Oscar going chasing. Champ drops to 19th as he approaches 11 years of age.

Chasers

Novice chasers

Movers and shakers

There has been a cagey start to the chasing division and it’s been like the first round of a heavyweight boxing match, where the fighters are simply too scared to get caught cold.

Galvin is the only one in the original top ten to have reappeared and he drops out of the elite group following a heavy defeat in the Champion Chase at Down Royal behind Envoi Allen.

I wasn’t impressed by Envoi Allen and his Down Royal win was good enough to sit only on the fringes at 23rd. He beat the ageing Kemboy by only a length and three-quarters and the third-placed Conflated, and fourth home Galvin, didn’t appear to produce their best form.

The best performance from any chaser this season came from Bravemansgame and he sits on the fringes of the top ten as a new entry at 12. That wouldn’t ordinarily be good enough to win the King George, but he is four places higher than last year’s winner Tornado Flyer and Envoi Allen is second favourite for the Christmas showpiece. So it’s not the strongest edition.

Banbridge: impressive at Cheltenham's November meetingCredit: Edward Whitaker

There are a few contenders making their way in the novice ranks and Banbridge heads them after his impressive victory in the Arkle Trial at Cheltenham on Saturday. Four of the top five are trained in Ireland and Three Stripe Life already lies second after just one win over fences.

Banbridge might be the reigning champion, but Three Stripe Life will have a good chance of taking the title if he can improve from his sparkling chase debut at Naas. Watch this space.

Read more . . .

'He's very exciting' – Slevin keen on Arkle hope Banbridge after emphatic win (Members' Club)

Willie Mullins: 'It wouldn't bother me if Allaho went straight to Cheltenham'

'That's what we wanted to see' – Bravemansgame thrills with Charlie Hall victory

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