Horses to follow: six stars who look likely to shine in the 2019-20 jumps season

With the jumps season drawing to a close we select six horses who look likely to prosper in the 2019-20 campaign

Concertista
Willie Mullins
Simon Munir & Isaac Souede

With seven runners in this season's Dawn Run Mares' Novices' Hurdle, it could be argued Willie Mullins was using the Grade 2 at the Cheltenham Festival as something of a fact-finding mission.

The master trainer enjoyed a fourth consecutive win in the race courtesy of Eglantine Du Seuil, but it was stablemate Concertista who caught the eye as perhaps the best long-term proposition in second.

Her runner-up position ensures her novice status is protected and she will carry a high level of intrigue wherever pitching up next season.

Darasso
Joseph O'Brien
JP McManus

An unknown quantity until cropping up behind Bachasson in a 2m4f Punchestown hurdle on New Year's Eve, Darasso has since won two chases in the style of a horse going places for Joseph O'Brien.

Formerly in the care of Guy Cherel, Darasso's most recent display when comfortably accounting for Cadmium over two miles in the Grade 2 Webster Cup Chase at Navan now has a better look to it following the runner-up's impressive front-running six-length Topham victory.

O'Brien is likely to target Grade 1s next season over fences for his unexposed six-year-old.

Envoi Allen
Gordon Elliott
Cheveley Park Stud

The leading light of a stellar crop of Gordon Elliott-trained bumper horses, which include Malone Road and Andy Dufresne, Envoi Allen cemented his status as an exciting hurdles prospect with a game victory over Blue Sari in the 2019 Champion Bumper.

Envoi Allen: unbeaten in four starts under rulesCredit: Patrick McCann (racingpost.com/photos)

The five-year-old carried a lofty reputation from the pointing sphere and, now undefeated in four stars under rules, has only reinforced such perceptions.

Envoi Allen is a strong stayer who should be a big player in next season's top novice events.

Espoir D'Allen
Gavin Cromwell
JP McManus

Trends disciples pour cold water on the possibility of a five-year-old winning a Champion Hurdle, but Espoir D'Allen silenced the naysayers with a 15-length victory in March.

Gavin Cromwell's stable star has been carefully handled and continues to improve at a rate of knots. He has won eight of his nine starts and there is no reason to think there is not more to come with all roads leading to a Champion Hurdle defence.

Paisley Park
Emma Lavelle
Andrew Gemmell

Few would have anticipated Paisley Park's ascent to the summit of the staying hurdle division, especially when Andrew Gemmell's pride and joy won an Aintree handicap off 140 on his seasonal return in October.

Paisley Park: a dominant winner of the Stayers' HurdleCredit: John Grossick (racingpost.cpm/photos)

A massive two stone of improvement followed and in a division which often lacks strength in depth, the Emma Lavelle-trained warrior appears to possess all the credentials to dominate his rivals in the coming years.

Reserve Tank
Colin Tizzard
The Reserve Tankers

One could argue Reserve Tank was something of a slow burner having failed to score in his first two starts in novice hurdles, but the five-year-old has since strung together a hat-trick, culminating in a top-level success in the Mersey Novices' Hurdle at Aintree.

He readily dispatched the ultra-consistent Brewin'upastorm that day and the son of Jeremy is one to be excited about when he goes over fences next season.

Reserve Tank: an exciting prospect for Punchestown and next seasonCredit: Edward Whitaker

There are still scores to be settled over hurdles, however, and we will soon find out just how much the tank has in reserve at Punchestown, where Colin Tizzard's ace is poised to test his mettle in the Grade 1 Alanna Homes Champion Novice Hurdle against the cream of the Irish.

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