Jumps recap: your guide to the key players as the new season picks up pace

Can you remember all 28 Cheltenham Festival winners from March? Well done if you can. But for many of us, the major results and stories that broke at Cheltenham, Aintree and Punchestown in the spring may have faded slightly from memory as the speed, thrills and excitement of the Flat season took priority through the summer.

However, jump racing’s biggest asset is the longevity and resilience of its stars, with those that thrive at the upper echelons of the sport often coming back to dominate the headlines in the autumn and winter.

With that in mind, we examine how the leading jumps players are shaping up for the new campaign.

Senior chasers

Willie Mullins has long been a prolific winner at the Cheltenham Festival but he finally fulfilled an ambition of his to train the winner of the Cheltenham Gold Cup, as Al Boum Photo landed the highlight under Paul Townend.

Paul Townend and Willie Mullins are set for plenty more success this seasonCredit: Michael Steele

The seven-year-old beat Anibale Fly, Bristol De Mai and 2018 Gold Cup hero Native River at Cheltenham, although he could not quite live with stablemate Kemboy at Punchestown.

There is no word as to where the Mullins-trained pair will return, although Kemboy is entered in the Ladbrokes Champion Chase at Down Royal on November 2.

Ruby Walsh announced his retirement from the saddle after victory on Kemboy at PunchestownCredit: Patrick McCann (racingpost.com/photos)

The £1 million bonus scheme for staying chasers is up for grabs again and Paul Nicholls is hoping to target Clan Des Obeaux at the first leg, the Betfair Chase. Bristol De Mai has won the last two Betfair Chases and is on course for the hat-trick, possibly via the Charlie Hall Chase.

The senior staying chasers are likely to be joined by the second and third from a thrilling RSA Novices' Chase, Santini and Delta Work, although winner Topofthegame has been ruled out for the season.

Aintree winners Lostintranslation and Kalashnikov are others who could make their mark in open company, although the latter looks likely to be targeted at the Ryanair Chase in the long-term.

Altior's unbeaten run over obstacles remains intact, but the Nicky Henderson-trained superstar is set to be tested like never before this season over longer distances. The King George VI Chase on Boxing Day could be on the horizon for the nine-year-old, who battled gamely to win a second Queen Mother Champion Chase in March, but an eagerly-anticipated clash with Cyrname could be in the works at Ascot before then.

Should Altior pass his early-season tests, an ambitious bid to complete the transition to Gold Cup contender may become a genuine option.

Altior's unbeaten record over hurdles and fences remains intactCredit: Alan Crowhurst (Getty Images)

Politologue and Sceau Royal tested Altior the most at Cheltenham and have sound claims to flourish in the two-mile chasing division in his absence, although Chacun Pour Soi displayed considerable ability when beating JLT winner Defi Du Seuil in the Ryanair Novice Chase at Punchestown.

Chacun Pour Soi’s stablemate and Arkle winner Duc Des Genievres is also likely to be in the mix, as is the more experienced Min, a brilliant winner of the Melling Chase.

Aintree is also set to be the ultimate aim for dual Grand National hero and four-time Cheltenham Festival winner Tiger Roll, with the journey to his date with destiny on Merseyside certain to be one of the key threads through the season.

Tiger Roll: all roads are set to lead to the Grand National againCredit: Edward Whitaker

Senior hurdlers

The Gavin Cromwell-trained Espoir D’Allen was the surprise 16-1 winner of the Unibet Champion Hurdle but will sadly not be able to defend his crown after losing his life at the age of five. He was put down after suffering a shoulder injury following a freak accident.

He beat Melon at Cheltenham, who had also filled the same position a year earlier when second to Buveur D’Air. The two-time Champion Hurdle winner is back in his quest to join a select club of triple winners, with the Fighting Fifth Hurdle once again touted as his likely starting point.

Apple’s Jade was another to fluff her lines in the Champion Hurdle but displayed dominance prior to the festival, running up a streak of four brilliant wins. She struggled in the spring but is back for more, while better will be expected of Laurina.

Klassical Dream: ante-post favourite for the Champion HurdleCredit: Mark Cranham (racingpost.com/photos)

Mullins has trained the Champion Hurdle winner in four of the last nine years and impressive Supreme Novices’ Hurdle winner Klassical Dream could be his next star in the division. Still unbeaten for Mullins, he is the ante-post favourite for this season’s Champion Hurdle.

Triumph winner Pentland Hills could also take higher rank in the senior hurdling division.

Paisley Park’s rise from talented handicapper to Stayers’ Hurdle winner was one of the tales of the season and gave trainer Emma Lavelle, jockey Aidan Coleman and owner Andrew Gemmell landmark successes. The Ladbrokes Long Distance Hurdle at Newbury could be his return to action, while Liverpool Hurdle winner If The Cap Fits should also have a say in the division for Paul and Clare Rooney.

Aidan Coleman celebrates aboard Paisley Park after landing the Sun Racing Stayers' HurdleCredit: Michael Steele (Getty Images)

Novice chasers

The novice chase divsion is always intriguing, with Olly Murphy hoping Supreme runner-up Thomas Darby can go one better come the Arkle in March. Felix Desjy, a Grade 1 winner at Aintree and another to push Klassical Dream at one of the big spring festivals, is also set to go over fences for Gordon Elliott.

Elliott’s team of novice chasers is bolstered by fellow Grade 1 winners Battleoverdoyen and Samcro, with the latter looking to bounce back to his brilliant best of two seasons ago, possibly starting at Down Royal.

Superstars schooling: Samcro (left) and Battleoverdoyen (right) pop over a few fences at PunchestownCredit: Patrick McCann

Stayers’ Hurdle runner-up Sam Spinner got off the mark over fences at Wetherby although it didn’t go entirely smoothly, while Reserve Tank, a good winner at Aintree and Punchestown in the spring, was beaten on his chasing debut at Chepstow by Jarveys Plate.

Champ and Minella Indo, two of the leading staying novice hurdlers last season, could progress when sent over fences.

Novice hurdlers

Predicting the novice hurdlers who will rise to the top of this season's crop is nigh on impossible. Whilst last year's Ballymore winner City Island had already had a spin over hurdles (disqualified at Galway) by this point, the winners of the Supreme, Albert Bartlett and Triumph all failed to jump a hurdle in public until at least Boxing Day.

How will Envoi Allen (right) and Blue Sari (left) fare over hurdles?Credit: Mark Cranham

Therefore, with the usual mix of exciting bumper winners, talented point-to-point recruits and Flat performers, it is hard to accurately pinpoint names to keep an eye on.

However, Gordon Elliott certainly seems to have a strong cohort primed and ready to hit the course, with Champion Bumper winner Envoi Allen and wide-margin Punchestown victor Festival D'ex among his crop.

What about the jockeys' championship?

Richard Johnson collected his fourth consecutive jockeys' title in April and again leads the way this season, although Brian Hughes is currently hot on his trail.

Sam Twiston-Davies and Harry Skelton sit in third and fourth place.

Richard Johnson was crowned champion jockey for the fourth consecutive season in AprilCredit: Getty Images

Paul Townend won his second championship in Ireland last season and, similarly to Johnson, sets the standard so far this season ahead of rising star Darragh O'Keeffe, who has stormed ahead in the race for conditional jockeys' championship.

In the battle for the conditional jockeys' title in Britain, Jonjo O'Neill jnr leads the way, with Connor Brace, Charlie Price and Sam Coltherd all in contention.

And the trainers?

Paul Nicholls won his 11th trainers' championship last season and first since the 2015-16 campaign, but it is Dan Skelton leading the way at present, albeit not at the same extraordinary pace he managed last year.

Skelton became the only trainer other than Martin Pipe, who achieved the feat eight times, to train 200 winners in a single jumps season, reaching a total of 205.

Willie Mullins has won the Irish trainers' title in each of the last 12 seasons and sits just behind Gordon Elliott in this season's race, with the pair already some way clear of Henry de Bromhead in third.

Get ahead of the game with Get Your Eye In - exclusive Saturday preview content on racingpost.com and the Racing Post mobile app from 2pm on Friday