2025/26 National Hunt Season Preview: Five Novice Chasers to Follow

A new national hunt season dawns, bringing that familiar October buzz. The road to Cheltenham begins at Chepstow’s Jump Season Opener, offering early clues to form and future stars. Before long, the big guns will line up for the Betfair Chase, Ladbrokes Trophy, Paddy Power Chase, and the King George VI all leading towards the great spring targets the Cheltenham Gold Cup and the Grand National.

But it’s the new generation that excites most. The Arkle Trial, Drinmore, Kauto Star Novices’ Chase plus many more will unveil future champions.

Five novice chasers to follow for the 2025/26 National Hunt season

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Regent’s Stroll

(6yo by Walk In The Park – Pretty Puttens)

Owner: Sir Alex Ferguson
Trainer: Paul Nicholls
Career Form: 1-1-14212
Rating: 143

Last spring, everything clicked for this horse. A hood and better ground at Aintree brought a big step forward, going down just half a length to Honesty Policy in the Grade 1 Mersey Novices’ Hurdle, proof of real class. Regent’s Stroll has always looked a chaser in the making, strong, plenty of scope, and built for staying trips. Expect a quiet start in a novice chase somewhere like Exeter before tackling top company in the spring.

Verdict: Classy, progressive type ready to shine over fences. Likely to start around 2½m before moving up to 3m.

Derryhassen Paddy

(6yo Arctic Cosmos – Kerrie Girl (Golan)

Owners: Morrison-Bell & Russell
Trainers: Lucinda Russell & Michael Scudamore
Career Form: 11-113
Rating: 143

Lightly raced, Derryhassen Paddy has made every start count. A Tattersalls Farm point winner in 2023 for Ian Donoghue, he joined Russell’s yard and made an immediate impact, winning well in an Ayr bumper before two smart hurdle victories. Upped to three miles, he showed grit to beat the Listed mare Honky Tonk Highway by a nose at Windsor. At Cheltenham, he ran a bold race from the front in the Albert Bartlett, finishing a game third behind Jasmin De Vaux, an effort that underlined his stamina and chasing potential.

Verdict: Strong stayer bound for fences and the 3m route. Potentially Brown Advisory material come spring.

Bill Joyce

(6yo Mahler – Bettys Delight (Flemensfirth)

Owner: Dan Walker
Trainers: Jonjo & A.J. O’Neill
Career Form: 1–110–1133F0
Rating: 136

Jonjo and A.J. O’Neill excel with strong, staying novices, and Bill Joyce fits the mould perfectly. By Mahler out of a Flemensfirth mare, he’s built for fences and staying trips. Bought for a big fee after winning his point-to-point, he quickly justified the price with bumper wins at Warwick and Exeter. He made a seamless switch to hurdles, scoring impressively at Carlisle before dominating the Grade 2 Winter Novices’ Hurdle at Sandown on heavy ground. A close third in the Grade 1 Challow confirmed his class, and he was unlucky to fall when travelling well on his handicap debut at Aintree.

Verdict: Full of scope, a relentless galloper with top-class chasing potential. Staying trips and soft ground will be perfect for him.

Gamesters Guy

(6yo Black Sam Bellamy – Almushtarak)

Owner: Gamesters Partnership
Trainer: Greenall & Guerriero
Career Form: 131-2152
Rating: 135

Few horses offer more promise than Gamesters Guy, a striking six-year-old poised to shine in novice chases. Last season was all about education, but his Carlisle hurdle win on testing ground marked him as a stayer of real potential.
He handled the step up to Grade 2 company at Cheltenham well and ended the season with a tough, honest effort under top weight at Newbury, proof of his stamina and attitude.

Verdict: Progressive, powerful stayer built for fences and soft ground. Expect him to thrive over 3m+ and feature in major graded races by spring, he wants a proper stamina test.

Jimmy Du Seuil

(6yo Galiway – Tulipe Du Seuil (Equerry)

Owner: Edward Ware
Trainer: Willie Mullins
Career Form: 21-125-41
Rating: 155

Jimmy Du Seuil is a towering six-year-old who looks tailor-made for fences. Lightly raced but oozing class, the Galiway gelding signed off last season with a brilliant Coral Cup win at Cheltenham, an astonishing effort after 313 days off that underlined his stamina and quality. A Clonmel maiden winner before chasing home Ballyburn in the then Gallagher Novice Hurdle, he proved himself top-class material long before that Festival success. Strong and built for staying trips, he’s exactly the type Mullins excels with when switching to fences. Everything about him screams chaser. Expect him to start around the intermediate trip up to 3m, with the Brown Advisory already pencilled in as the long-term aim.

Verdict: Serious prospect. Proven Festival form, loads of scope, and all the signs of another top staying chaser off the Mullins conveyor belt.

2025/26 National Hunt Season Outlook

I fully expect all five of these to win races this season. We’ll see where they stand by the time the spring festivals come around and hopefully, they’ll be there to take their chances. We'll be providing you with horse racing betting tips throughout the season.

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