Who are the Jump Horses to Follow In 2019-20?
The start of the new NFL season is approaching but for horse enthusiasts it is all about jumps season. Punters are already searching for the best picks for the coming campaign. However, we have done all the hard work for you so you can just sit back and enjoy the best seven months of horse racing action.
Darasso
This 6-year-old burst onto the scene on New Year’s Eve at Punchestown for trainer Joseph O’Brien. John P McManus brought Darasso shortly before the meeting on the 31st December, where it came in second place to Bachasson. It followed this up with a disappointing effort at Gowran Park where he finished nine and a quarter length behind Presenting Percy.
However, Darasso’s form at the end of the season will surely have whet the appetite for punters as he won on both his final starts. In February he outlasted Forge Meadow to win at Gowran Park, before winning by two and a quarter length at Navan over Cadmium. Grade Ones will likely be the route that O’Brien takes with this six-year-old next season, and punters should certainly keep an eye on this horse.
Envoi Allen Gordon Elliott trained Envoi Allen could turn out to be the breakthrough star of the entire season. The five-year-old is unbeaten over his five starts and after testing the waters at Cheltenham last season, he would be set for a monumental charge at glory in the coming season. Envoi Allen began the 2018-19 season with successive wins at Fairyhouse and Navan; where he won by a total of eight and three-quarter lengths. This was followed up by another commanding victory at Leopardstown before ending the season with success at the Cheltenham Festival. Envoi Allen beat Blue Sari by three-quarters of a length in the Weatherby’s Champion Bumper. This Grade One success was the first of this horse’s career, but you would be unwise to suggest that it won’t add to it in the coming season.
Espoir D’Allen
Gavin Cromwell’s trained five-year-old is another that had a strong showing at Cheltenham to end her season. It was one of the performances of the entire week as Espoir D’Allen beat the heavily backed Melon by 15 lengths to win the Unibet Champion Hurdle at a considerable price of 16/1.
For the punters that had been watching this horse earlier in the season; it wouldn’t have come as much of a shock. It was victorious at Naas in November, before beating Stormy Ireland at Limerick in December.
The final warm-up for this horse came at Naas again, where the JP McManus owned horse beat Wicklow Brave to win the Limestone Lad Hurdle. Espoir D’Allen could be a massive player in the 2019-20 season after surpassing all expectations. The most likely route is a return to the Champion Hurdle at the Cheltenham Festival, and you wouldn’t back against him.
Paisley Park
There wasn’t a dry eye in the house when Paisley Park raced how to win the Stayers Hurdle on that magical hour of racing on the Thursday at the Cheltenham Festival. But, the seven-year-old will have a chance in the 2019-20 season to further its legacy even more.
It was relentless last season as it won on all five starts; including victories at Aintree, Ascot and twice at Cheltenham. The Emma Lavelle trained horse beat West Approach on two occasions by a combined total of 14 lengths, before the crowning moment at the festival by beating Sam Spinner by two and three-quarter lengths.
This horse could be set to dominate for years to come, and betting experts would be wise to follow the journey.
