'One Of The Most Exciting Talents Around' - Five Progressive Horses To Follow This Jumps Season With the National Hunt season now quickly moving through the gears, fans of the jumps are taking position in their favourite chair for the winter delights in store, as races such as the John Durkan Memorial Chase, the Morgiana Hurdle and the Hatton's Grace Hurdle loom on the horizon. With jumps fever setting in, we have picked out five progressive horses worth sticking in the tracker for the season ahead. Final Demand (Willie Mullins) It would be quite easy to pick out five from the Willie Mullins camp alone but, for the purposes of variation, one from Closutton will suffice and Final Demand fits the bill as a headline act. The Walk In The Park gelding sparkled for owners Bryan Drew & Caroline Tisdall last season, winning three of his four starts, with his only setback coming in the Turners Novices' Hurdle at the Cheltenham Festival when third behind an outstanding prospect in The New Lion. He signed off with a demolition job at Punchestown in the Grade 1 Champion Novice Hurdle over an extended two-and-a-half-miles and, on that evidence, he's one of the most exciting talents around for the season to come as he prepares to go novice chasing in the coming months. Taponthego (Hendy De Bromhead) Henry De Bromhead could have a promising novice over fences on his hands in the shape of Taponthego. The Champs Elysees gelding won just once over hurdles last season, but he kept some good company in defeat, including when finishing fourth as Wodhooh won the Martin Pipe for Gordon Elliott at Cheltenham in March. He was top of the market for his chasing bow at Gowran Park (2m4f, yielding) in October and had no issues justifying favouritism under Darragh O'Keeffe after a solid round of jumping. He looks to have plenty more in the locker and could take high rank amongst the Irish novice over fences. Only By Night (Gavin Cromwell) Last season was one to remember for Gavin Cromwell, the crowning moment being the Cheltenham Gold Cup success for Inothewayurthinkin in March. A couple of days earlier his mare Only By Night came within a half-length of landing a 25/1 surprise in the Arkle when Jango Baie got by her in the final strides. That was her first defeat at the fourth attempt over fences and she again ran well at Punchestown in the Grade 1 Barberstown Castle Novice Chase, where Majborough avenged his Arkle third, but the mare was 'best of the rest'. She is now rated 148 over fences and Cromwell has indicated the Mares' Chase at Cheltenham will be the long-range target. If she avoids the boys between now and then, she can add further successes amongst her own sex. The Yellow Clay (Gordon Elliott) The Yellow Clay was amongst the most consistent of last season's novice hurdlers, winning four times from November through early January, culminating in the Lawlor's of Naas for his Grade 1 triumph. He split The New Lion and Final Demand at Cheltenham in March and was perhaps paying a price for a busy season when he took a fall at Punchestown in May. Gordon Elliott has confirmed he will stay over hurdles this season and there could be more to come from him moving into open company. Switch From Diesel (Ross O'Sullivan) Switch From Diesel was that rarest of conveyances last season, spending a second campaign in bumper company, but she rewarded trainer Ross O'Sullivan with some stellar efforts, winning at Naas and Fairyhouse (Listed) either side of finishing second to the Bambino Fever at the Dublin Racing Festival and Punchestown in top-quality events. The Yeats mare returned recently with a 1m4f success on the Flat at the Curragh in a maiden on the level and should be one to follow when her attention is turned to jumping.
