Ginger Joe provides his first Notable Entry List - a weekly roundup highlighting standout horses to watch, from exciting newcomers and returning stars to those with smart pedigrees or eye-catching form lines.
Racing fans! The jumps season is now in full swing, and we’ve just enjoyed a fantastic Chepstow Festival to kick things off.
A new addition to my column this season is the Notable Entry List, where I highlight any entries of particular interest for the week ahead.
So, what makes an entry “notable”? It could be anything from a horse with a smart pedigree, a well-related newcomer, a Graded performer returning to action, a horse that has won for my column previously or simply anything of significant interest that’s worth keeping an eye on.
By following the Notable Entry List, you can gain a better understanding of the key runners each week, whether it’s a horse with potential, one that might be affected by certain conditions, or even a horse that gets withdrawn for strategic reasons.
The goal is simple: to help you spot noteworthy horses and improve your long-term punting by keeping you informed about the entries that matter most. This list is your guide to the runners to watch in the weeks ahead.
GAMEBALL - Henry De Bromhead
(5yo) Yeats x By The Hour (Flemensfirth)
Form: 1
Next Race: Punchestown, Wednesday 15th October - Maiden Hurdle 2m+
One of my Irish horses to follow has an entry on Wednesday at Punchestown in the name of Gameball.
For those who’ve been keeping up with my content, you’ll know I’m a big fan of this fella and he featured prominently on my Irish Horses to Follow list. If you haven’t read that yet, it’s worth taking a look and he’s a horse with plenty of potential.
He’s recently been purchased by Basil Holian out of the Slattery yard, so this will be his first run for Henry. On that note, it’s always worth paying attention to anything coming out of Andrew Slattery’s hands in bumpers or hurdles as he’s been producing some really smart types, and it’s no surprise to see another one graduate to a top yard.
Gameball was impressive when winning smoothly at Ballinrobe, having been well-backed from 13/2 into 13/8 before justifying the support in style.
That kind of market move speaks volumes, and he looks a strong, fluent mover with all the attributes to develop into a smart hurdler. A very interesting runner if he takes well to obstacles.
VITORIO PIEL - Emmet Mullins
(5 yo) Spanish Moon x Blue Arrow (Blue Bresil)
Form: 1-
Next Race: Punchestown, Wednesday 15th October - Maiden Hurdle 2m+
Vitorio Piel is another seriously interesting contender in the same race, and both he and Gameball have been declared to run.
Vitorio Piel won the Punchestown bumper back in May with real authority, and the manner of that victory was very encouraging.
He’s bred to be smart on paper, and the way he travelled just cruising through the race before quickening stylishly off the home bend, marked him out as a horse with serious potential.
One detail worth noting, he’s currently 14/1 for the Cheltenham bumper, yet 50/1 for the Supreme, and this declaration confirms that hurdling is now the plan. So if you believe he’s capable of reaching the top level, that 50/1 could start to look very tempting.
He clearly has class, has now joined new ownership, and should be capable of making an impact here. This looks a red-hot maiden hurdle between the two horses mentioned, and we could be in for a cracker. With the future in mind, both are definitely worth keeping a close eye on.
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WILSTAR - Olly Murphy
(5 yo) Doctor Dino x Star Face
Form: 31-
Next race: Ffos Las, Thursday 16th October - Maiden Hurdle 2m+
Wilstar, a half-brother to both Jonbon and Douvan, holds a hurdles entry at Ffos Las on Thursday. It looks a strong race at the entry stage, but that’s a positive as it should give us a genuine sense of his true ability and help us figure out when to back him, and when to leave him alone going forward. Ideally, I’d love to see him get off the mark first time out and build from there.
The way Wilstar travelled through his bumper at Perth, coming from the rear and picking them off one by one, suggested to me that he might appreciate stepping up in trip in time.
That said, Olly Murphy has trained speedy types like Thomas Darby and Itchy Feet, who both placed in the Supreme Novices’ Hurdle, so it’ll be fascinating to hear his take on this lad after his hurdles debut.
My initial impression is that he may improve over further, but he clearly has pace too so perhaps it’s best to reserve final judgment until after Thursday’s run.
Either way, being a half-brother to Jonbon and Douvan makes him an intriguing prospect in his own right and I cannot wait to see him on hurdles debut.
CALDWELL POTTER - Paul Nicholls
(7 yo) Martaline x Matnie
Form: 13211-
Next Race: Newton Abbot, Saturday 18th October - Intermediate Chase 2m4f+ (No odds yet)
Cheltenham and Aintree winner Caldwell Potter has his first entry of the season on Saturday at Newton Abbot. He won the Turners Handicap Chase at Cheltenham before going on to take a Grade 1 at Aintree, and there’s no denying he is an extremely talented horse.
He will receive significant attention from Paul Nicholls this season after losing so many big owners, and he will no doubt aim to develop him into a top-class staying chaser.
I won’t go into too much detail right now as I don’t fully expect him to run this weekend, but if he does, he is obviously very interesting. Paul Nicholls has taken plenty of criticism over the past few seasons, but he remains a major player in
the trainers’ championship and don’t forget, this is a trainer who has won everything there is to win. Blueking D’Oroux is also entered in the same race, though I imagine only one of them will actually run.
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BURDETT ROAD - James Owen
(5 yo) Muhaarar x Diamond Bangle (Galileo)
Form: /1322-
Next Race: Kempton, Sunday 19th October - CopyBet Hurdle 2m (no odds yet)
It looks like Burdett Road could take his chance this weekend in the 2-mile hurdle at Kempton. I was initially sceptical about him as horses by Muhaarar generally struggle to jump, but credit to Burdett Road, he really improved his jumping last season.
The ride Harry Cobden gave him in the Greatwood was, for me, the ride of the season, and it seemed to spark more consistent jumping for the rest of the campaign.
He’s only a 5-year-old, but he already feels like he’s been around forever. I wouldn’t be surprised if he progressed further this season and he is an interesting runner to follow.
He’d need to improve to win a Grade 1, but he isn’t far off, and being just 5, there’s plenty of potential yet.
He’s a fast horse who has learnt to become a slick hurdler, and I’m a huge fan of his trainer James Owen, who continues to produce Graded horses, smart juveniles, and even rejuvenates handicappers. Definitely one to keep onside.
