The jumps season is in full swing and there is plenty of National Hunt action on both sides of the Irish Sea this weekend, with focus on Exeter, Wincanton, Aintree in Britain and Gowran Park and Naas in Ireland.

Here, I look at five declared runners who can go on to achieve bigger and better things as the season goes on. That’s not to say that these horses shouldn’t be backed this weekend but connections may already have one eye on the spring…

QUEBECOIS – Friday, 1.50pm - Exeter

Paul Nicholls has won five of the last seven renewals of this race and Quebecois is a warm order to give the Ditcheat handler another moment to savour. He looks a proper staying chaser in the making but may fall just short of Graded standard as the season goes on.

He relished the step up to three miles in a lucrative handicap hurdle at Ayr on Scottish Grand National day and his future most certainly lies in the staying chase division. He is owned by Max McNeill, founder of Ultima Business Solutions, and I wonder if he could end up running in their race at the Cheltenham Festival.

McNeill has mentioned in the past that he would love to win the Ultima and Quebecois ticks plenty of boxes. He currently has a BHA rating of 140 but would need at least four chase starts to qualify for the Festival handicap. He should be able to win this weekend without being hit too hard by the handicapper in my opinion…

Antepost suggestion: Back Quebecois for the Ultima Handicap Chase (N/A).

KALIF DU BERLAIS – Friday, 2.25pm - Exeter

Paul Nicholls holds Kalif Du Berlais in high regard and I’m expecting him to put in a big performance in the Haldon Gold Cup on Friday afternoon. He won’t be fully wound up for the race given connections have bigger targets ahead but class should come to the fore, especially if he’s to compete at Grade 1 level in open company.

While there is always a slight doubt over Nicholls horses and backing ante-post for the Cheltenham Festival, I’m expecting Kalif Du Berlais – already a Grade 1 winner over fences – to be campaigned with the Queen Mother Champion Chase in mind and that will be his spring target if he’s good enough.

The two mile division looks open enough, with doubts over Sir Gino and Majborough blotting his copybook in last season’s Arkle Novices Chase. Could Kalif Du Berlais be a springer in the market? If he wins on Friday and then follows up in next month’s Tingle Creek, he won’t be anywhere near a 14/1 shot that’s for sure.

Antepost suggestion: Back Kalif Du Berlais for the Champion Chase (14/1)

MOSSY FEN COOLIO – Saturday, 12.20pm - Aintree

I know a few of the point-to-point experts were taken by Mossy Fen Coolio’s victory at Tallow in February and he starts off in the same race won by stablemate Mister Meggit 12 months ago. He mightn’t be much of a price on Saturday but he is a horse that is well worth keeping onside as the season goes on.

I’m delighted to see connections go straight over hurdles with him and this Kayf Tara gelding will be seen to best effect when he goes over a fence. Having said that, I can see him being well above average over hurdles and the Grade 1 Sefton Novices Hurdle at Aintree’s Grand National meeting looks the obvious spring target.

Mister Meggit also ran in that race last season and it’s interesting that Mossy Fen Coolio starts off at the Merseyside track. He’s bred to be a staying chaser so the step up in trip as the season goes on would make sense and he’s well worth sticking in the tracker ahead of Saturday’s race – fingers crossed he goes well, he has a bright future ahead.

Antepost suggestion: Mark Mossy Fen Coolio for the Sefton Novices Hurdle.

JOHNNYWHO – Saturday, 2.40pm 

Johnnywho didn’t seem to stay the 3m5f trip in the Irish Grand National at Fairyhouse last season but I’m not entirely convinced that he wants to drop all the way back to the 2m5f trip that he will race over this weekend. Having said that, he had the speed to win a bumper over 2 miles.

Currently rated 146 over fences, you’d have to wonder if the main aim this year will be to give Derek O’Connor a chance to redeem himself and go one better in the Kim Muir. He looked the winner all over but you could argue that the jockey was overconfident and a poor jump at the final fence cost him dearly in the end.

If he goes and wins the Grand Sefton, then my theory goes out of the window. However, my thinking is very much along the lines of a spring target for this horse and I’d be very interested in backing him for the Kim Muir if he turns up off a mark of 145 – he fell short off a mark of 140 but I’d say that was more the ride than anything else.

Antepost suggestion: Mark Johnnywho for the Kim Muir Handicap Chase (N/A).

TIM TOE – Saturday, 2.13pm - Gowran Park

I’ve been banging the drum for Tim Toe since his bumper success at Thurles in March and he can lay down an early marker in the Supreme Novices Hurdle betting at Gowran Park this weekend. I’ll be keeping a very close eye on first show for that maiden hurdle on Friday afternoon, particularly with Henry de Bromhead’s yard in fine form.

However, connections should be aiming big with him and I’d be shocked if he failed to make into a Graded novice hurdler this term. De Bromhead and Robcour teamed up to land the Supreme with Slade Steel just two years ago and Tim Toe could be another to head to that race – though there is plenty of water to go under the bridge.

I’d imagine he will win his maiden hurdle on Saturday and he may then go straight to the Grade 1 2m novice hurdle at Leopardstown over Christmas. I’m expecting to see a big performance from Tim Toe this weekend and he is well worth keeping an eye on – he’s blessed with plenty of pace and he’ll be a huge danger if he goes on winter ground.

Antepost suggestion: Back Tim Toe for the Supreme Novices Hurdle (66/1).