Ginger Joe picks out five notable entries from this week's busy horse racing schedule.
The Notable Entries are back for another week, and I’ve got a really intriguing set of runners to look ahead to.
Before we get stuck into what’s coming up, it’s worth reflecting on what was a fascinating week of racing just gone highlighted by a brilliant win from my own horse-share Wendigo in the Grade 2 John Francome Novices’ Chase, and a scintillating performance from Romeo Coolio in the Royal Drinmore.
Wendigo now heads to Kempton at Christmas for the Kauto Star Novices’ Chase, following the same route as The Jukebox Man, with the hope that the Brown Advisory (currenly 16/1 ante-post) awaits in March if all goes to plan.
Romeo Coolio, meanwhile, has real choices to make. His win over 2m4f has left connections with a genuine Cheltenham dilemma, does he go down the Arkle route, or step up in trip for the Brown Advisory? A healthy problem to have for the KTDA-owned gelding.
Romeo Coolio - 6/1 ante-post for the Arkle
Romeo Coolio - 20/1 ante-post for the Brown Advisory
Looking ahead to this week, the focus turns to the British novice hurdlers, with several smart names returning to the track, before we build towards next weekend’s Tingle Creek meeting at Sandown, where the two-mile chasers take centre stage. It’s shaping up to be a big and exciting week of racing, and I hope you enjoy this week’s article.
TAURUS BAY - Ben Pauling
(4yo g) Poet's Word x Tea Time Tilly
Form: 1-1
Ffos Las, Tuesday 2nd December - Novice Hurdle 2m
Haydock, Wednesday 3rd December - Introductory Hurdle 2m
Ben Pauling looks to have another smart recruit on his hands in the shape of Taurus Bay, who is double-entered for the coming week.
When Ben came on my podcast earlier this season, he named Taurus Bay as one to follow, adding: “Harry only buys good ones.” On the evidence so far, that comment looks spot on. He made a deeply impressive hurdles debut at Stratford, brushing aside Precious Metal by eight lengths in a performance full of authority. Precious Metal is no mug either as a Cheltenham bumper winner in April, but Taurus Bay made him look ordinary, which tells you plenty about the level of ability we could be dealing with.
He is declared for Tuesday, but his Wednesday entry remains, but either way it looks likely we’ll see him somewhere this week.
Hopefully he can back up that debut with another strong performance, because if he does, we may well have a very smart British novice hurdler on our hands.
MYDADDYPADDY - Dan Skelton
(4yo g) Walk In The Park x Debdebdeb
Form: 1-1
Haydock, Wednesday 3rd Dec - Introductory Hurdle 2m (Taurus Bay also entered)
Leicester, Thursday 4th Dec - Novice Hurdle 2m (Harry Lowes also entered)
Mydaddypaddy looks set to make his second hurdles start of the season this week at either Haydock or Leicester.
He was pretty impressive on debut, certainly in comparison to what else we have currently seen in the division. It's hard to weigh up his ability at the minute, but he is clearly above average, and it will be interesting to see how far the Skeltons can go with him. The vibes have been strong with him ever since he joined the yard and won his bumper, and even though it is hard to weigh up his true ability at this point in time.
He does look like a class animal, and hopefully he can keep progressing to the top. One things for sure, he looks plenty quick enough to be a two-miler going forward, and hopefully a Supreme (8/1 ante-post favourite) contender come March.
If you want to read my review of his latest win, check out my earlier article here for a full breakdown.
| 2026 Supreme Novices' Hurdle Winner | Best Odds | Bookmaker |
|---|---|---|
| Mydaddypaddy | 8/1 | Ladbrokes |
| Bambino Fever | 12/1 | bet365 |
| Fou De Toi | 16/1 | William Hill |
| Love Me Tender | 20/1 | Sky Bet |
| Jeroboam Machin | 25/1 | Unibet |
HARRY LOWES - Dan Skelton
(4yo) Walk In The Park x Dazza
Form: 41-1
Leicester, Thursday 4th Dec - Novice Hurdle 2m (Mydaddypaddy also entered)
Market Rasen, Thursday 4th Dec - Novice Hurdle 2m4f
I think Harry Lowes is a proper horse, and he was another really impressive debut winner for the Skeltons at Exeter.
I think at the moment two miles is fine for him, but I could see him being the one that goes out to the middle distances in time, no problem at all.
It's good to see that JP McManus has sent another horse to the Skelton team, and I'd like JP to keep investing, so let's hope that if he does run this week, we get to see another winner. Of course, Mydaddypaddy is also entered here so only one will go, but both are very exciting types.
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Just worth noting that I am still waiting for Willie Mullins to unleash Mighty Park. He was second to Harry Lowes in his Point-to-point, but Harry Lowes who just beat him that day, had the benefit of previous race experience. Derek O'Connor rode the winner, but he told JP that he needed to buy the runner-up, and so he did. Just worth noting with the future in mind.
Harry Lowes, however, is a few steps ahead right now and I for one hope he bolts up here. He could be a proper one, and well worth tuning in for. A potential Turners Novice Hurdle (currently 20/1) horse, but he must get the job done here first.
NO DRAMA THIS END -Paul Nicholls
(5yo g) Walk In The Park x Le Segnora
Form: 1/19-1
Sandown, Friday, 5th December - Betfair Winter Novices' Hurdle (G2) 2m4f
We saw a superb debut from No Drama This End at Cheltenham earlier this month and he immediately looked like a horse with real class going forward.
Last season he finished ninth in the Champion Bumper, and for a long way, he actually ran a fine race. Although he faded late on, he was never going to be fully revved up for a contest like that as Paul Nicholls rarely has his bumper horses wound up for the Festival, preferring to leave improvement for their novice campaigns. That approach already looks to be paying dividends.
He appeared a completely different animal on his reappearance, and the fact he beat Heads Up who finished second in the Champion Bumper, underlines just how much he has progressed this season. He has clearly taken a big step forward physically and mentally. The way he travelled through that race and then found plenty at the end of a stiff 2m5f was especially impressive, particularly at a time when the Nicholls yard wasn’t firing on all cylinders.
He looks every inch a Challow Hurdle type for the season ahead. What makes things even more interesting is that he holds an entry here, despite Nicholls initially suggesting he would go straight to the Challow. That could simply be a change of plan, but it may also hint that he’s thriving at home and they’re keen to strike while he’s in top form.
IL ETAIT TEMPS - Willie Mullins
(7yo g) Jukebox Jury x Une Des Sources
Form: 31/11-1
Sandown, Saturday 30th November - Betfair Tingle Creek (G1) 2m
Il Etait Temps looks set to head to Sandown on Saturday to take on L’eau Du Sud and Jonbon in the Grade 1 Tingle Creek Chase, and he comes into the race as a seriously formidable contender.
He is a horse who has improved steadily with every season and I’d now describe him as one of the very best two, two and a half-mile chasers in training.
While Cheltenham clearly isn’t his favourite track, he rarely puts a foot wrong elsewhere and he famously dismantled Jonbon when the pair met in the Celebration Chase at Sandown last season. That day, he returned from a lengthy layoff and still travelled like the class act in the field. The deeper the race went, the stronger he looked, eventually pulling well clear of Jonbon with a devastating turn of foot. It was the performance of a top-class chaser.
He confirmed that form again on his reappearance this season when hacking up in the Clonmel Oil Chase over 2m5f, underlining not just his ability but also his versatility. He’s a splendid horse who continues to get better with maturity, and on what we’ve seen, he looks the one they all have to beat again this weekend.
There’s been plenty of talk about him as a Champion Chase (currently 7/1) contender, but given his clear dislike for Cheltenham, a tilt at the Ryanair on the New Course may ultimately suit him far better. Either way, this is a top-class animal and he will take an awful lot of stopping on Saturday.
