Dark Horses

All In You performed with credit when fourth in the Mallard at Doncaster’s St Leger Festival, but will be of much more interest to me when heading back over hurdles this autumn. The six-year-old won very nicely at Sandown in January, but struggled afterwards when upped in grade on very deep ground (albeit he was hampered at Ayr). I was surprised to see that the accessor has dropped him to 127, and I think he could make waves off that mark. Avoiding the really deep winter ground looks a wise move, and given the way in which he stayed on stoutly at Ascot and Sandown last year suggests 2m4f over hurdles should easily be on the radar.

Last season all ended rather prematurely when Carlenrig (who was weak in the market) hit the deck in the Grade 2 River Don Novices' Hurdle in January, but had looked like a horse going places after his gritty win at Cheltenham in December 2025. Given the manner of his emphatic Point-to-Point win, he will be just the type who should raise his game to new levels over larger obstacles. His Official Rating over hurdles of 132 probably underestimates his raw ability, and so it would be far from a surprise if he were to improve well beyond that when switching to fences, and could easily be a very well handicapped sort in novice and open handicap chases for a team going from strength to strength.

Conman John suffered a setback half-way through last season, bringing things to an end prematurely, but is due back in November as he embarks on a novice chase campaign. He put in a nice performance to win on the Old Course at Cheltenham in October, and then was far from disgraced when third under a penalty on the New Course in the Albert Bartlett Trial on his next start. Given the history of this yard and staying chasers, it isn't hard to envisage him excelling in this sphere, and was an empathic win on his final start in a Point-To-Point. It's a long way off, but he looks the ideal candidate to snuggle into the Ultima at the Cheltenham Festival in March, as it is a race the yard has a love affair with.

I will be looking forward to seeing Dig Deep over fences this season, and I wouldn't be surprised to see this individual take his form to new levels over larger obstacles. He hit the crossbar over hurdles on more than one occasion last season, but managed to get off the mark at Uttoxeter in May, where he stayed on strongly in soft ground over 2m4f. Cut in the ground is important to him, and everything about him screams staying chases to me. I think he could really hit top gear when stretching out to 3m, where he can prove much better than a mark of 121.

The form of Fresh Perspective tailed off last season, but he is set to go novice chasing, and has a terrific record when fresh - so first time out looks like the time to catch him. He hacked up on his debut in a bumper two seasons ago, and then won with plenty of authority at Fontwell on his hurdling debut 12 months ago. Things didn't quite pan out in the spring when he struggled with wind issues when upped in class, but he will be a fascinating sort when fresh and over fences at around the 2m4f trip or even beyond. He is a strong looking individual who looks like a relentless galloper, who looks best suited to left-handed tracks. Whenever he has gone the other way around, he has been disappointing.

I am convinced there is a big pot to be won with Kdeux Saint Fray, who somehow only managed to win once in seven attempts over fences last season and should have more to offer this campaign. I think 3m, left-handed and a bit of cut in the ground will bring out the best in him; he started to look more and more outpaced over the intermediate trip. He tackled 3m twice and ran well when third in a hot race at Kempton Park where he didn't look in love with a tight, right-handed track, and by the time he got Ayr in heavy ground at the end of the season, it was a case of one race too many. He has good form at Cheltenham, and I could see a 3m handicap chase there being perfect for him.

Kripticjim showed some good form over hurdles last season, winning a Grade 2 at Cheltenham and Trials Day, and then was far from disgraced in Grade 1 company afterwards. The old cliche probably rings true for him, as whatever he achieved over hurdles was a bonus. I was on Sky Sports Racing stood right next to the horse after he won at Newbury last December - and he looked all 'arms and legs'; I think he will really fill out, and the combination of time and fences can bring out the best in him, which is no surprise given the Tizzards' runners usually improve for the switch to chasing.

A dour-stayer, Laurens Bay missed his intended target in the National Hunt Chase at the Cheltenham Festival with an infection in his off-hind but is back in full-training and with a clean bill of health. Off 135, I wouldn't be surprised if he had a lot more to offer in all those long-distance handicap chases. He is still largely unexposed, so he has the potential to prove a well-handicapped sort in my view, where his third-placed finish at Windsor behind Salver and Doyen Quest when last seen, reads well.

Qualifies for this column by virtue he is 12-1 to win the King George VI Chase at Kempton Park on Boxing Day, and given that connections have already mentioned that race as a potential target, he seems a massive price for the Christmas feature at the Sunbury-on-Thames track. The majority of those quoted at a shorter price than him won't run in the race, and I think 3m on a flat track would be an ideal scenario for him. He was unbeaten in four starts over fences last season, prior to being Pulled Up in the Brown Advisory Novices’ Chase at the Cheltenham Festival in which he never really looked happy, but to his credit was just warming to the task when he made a mess of the fourth-last and that was that. I'd rather concentrate on his previous collateral form, in which defeats of Kargese, Gold Dancer and Koktail Divin couldn't have worked out much better. He should make his seasonal reappearance at Down Royal at the end of October, and with a nice performance there, that can set him up for bigger prizes.

Tally Ho Back had looked limited heading into the Champion Bumper at the Cheltenham Festival, but he far from disgraced himself when beaten six lengths by The Mourne Rambler. He met traffic when trying to come from off the pace, but stayed on strongly up the hill, and this imposing sort with a big stride will be one to keep in your ATR Tracker with hurdles, and trips of 2m4f+ in mind.

Taurus Bay was only '50/50' to make the Cheltenham Festival according to Ben Pauling but did make the gig and ran totally flat. In hindsight, connections have mentioned that giving it a swerve might have been a better alternative as he was still quite raw and babyish. However, I was quite taken by his early season form where he looked a strong traveller and a slick jumper. He should be a lovely novice chaser, and I just wonder if they might have had his trip wrong - he shows plenty of boot, and I think this strong traveller would be happier back at 2m. He is one I will be keeping a close eye on and I wouldn't be shocked if he made up into an Arkle contender for which he is 66-1 at present.

He didn't quite get the run of the race at Cheltenham and looked outpaced in a tactical affair in Grade 1 company at Punchestown, but given the stamina in his pedigree I think he can kick on over hurdles this term once tackling staying-trips. From a visual perspective, this big, raw unit looks as though he will be a lovely chaser in time but for the next six months or so can be a force in novice hurdles whenever a test of stamina is served up.