The new horse racing jump season is officially underway, marking a fresh start for trainers up and down the country who will compete for millions of pounds in prize money.
One of those trainers is Berkshire-based trainer Jamie Snowden, who, with 10 Cheltenham winners (including two at the historic Cheltenham Festival) and over 400 in total since he took over the yard at Folly House in 2011, will have plenty of hopefuls for the 2024/2025 season.
The first discussed with Snowden was Colonel Harry, after success last season, will be looking for more victories: “He had a very good season in his novice chase campaign, winning the Grade Two at Wetherby.
“I think we’ll start him off in the Old Roan Chase at Aintree, and then hopefully go for what is now the Coral Gold Cup, previously the Hennessey.”
Ga Law is a horse that’s already been in action, placing second at 8/1 in Chepstow, and Snowden is eyeing him up to return to a race he was victorious in last season, saying: “Hopefully he will go back to the Paddy Power.”
Eight-year-old Git Maker is another of Snowden’s stars, and on him, Snowden stated: “He had a great year last year, came second in the Kim Muir Challenge Cup and third in the Scottish Grand National.
“He’s going to start out over hurdles, have a prep run and then come to Chepstow for the Welsh National.”
Hardy Du Sueil is a horse that prefers the soft ground, with Snowden noting: “We’ve just been treating him for ulcers and we treated a kissing spine as well, so he could be well handicapped.”
Idy Wood won a Novices’ Handicap Chase at Kempton this weekend, and this seems to be the plan going forward: “He is going to go Cheltenham novice chasing,” Snowden said.
Regarding Passing Well, Snowden commented: “He’s a horse that I like a lot, I think there’s more to come from him over fences and he should be well handicapped, he’s better than his handicap mark for sure.”
Reach For The Moon was in the winner’s circle earlier this month at Fontwell, and the first meeting at Prestbury Park is the aim: “He’s won two novice hurdles now, I would’ve thought he might go to Cheltenham at the end of this month.”
Super Survivor didn’t have the success that was hoped for at the Welsh National last year, and on this, the trainer said: “He got bottomed out in the Welsh National last year and we struggled to get him back.”
In terms of this season, he went on to say: “He’s going to come back a bit later on and start out over hurdles.”
You Wear It Well is one of Snowden’s two festival winners, coming out on top in the 2023 Mares Novice Hurdle at 16/1. This year, Snowden said: “She’s going to go novice chasing this year, starting off at Bangor in the middle of November.”
👏 Classy performance from You Wear It Well
— Racing TV (@RacingTV) March 16, 2023
G2 honours for @jamiesnowden & Gavin Sheehan who team up to land the Jack De Bromhead Mares' Novices' Hurdle #CheltenhamFestival pic.twitter.com/JA6fmQQnYo
The final horse discussed was Up For Parol, and Snowden stated: “He ran well at Chepstow at the back end of last season over three miles, which was the first time up in trip, and he might be one for the Challenger Series Final at Haydock in spring.”