Lucinda Russell’s William Hill blog: 24/25 Stable Tour

William Hill ambassador Lucinda Russell runs through the main guns and up-and-comers she’s readying for the 2024/25 Jumps season.

Stable Tour: 2024/25 Jumps Season

We’ve had a lovely summer and after having more Flat runners than usual, we’re really excited about getting our jumpers out for the National Hunt season.

Ahoy Senor has obviously been a star for the stable for years now, but I’d say we’re only just getting to really know him now. We’ve definitely learned that he improves for his racing or galloping, so this season we’re going to take a different approach. He’s already had a strong racecourse gallop at Ayr and then he’ll go for the Old Roan, after which the Betfair Chase will be his pre-Cheltenham big target. Last year we went the Ryanair route after Christmas, but this term it’s going to be about having another crack at the Gold Cup, as we think we have him worked out now.

We had big dreams for Apple Away last season, and while she didn’t do terribly, winning twice, she didn’t quite hit the Grade One heights of her novice hurdle campaign. That can happen in your “intermediate” season, and this term we’re going to be aiming her at some nice pots. She’s going to start off at Carlisle and then pre-Christmas we’ve got Newbury’s Coral Gold Cup and Newcastle’s Rehearsal Chase in mind. She’s bouncing at home, so we’re looking forward to getting her out.

Big John Wayne didn’t have a straightforward time of things last year and had to come back from some nasty colic. He’s done well since his operation for that, and he’s back out on Wednesday at Worcester over hurdles, which is a long way to go for us but we’re excited about him. There’s every chance we’ll go over fences with him this season as he’s a big, galloping type – just the sort we love!

A horse who is talented, but given he must go right-handed, might be a little difficult to place, is Corrigeen Rock. He’s been a super horse, and whether he can kick on again this season in quite the same way as last term, I’m not sure. We’re probably going to step up in trip and see if we can get a little improvement. Off his mark, 144, he’s in a slightly tricky position too, but we’ll see how he gets on and go from starting off in November time.

El Elefante did really well for the stable last season and we’re excited to send her novice chasing, kicking off on Wednesday at Worcester. Her form over hurdles is really good, and we may go back over those obstacles, but we’re going to try fences and hopefully they’re up her street.

I might have called Myretown a “baby Ahoy Senor” last season and I still think of him a little like that! Right-handed tracks might be more up his street, but we’re going to start him off at Uttoxeter on Friday. I’m interested to see how he runs on his seasonal bow, but I have high hopes for him and he’s one to look forward to.

Primoz is definitely one of our more exciting horses for this season. He was a work in progress last term as a novice hurdler but his schooling has been electric over fences, and heads to Wetherby on Wednesday. He has been like lightning over his obstacles so far in schooling, so we’re obviously really looking forward to getting him out and about the season ahead.

A slightly darker horse to watch from our yard would be Rocheval. He’s a lovely youngster who’s going to head to Cheltenham for the four-year-old hurdle in a couple of weeks’ time. We’ll probably learn a little bit more about him on that day but I’m hoping he’ll have a big season in novice races.

HORSE TO FOLLOW: Primoz

DARK HORSE: Linalene is a youngster who seems to go very well at the moment and seems to be the most forward of our young ones at this stage. There’s definitely an engine in there, so keep an eye out for him