Paul Nicholls 2026/27 National Hunt Season Preview: Six hurdlers to follow

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When you have such a big stable of horses that we have at Ditcheat, it's almost impossible to pick out the best of the best, they're all here because they all have ability, and we'd like to think that they can all win races.

But I've been asked to name a handful of hurdlers and chasers that are worth following this season, and these ones would be the pick of my hurdlers at this stage.

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Minella Yoga

4yo bay gelding

NH Form: 11315-

• Sire: Study Of Man (IRE)
• Dam: Yoga (IRE)
• Dam's Sire: Monsun (GER)

He's on pretty much the same mark as Tutti Quanti was last year and I'd like to go down the same sort of route by entering Minella Yoga in the Gerry Feilden Hurdle at Newbury, possibly after a run at Ascot if it rains at the end of this month.

If the Gerry Feilden goes well for him then we could enter him in the old Betfair Handicap Hurdle in February. If he ran in the Gerry Feilden and didn't look like he was well handicapped, he could always switch to chasing. But I've got in my mind that he will progress this season and go chasing next year.

In terms of where the ceiling lies for Minella Yoga, look at Tutti Quanti last year. He started off the same mark and ended up in the 150s, so who knows what will happen with Minella Yoga. He is only a young horse and is entitled to improve.

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Stick To The Board

5yo bay gelding

NH Form:  F1-

• Sire: Crystal Ocean (GB)
• Dam: Belle Of The Moor (IRE)
• Dam's Sire: King's Theatre (IRE)

He won his only bumper at Chepstow, and we thought he would win that day. He runs in the Maiden Hurdle on Saturday at Chepstow which is the same meeting in which Bravemansgame made his debut over hurdles and went on to win the Grade 1 Challow Novices' Hurdle that same season.

Who knows how good Stick To The Board might be? We like him and hopefully he'll win us plenty of novice hurdles. I've worked out that he wants two-and-a-half miles. He's a galloper.

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Now read Paul's verdict on his seven chasers to follow this season

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River Kwai

5yo bay gelding

NH Form:  1-

• Sire: No Risk At All (FR)
• Dam: Princesse Kap (FR)
• Dam's Sire: Kapgarde (FR)

He's a big baby and has taken plenty of time to mature and was a bit green when he ran, but he has definitely improved a lot for being older and stronger. He jumps very nicely. He still needs more practice to get that where we want it.

He won't run until November, but he is an exciting horse.  What did he beat and where will he end up? Who knows but we like him. He'd get two-and-a-half without a shadow of a doubt. He's not slow though.

It is difficult at this stage to know where horses will end up. There are four or five that could be my Challow Hurdle horse this year but, until they run, we don't know.

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Order On Time

5yo bay gelding

NH Form:  21-

• Sire: Order Of St George (IRE)
• Dam: Lettre De Cachet (GB)
• Dam's Sire: Authorized (IRE)

He was second in his only point to point to a good horse named Tendoo. He won nicely at Chepstow in April when we thought he would win. He's got a bit more speed than some of the others and could perhaps start off over two miles. Again, after he has run, he will tell us what he wants but he is another exciting type for us.

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Sappingirl

5yo bay gelding

NH Form:  26-

• Sire: Blue Bresil (FR)
• Dam: Blath Beag (GB)
• Dam's Sire: Shirocco (GER)

I like him. He's yet to win but Bravemansgame never won in any of his bumpers then improved for a summer and I think this horse has improved too. He's one I've always liked and physically I think you will see improvement when he jumps over hurdles.

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New Rules

5yo bay gelding

NH Form: 1-

• Sire: Walk In The Park (IRE)
• Dam: Ricchezza (GB)
• Dam's Sire: Westerner (GB)

New Rules is a Walk In The Park. He won his only point to point last year but again, you never know what he beat, but he was impressive and we liked what we saw in the spring.

The ground was always too fast to run him in a bumper, and he is not a bumper horse. A two-and-a-half maiden hurdle somewhere in mid-November, on soft ground, would be ideal and then we will make a plan for the future.

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