There have been several Listed bumpers since the initial update was posted, including the ‘Future Champions’ at Navan, a race which has been won by Death Duty, Samcro, Envoi Allen and Sir Gerhard in recent years. Gordon Elliott has dominated the race during the past decade and once again saddled the winner in mid-December, with Kalypso’chance supplementing his Punchestown success under Patrick Mullins.

Coming from off the pace, the son of Masked Marvel finished strongly and the form of his Punchestown success was given a small boost when the 15-length second ran well in defeat at Leopardstown over Christmas. Despite being described by his trainer as a ‘next-year horse’ after his first success, Elliott suggested that he will be heading for the Grade 2 at Leopardstown in February, a race which was won by Envoi Allen, Facile Vega and A Dream To Share en route to Champion Bumper glory.

He currently vies for favouritism in the ante-post market for the Cheltenham Festival contest, alongside the David Pipe-trained Windbeneathmywings who burst onto the scene with a devastating performance at Ascot the following weekend. Twice a winner (from three starts) for Pat Flynn, the Free Eagle gelding made all under Jack Tudor and readily pulled clear of a whole host of previous winners. His former trainer actually saddled the very first winner of the Champion Bumper, Montelado, whilst the two winners trained by the Pipe family were both winners in Ireland before moving across the Irish Sea to Pond House.

Liberman was successful for Martin Pipe in 2003, whilst Moon Dancer – who like, Windbeneathmywings, was also part-owned by Professor Caroline Tisdall – registered David Pipe’s sole success in the Champion Bumper some 10 years ago. Given that he has already had four runs, he will now have to head straight to Cheltenham and is likely to be the leading British-trained hope for the race.

The Listed race at Cheltenham on New Year’s Day – restricted to four-year-olds – appeared to be quite competitive with 16 going to post and it was won by Henrietta Knight’s Precious Metal who kept on well under Lilly Pinchin and in doing so, reversed earlier form with Marhaba Prince who finished seventh on his first start for Anthony Honeyball, having won on debut for Owen Burrows and subsequently changing hands for £50,000. The front five were all maidens heading into the race so it remains to be seen as to what the form is actually worth and it has to be remembered that four-year-olds tend to struggle in the Champion Bumper – with Cue Card (2010) the only winner for that age group since Dato Star in 1995 – if Precious Metal is indeed sent down that route.

Elsewhere during December, Future Prospect looked aptly-named when winning by 9 lengths at Fairyhouse for Willie and Patrick Mullins. Positively ridden, the Order Of St George mare bounded clear inside the final quarter-mile and I would expect to see her also head to Leopardstown’s Dublin Racing Festival, for the mares’ bumper. It could be that she is kept to her own sex during the spring but I suspect if she wins that Grade 2 contest, she will be seriously considered for the Champion Bumper.

On a collateral line through Carrigmoornaspruce (a winner again at Leopardstown over Christmas) and Galileo Springs, another mare to take seriously come the spring will be Thomas Cooper’s Amen Kate, who was an impressive winner at Limerick in late-September. Having moved well in behind, the daughter of Flemensfirth and Augusta Kate (7^th in the 2016 Champion Bumper) quickened up in sparkling fashion and she could well go head-to-head with Future Prospect at Leopardstown next month.

He Can’t Dance is another who won for Gordon Elliott and Gigginstown, who paid £300,000 for the son of Jukebox Jury on the back of his maiden Point defeat of Meetmebythesea (twice a winner already this season over hurdles for Ben Pauling and JP McManus). He won a soft-ground contest at Navan in early-December, making all and winding things up to score a shade more comfortably than the winning distance might suggest. Stiffer tasks clearly lie ahead, he would certainly appear to need a little more experience ahead of a possible Champion Bumper bid.

On Boxing Day, Dan Skelton’s Dalston Lad maintained his 100% record at Aintree, having won a maiden Point at Dromahane in April before defying greenness when beating a subsequent winner at Ayr on his first start for the Skelton stable. Reduced visibility made it difficult to assess the race but he emerged from the fog in front and appeared to win with something to spare.

He is likely to be stepped up class next time, whilst Fontwell winner Gentleman Toboot recorded an effortless 16-length success, despite reportedly being ‘unruly’ beforehand. David Pipe’s son of Harzand had won an Irish Point and had shaped with considerable promise on his first start in the Brocade Racing silks at Newton Abbot in October and he likely didn’t need to improve on that form to justify short odds in Arundel. The form of his Newton Abbot third had been given a boost when runner-up Supreme Malinas won the Listed Henrietta Knight Mares’ Bumper at Huntingdon in early-December and whilst he might not necessarily be one for the Champion Bumper, the five-year-old would appear to be another bright prospect for the Pipe stable and should be capable of winning under a penalty, before any loftier targets are considered.

And, on New Year’s Eve, Paul Nicholls’ No Drama This End impressed when beating Keops des Bordes at Warwick. Well-positioned in a relatively slowly-run race, the son of Walk In The Park travelled noticeably well throughout and eased to the front off the home bend. Quickening up nicely, the grey – who had won an English Point for Will Biddick – drew clear to score by 3½ lengths in taking fashion. His trainer suggested that he would be handed an entry in the Champion Bumper, whilst the runner-up looks more than capable of winning something similar next time and is another name to note moving forward.

Nicholls actually saddled seven winners in bumpers during November and December (from just 17 runners), with both Sinnatra, a winner at Chepstow in November, and Doctor On Call another couple to have impressed. The former is another Walk In The Park gelding who made all to win well in Monmouthshire, whilst the latter won for Dai Walters at Hereford and like No Drama This End, beat a Dan Skelton-trained favourite (Just Golden) who should be tough to beat next time. The winner moved well under Dylan Johnston and defied greenness to win with more in hand than the official margin might suggest. It will be interesting to see if Nicholls considers a better race for one of these recent winners in the coming weeks, with Windsor staging a valuable bumper on 19^thJanuary and Newbury’s Listed race on Betfair Hurdle day (8^th February) being another possible option.

I’ll be back in mid-February, once that race and the Graded bumpers at the Dublin Racing Festival have taken place. In the meantime, enjoy the sport.

Paul Ferguson.

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