This year’s National Hunt campaign looks like being one to savour with the novice chase arena looking very exciting with several high class recruits and this year we are likely to see a big changing of the guard as old stalwarts like Kauto Star and Denman and Imperial Commander have their last hurrahs. Three times Racign Post Naps Champion Paul Jacobs offers you a select list of horses to keep on side with his definitive 10 To Follow.

1/ FLAT OUT – six-year-old – Trained by W Mullins

The two mile chase division is set for wholesale change this season and this fella could be one of the new generation to fill the void left by Master Minded, Big Zeb and Sizing Europe. Despite a bad mistake at the last fence he jumped for fun on his chasing debut at Sligo to win by 13 lengths and was about to gain compensation in the Irish Arkle when he took up the running going easily after the third last before coming a cropper at the penultimate obstacle. Given plenty of time to get over that I would imagine he has been extensively schooled since then by his maestro trainer and 40/1 looks way too big for the Champion Chase.

2/ FIRST LIEUTENANT – six-year-old – M Morris

There are so many examples of the same horses returning to the Cheltenham Festival time and time again and lighting up Prestbury Park and I reckon this fella falls slap, bang into that specific category. Mouse Morris has always held him in the highest regard and with good ground his domain he stayed on in dogged fashion to land the Neptune in March. Of course Oscars Well may well have prevailed if not stumbling after the last, but I reckon there wasn’t an awful lot left in the tank in any case. First Lieutenant has made a sound start to his chasing career and three miles on good ground in the SunAlliance Chase will suit him admirably. He lost nothing in defeat when second to De Valira at Cork last time out on ground too slow and over a sharp two and a half miles and he has a big future ahead of him.

3/ GHIZAO – seven-year-old – P Nicholls

I know that Paul Nicholls thought that Big Buck’s apart this young fella was sure to go close at the Cheltenham Festival this year in the Arkle, but some sloppy jumping put paid to his chance down the far side. However, when you look at the bare form of his defeats of eventual winner Captain Chris it is clear to see that he has a real engine of a horse on his side. For this second season chaser gave 10lbs and a four and a half-length beating to his old rival at Newbury. It could be a flatter track will prove his domain in time, but he is over priced at 20/1 for this year’s Champion Chase.

4/ JUNIOR – eight-year-old – D Pipe

A game and prolific stayer on the flat, Royal Ascot winner, and fair staying handicap hurdle, Junior was always going to make an even better chaser with his scope and athleticism likely to stand him in good stead. And so it was that in his first season of chasing he made stealthy progress throughout the year culminating in a clear cut win in the Fulke Walwyn Kim Muir by a full 24 lengths from Faasel. After just the one run at Royal Ascot on the flat his campaign is being geared towards the Aintree Grand National and he just gets the edge as our horse for the Liverpool marathon ahead of Quinz and West End Rocker.

5/ OGEE – eight-year-old - R Robeson

It was only in March 2010 that Ogee ran Chief Dan George to a length and a half in the William Hill Handicap Chase at the Cheltenham Festival and then all manner of things conspired against him, most of all the state of the ground which seemed to change with alarming regularity as soon as he was declared for a race on good ground. Any give is just a waste of time for this eight-year-old, but having dropped nearly a stone in the weights since last year his chance would be there for all to see granted his conditions over three miles plus on a flat track.

6/ QUINZ – seven-year-old – P Hobbs

This son of Robin Des Champs really came of age last year culminating in a game success in the Racing Post Chase at Kempton Park. He was then a heavily punted entry for the Grand National and looked to be really enjoying himself down the first line of fences, jumping with great efficiency until bursting a blood vessel and being pulled up just before the water. Sometimes such a condition is a one off, but it can also become a regular affliction so it has to be hoped the former will happen. I’m sure there is loads more to come from him as he looks the sort to strengthen out again and the Grand National is a reasonable target although it is worth noting he is not short of speed and races over a bare three miles will also suit.

7/ RUBI LIGHT – six-year-old – R Hennessy

This giant of a chaser with untold scope, Rubi Light made great strides last year culminating in an outstanding third in the Ryanair Chase at the Cheltenham Festival. I marked up that run by at least 4lbs as the ground certainly wasn’t in his favour and he made a knuckle crunching mistake coming down the hill. Otherwise all the way through the race he out jumped the eventual winner Albertas Run. Back in action this season, the youngster made Sizing Europe look positively sloppy at his obstacles, jumping and galloping the Champion Chaser ragged at Gowran Park only to come down at the last with the race in safe keeping. He relishes jumping out of testing ground and has plenty of valuable races at his behest this season in Ireland. The fact that faster ground seems to prove no problem means we could also see him on the mainland as well and what a great spectacle that would be as he treats fences with complete disdain. The frightening thing is that he’s far from the finished article physically so has loads more scope to improve again this year.

8/ SAM WINNER – five-year-old – P Nicholls

It is to the great credit of this French import that he won two of his five starts over hurdles last year and then finished a strong closing fourth in the Triumph Hurdle whens till weak and not really able to do his frame justice. But chasing was what he was initially bought for and with all that experience of last season under his belt, this strapping youngster should make a name for himself over fences. His is a likely Arkle Chase type despite the fact that it could be an outstanding division this year.

9/ TIME FOR RUPERT - seven-year-old – P Webber

The National Hunt arena looked his oyster when the World Hurdle runner-up in 2010 won twice over the tricky Cheltenham fences in his novice season, but he was never going from the start of the RSA Chase and it was no surprising to find out that he returned a dirty scope thereafter. The fact that he was only beaten six lengths that day and that he was under the cloud was playing catch-up after belting the first obstacle, showed what a classy individual he is. If he doesn’t blow his mark in the Charlie Hall he could be the perfect second season chaser for the Hennessy granted any give in the ground off his current handicap mark of 159.

10/ WAAHEB – four-year-old – D Weld

A beautifully bred son of Elusive Quality with that huge asset of a massively high cruising speed at his disposal followed by a rapid turn of foot at the end of a race. Those qualities were seen in evidence as he rattled of three impressive victories in bumpers before just being edged out by the classy Lovethehigherlaw in the Punchestown Champion Bumper. His main aim this season will be the Supreme Novices’ Hurdle and under the care of his maestro trainer that looks a more than realistic target in his first year over timber; an exciting prospect.