The jumps season kicked into gear over the weekend at Chepstow with their three-race meeting and Cheltenham’s opening fixture is just around the corner
Three Racing Post Tipsters have provided a jumps horse to follow for the upcoming 2026/27 National Hunt Season
National Hunt Horses To Follow in 2026/27
Graeme Rodway's 2026/27 National Hunt horse to follow
Horse: Came From Nowhere
Trainer: Jeremy Scott
Came From Nowhere went into my notebook at Newbury last March, when he was beaten into second by Le Frimeur. There was a lot to like about the way that Came From Nowhere travelled through that race and he was matched at 1.11 in running before being outstayed late.
The front two pulled eight and a half lengths clear of the rest of the field and the form looks good now because Le Frimeur went on to land a Grade 1 at the Punchestown festival next time. Came From Nowhere was conceding 4lb to Le Frimeur, too, so it was a smart effort.
Le Frimeur is now rated 150, but Came From Nowhere is able to compete in handicaps this season from a mark of just 133 and is evidently one of the best-handicapped horses in Britain.
He was unable to cash in on a similar mark when beaten into second at Ayr when last seen in May, but he did all of his best work in the closing stages and was closest at the finish. There should be plenty more to come from Came From Nowhere, especially when sent up in trip.
Keith Melrose's 2026/27 National Hunt horse to follow
Horse: Jordans Cross
Trainer: Anthony Honeyball
This is exactly the kind of horse who will develop into a top three-mile handicap chaser. Jordans Cross achieved plenty last season, but all the while looked like a stayer in the making and he remains completely unexposed over those sorts of distances starting this season.
After an impressive win at Aintree in October, he spent much of his time around two and a half miles at Cheltenham. As you would expect, these were competitive races. Jordans Cross fell at the last when looking narrowly better than stablemate Kdeux Saint Fray in November. He then won at Doncaster, and came back to Cheltenham on trials day when he landed a historically hot novices' handicap.
As ever, plenty from that race went on to have productive springs, including runner-up Quebecois who placed in the Ultima. Jordans Cross ran instead in the Golden Miller, but was never placed to best effect. Then, when finally stepped up to three miles, he was still to be played in a Grade 1 at Aintree when he was brought down at the cross fence four out.
Trainer Anthony Honeyball is a master with staying handicap chasers, and has already publicly acknowledged that he sees Jordans Cross as another in that mould. He is sure to be placed to win at least one good pot over longer distances this winter.
Marcus Buckland's 2026/27 National Hunt horse to follow
Horse: Klimt Madrik
Trainer: Toby Lawes
Klimt Madrik signed off last season with a solid eighth of 21 behind King Rasko Grey in the Grade 1 Turners Novices’ Hurdle at the Cheltenham Festival in March and I’m confident he can reach even greater heights as a novice chaser this term.
An eyecatcher when fourth behind Kalkbrenner on his belated rules debut at Ffos Las a year ago (his first outing in 19 months), he did nothing but improve afterwards, turning the tables on that rival when winning at Newbury the following month before chasing home the Paul Nicholls-trained No Drama This End in the Grade 1 Challow Novices’ Hurdle over the same C&D at the end of the year.
He was completely ignored in the betting at the Cheltenham Festival, sent-off at odds of 80/1, but acquitted himself well, keeping on steadily to be beaten a shade under seven lengths and posting a career-high Racing Post Rating of 143 in the process.
He’s very much built with fences in mind and, being from the family smart staying chaser Lord Du Mesnil, he’s surely going to be capable of ruffling a few feathers in some of the leading staying novice chases this season.
This article was written by a partner sports writer via Spotlight Sports Group. All odds displayed on this page were correct at the time of writing and are subject to withdrawal or change at any time.
