Top 5 Conditionals to watch for the NH season

The new National Hunt season is just around the corner and intrigue is already starting to build around a campaign that is likely to be full of twists and turns. In this article, we will be focusing on the up and coming jockeys, with last year producing some potential stars for the future. Although still counted as conditionals, there isn’t much more that can be said about the likes of James Bowen and Bryony Frost. They’re both top jockeys, but their stature has already brought them into mainstream attention and we’ll be focusing on jockeys still with their claim, who will be looking to raise their stock this campaign. With that in mind, you can find our top five conditional jockeys to watch out for this jump racing season below, with many likely to feature in our daily horse racing tips!

Richard Patrick (3lb Claim, 42 wins from 314 rides since 2014)

Plenty of yards are already standing up and taking notice of Richard Patrick, who had a stellar season last campaign. Conditional jockey for the Kerry Lee yard, he’s already having a fruitful 2018 season, riding thirteen winners from 113 total rides since April. His claim is invaluable in the big handicaps, proven by his ride on Kris Spin to land a valuable staying handicap at Kelso in April. With Kerry Lee gaining more and more ammunition in recent seasons, he’s a rider to watch this campaign.

Ross Chapman (3lb Claim, 63 wins from 447 rides since 2014)

Ross Chapman has already started putting his claim to good use this year, gaining the biggest success of his career when landing the Summer Handicap Hurdle at Market Rasen in July aboard L’Inganno Felice. He judged the pace to a tee that day on a horse who pulls extremely hard, with that ride proving he’s more than capable of getting the job done on the bigger days. With thirteen winners since April, Chapman continues to improve and will be a strong commodity in the big handicaps this season.

Page Fuller (5lb Claim, 33 wins from 263 rides since 2014)

Based with Jamie Snowden in Lambourn, Page Fuller has proven her craft as an amateur and is continuing to build her reputation under rules. Riding a total of thirty-three winners thus far, she’s already gained eight of those this campaign and we’re yet to reach the season proper! A valuable handicap winner at Haydock last season aboard the Snowden trained Monbeg Theatre, she’s a great judge of pace and her five-pound claim will be all-important during the season, though it’s unlikely to last for much longer.

Harry Reed (5lb Claim, 37 wins from 382 rides since 2014)

With the force of the Neil Mulholland yard behind him, Harry Reed is likely to be looking forward to a fruitful season. Riding eleven winners this term already from ninety-one rides, the latest coming just yesterday, he continues to improve with every ride and his five-pound claim is an obvious bonus. With Mulholland boasting plenty of fire-power, he’s clearly one to watch this campaign.

Harrison Beswick (7lb Claim, 10 wins from 170 rides since 2014)

It’s still early days for Harrison Beswick, who comes into the season with the backing of Oliver Sherwood, for whom he’s been riding for since November 2015. He shows a natural aptitude for the game and given that he can ride at low weights, he’ll clearly be getting plenty of opportunities in handicap contests this season, where his seven-pound claim will be crucial.