Six winter warmers to keep you off the National Hunt cold list…

.

You’ve heard of the NTF ‘Summer Stunners’ but now it’s time for the NTF ‘Winter Warmers’! Not quite as in-depth as the summer version (which returned +£56.67 BFLSP this summer, it really is a guide you don’t want to be missing!) but as I was continuing my deep plunge into my own private notes I did come across a handful of noted horses that looked cosy winter companions to their summer loving counterparts.

Like the summer version (June – September specialists) the winter alternative concentrates on monthly patterns and focuses on those horses that excel in the November to January period, a slightly shorter period than their summer counterparts but it’s the period I personally see as the deep-mid-winter months.

Not all horses function at their optimum in the cold, wet, dark months of winter, I know my own body is more reluctant to function as normal in the misery of a British winter (my mind is OK, it’s got the jumps game to keep it buzzing, my body, however, well it has other ideas!) but on the flip side there are a vast number of runners who like nothing better than splashing through the cold underfoot mud and feeling the sharp sting of the cold air in their nostrils, and those are the types I’m concentrating on here.

Not the obvious ones, of course, you don’t need me telling you that the Un De Sceaux’s, Bristol De Mai’s, Buveur D’Air’s, etc… can perform in the winter months. No, as always I’ve tried to just dip under the obvious lot and looked for some less obvious types for us to keep on the radar.

Check out the following six NTF ‘Winter Warmers’…

CLAN LEGEND (N Alexander)

Nov – Jan form: 9-1-1-1-1-4-1-U-1-3-5-2 (6/12 – 2/12 in other months)

Given that this one loves testing ground it is of no surprise that he makes this Winter Warmers list.

He’s on a career high mark at present (OR 132) but he was going well on his final start last term before unseating 4 out and he could yet be up to defying that mark.

Look out form him under the following…

Handicaps | Heavy & Soft ground | Field of 11 or less | break of 16+ days (8 from 14 under those conditions – all 8 career wins)

LA BAGUE AU ROI (W Greatrex)

Nov – Jan form: 1-1-1-1-1-1 (6/6 – 5/10 in other months)

It’s not as if the mare doesn’t run well in other months but a 6 from 6 unbeaten record in the winter months tells us she REALLY loves the depth of winter!

Connections could well go chasing with her this season, she’s always had the frame of a chaser from an early age, although there’s plenty of money to scoof up in those mare’s hurdles and she is adaptable with regards to trip.

Look out for her under the following…

Listed level & below (unbeaten in 9) | Flat/Slightly undulating tracks (10/12 on those tracks – 0/3 on more testing tracks)

.

**Half-season special offer!! Join NTF today for only £99**

.

MIN (W Mullins)

Nov – Jan form: 1-1-1-1-2-1 (5/6 – 1/5 in other months)

Very much a horse that splits opinion this boy but regardless of your stance on him, he can do the job in the winter months.

At the end of the day he’s probably just not a full on G1 animal (he could take a weak one…probably…) but there are races for him, most likely during the deep-mid-winter.

Look out for him under the following…

Ireland and races worth less than 70K to winner = 1211111 (6/7, 1p – all 6 career wins)

KEEPER HILL (W Greatrex)

Nov – Jan form: 1-2-1-1-2-1-1 (5/7 – 1/7 in other months)

Started his chase career in solid enough fashion last season with a form line of 1-2-1 but it then fell apart in the Feb-Apr period with a form line of F-F-P. He starts this season on OR 141 and that could well be an exploitable mark in the early part of the season.

Look out for him under the following…

Handicap chases | Carrying 11-04 or less (11611211 (6/8) when carrying 11-4 or less compared to F72F3P (0/6) when carrying 11-6+)

BUCKHORN TIMOTHY (C Tizzard)

Nov – Jan form: 6-1-1-2-3-2-F-0-1-1-1-P (5/12 – 2/15 in other months)

Not seen since pulling-up in the Welsh National in January (did finish lame) so hopefully all is OK with the gelding and we’ll see him back on the track this season.

The winter months suit him well and he was lining up in the Welsh National off the back of two hurdle victories so hopefully he can resume his career somewhere close to that level of form.

Look out for him under the following…

Class 3 level & below | Can run well fresh (12321 off DSLR 121+) | Enjoys Fontwell (6111)

TESTIFY (D McCain)

Nov – Jan form: 1-1-1-2-1 (4/5 – 1/5 in other months)

The 7yo started his chasing career last season with three commanding all the way victories, before finding the rise in class at Cheltenham (11^th of 19) & Aintree (PU) beyond him.

He’s better than those last two efforts though and he should have more to give over fences this season, especially when there’s cut under-foot and a small field that he can boss from the front.

Look out for him under the following…

Field of 8 or less (form of 1212111 – 5/7, 1p) | G2 level and below

As always there are no guarantees in horse racing but based on previous form it would be disappointing should this batch of horses not again prove ready to fire in the winter months.

**Half-season special offer!! Join NTF today for only £99**

Ben (NTF)

p.s. If you missed my ‘Alternative 20 to follow’ list for the season then make sure you get your name on the FREE NTF service, where the link to the ‘to follow’ guide will be instantly sent to your in-box.

Remember this is the ‘to follow’ list that BANS any Mullins, Nicholls, Henderson or Elliott horses from making an appearance, preferring to stay more under-the-radar than the obvious bunch of horses that are banded about by most at this time of the year.

If you are not currently a free NTF member then join HERE and grab an array of FREE stuff for your punting pleasure. My ‘Profiting From The Front 2018/19’ guide will also be released to the free list this week.

p.p.s if you missed the Summer Stunners guide from earlier in the year then you can download a copy direct from the following link…

>>NTF Summer Stunners Guide 2018