Plenty of ammunition in every division for another power-packed season at Seven Barrows

One gets the feeling this is the start of a new chapter for Seven Barrows. With the Constitution Hill saga put to bed for now, Nicky Henderson can focus again on horses with their careers in front of them.

Jango Baie begins the season as the yard’s flagship staying chaser. An unlikely winner of the Arkle in 2025, his first season in open company was a roaring success – fourth in a King George finish for the ages, second in the Gold Cup, before a dominant victory in the Aintree Bowl. He is approaching his prime and has every chance of going one better in March, although he misses the King George following a setback.

One could argue that his replacement on Boxing Day is better suited to Kempton. Lulamba is mature beyond his years and looks a natural chaser on current evidence. Third in the Arkle, two miles was never going to be his thing and the expectation has always been that he will be at his best over further.

Then you have the indomitable yard favourite, Jonbon. The fact that he has never finished outside the first two in 28 races is remarkable. As he turns 11 this season, protecting that record will be tricky, but no doubt Henderson will find a way. Expect him to take the tried-and-tested route of the Shloer and Tingle Creek before exploring new pastures later in the season.

Last season’s novice hurdlers are the most exciting of the lot. Old Park Star was a gutsy winner of the Supreme. His schooling over fences has been good and no doubt he will be top of most lists, but Act Of Innocence deserves to be spoken of in the same breath. He enhanced his reputation by finishing a fine second to King Rasko Grey in what could turn out to have been a strong Turners. It will be interesting to see how the pair are campaigned under the same ownership.

We have got this far without mentioning two festival winners. The Grand National is the only peak that Henderson has yet to climb and Holloway Queen, an impressive winner of the 3m6f National Hunt Chase in March, has been earmarked for the big race in April. She has come alive over fences and winning the National would surely top anything else Henderson achieves this season, King Georges and Gold Cups included. BetMGM Cup winner Jingko Blue will fill a niche as a Graded two-and-a-half-mile hurdler.

Planters Punch and Roccontier deserve mention as impressive junior hurdle winners who retain their novice status for the first part of the season. Planters Punch defied penalties to win three on the bounce, while Roccontier has filled into his gangly frame over the summer.

Then there is the impeccably bred bumper winner Prince Rupert, a first jumper for Anthony Oppenheimer and supposedly the heaviest horse on record to enter Seven Barrows. Throw in French recruits such as Moulins Rouge and Moises Has A Boat and you have the makings of a formidable team of novice hurdlers.

Naturally, Henderson has plenty of good horses and a handful of very good ones. This season might tell us which of them can become greats.

Jango Baie is the big-hitter in Nicky Henderson's yard, but we shouldn't forget about his owners' other top talent Jingko Blue. This horse bolted up in the BetMGM Cup and ended the previous season in style with a Grade 2 hurdles win at Sandown. Promising over fences two seasons ago, Jingko Blue's chase mark of 151 takes the eye and he should be a potent weapon over intermediate trips.

Yard Seven Barrows, Lambourn

Total jumps prize-money in Britain 2025-26 £2,401,062

Jumps winners in Britain last five seasons2025-26 – 872024-25–762023-24–912022-23–902021-22–120

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Pick up your copy of The Big Jump Off, packed with everything you need to know for the 2026-27 National Hunt season.

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