Jamie Snowden Stable Tour – Novice Chasing awaits Cheltenham winner You Wear It Well; Welsh National for Git Maker
2023 Mares’ Novice Hurdle winner You Wear It Well will head over fences this year with the Mares’ Chase at Cheltenham a likely target.
The beginning of 2024 hasn’t quite gone to plan for her, but this new discipline and a sounder surface may prompt a return to her best.
“She’s been a star for us, obviously winning at Cheltenham. She’s going to go novice chasing this year and start off at Bangor, there’s a mares’ listed race there.” Snowden told SportsBoom.com.
After a terrific third at the festival last year, the progressive Git Maker will be aimed at the Welsh Grand National, with marathon trips seeing the best of this horse.
Snowden added: “He had a great year last year, second in the Kim Muir, third in the Scottish Grand National. He’s going to start out over hurdles for a prep run, just to get him back in the flow of things, before going to Chepstow for the Welsh National.”
Ga Law made a pleasing return to the track earlier this month when finishing second in a competitive handicap chase at Chepstow. He’ll be campaigned towards the Paddy Power handicap chase at Cheltenham, a race he won in 2024.
Snowden said: “He ran really well on his seasonal return and his long-term aim will be going back to the Paddy Power, but this was a good prep run.”
Grade 2 Towton Novice Chase winner Colonel Harry holds entries in two races at Carlisle this weekend, getting his seasonal appearance under his belt before heading to Newbury at the end of November.
Connections won the race formerly known as the Hennessey last year with the late Datsalrightgino and will be targeting further success with this progressive seven-year-old.
Snowden said: “He had a very good season last campaign. He was entered in the Old Roan Chase at Aintree, but we decided not to go there. Hopefully, all being well, we’ll go for the Coral Cup.”
As well as his established graded horses, Snowden has plenty of hardened handicappers sat on attractive marks, including Hardy Du Seuil, Super Survivor and Up For Parol.
Snowden reflected saying: “Hardy Du Seuil is an interesting one, he’s got some good back form in his novice chase campaign, and then won that decent handicap hurdle at Sandown. He’s just had ulcers, so we treated him for that and a kissing spine, so he could be well handicapped. He loves soft ground and over two miles he’ll be seen to best effect. There should be a nice handicap in him.
“Super Survivor’s a lovely horse, he got bottomed out last year in the Welsh National, and we struggled to get him back. He’s going to come back a bit later over hurdles, but there is a good staying handicap chase in him, maybe something like the Eider.
“Up For Parol is a nicely handicapped horse over a trip now. He stays three miles and ran well at Chepstow at the back end of last season, first time up in trip. He might be one for the challenger series final at Haydock in the Spring.”
Finally, Snowden provided updates on two previous winners who remain un-exposed over fences.
Snowden stated: “Idy Wood had a really good season last year winning a bumper and two novice hurdles. She was also third in a couple of grade 2’s. I was really pleased with his chase debut the last day, he jumped really well and there is plenty more to come from him.
“Passing Well is a horse I like a lot. I think there’s more to come from him over fences and he could be well handicapped, he’s better than his mark of 123 for sure.”
Suzanne Ashton, Founder of Everything Horse (Est, 2012), has a BA Hons in Marketing Management and a Diploma in Equine Science. Suzanne has ridden and owned horses all her life and has twelve years of experience in marketing, writing, design, SEO, and website creation.