THE nights are drawing in, the raingear is back out and it's time to get very, very excited.
That's right – the jumps is well and truly back.
From bumpers to marathon stayers, a whole new army of novices and some reliable old friends we back year after year, nothing is like National Hunt.
And, if truth be told, nothing is like punting on it either.
The ante-post game is loaded with risk but as we've seen over the years, snaffling some of the early prices can pay handsomely later on.
So what better time than now to ask our top tipster Steve Mullen – Templegate to you and me – to give his top four ante-post picks for the year ahead.
Below he outlines the horse, the race, the date and their odds.
You might want to back just one, a couple or put all four in an acca. Good luck.
Templegate's ante-post picks
BETFAIR CHASE, NOVEMBER 25 – BACK PROTEKTORAT at 3-1
Sometimes you just have to notice what is staring you in the face and PROTEKTORAT looks a good bet to retain his Betfair Chase crown.
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He won this by 11 lengths last season and has run brilliantly on his first race of the past three campaigns.
The eight-year-old, who is co-owned by Sir Alex Ferguson, goes on decent and very testing ground so the weather shouldn’t be a worry.
Another plus point is the Betfair’s record of producing repeat winners with Cue Card, Bristol De Mai, Silviniaco Conti and Kauto Star all winning more than once since this contest was first run in 2005.
Gerri Colombe heads the betting but he’s not a confirmed runner (see King George preview), while we know Dan Skelton will run his galloping grey at Haydock.
At the time of writing, Bet365 are still 3-1 about Protektorat with most of their rivals 5-2.
KING GEORGE, DECEMBER 26 – BACK GERRI COLOMBE at 10-1
Gordon Elliott’s progressive chaser GERRI COLOMBE looks a big price for Kempton’s Boxing Day highlight given how much he improved last season.
Part of the reason for the 10-1 may be that he’ll have other options but I hope he goes for this as he’ll give hot favourite Bravemansgame plenty to think about.
He was beaten in a head-bobber for the Brown Advisory at Cheltenham before destroying his rivals in the grade one Mildmay at Aintree.
That showed his liking for a speed track and he goes right-handed as he showed when taking the Scilly Isles Chase at Sandown.
There is a big engine under the bonnet so staying is no issue and he’s a live each-way contender for the Cheltenham Gold Cup too.
CHELTENHAM FESTIVAL – BACK GEVREY IN THE ULTIMA CHASE at 16-1
I am looking forward to seeing GEVREY this season as Gordon Elliott’s chaser looks to have a bright future in the staying ranks.
He was going like the winner in the Kerry National until clouting the third last and showed his quality when winning over three miles at Limerick earlier this month.
He was second in the Irish National which underlined what an excellent effort it was to finish fourth in last season’s Festival Plate over a totally inadequate 2m4f.
His current handicap mark of 138 could underestimate him as a stayer and the Ultima could be right up his street. Offers of 16-1 for that look fair enough.
I'd also have a little nibble of the 40-1 that's still on offer for the Grand National – but he's not my main Aintree ante-post fancy…
GRAND NATIONAL – BACK MONBEG GENIUS at 25-1
The Ultima at the Cheltenham Festival has become the leading pointer to Grand National winners with Noble Yeats and Corach Rambler both coming from that contest to Aintree glory.
We could see something of a repeat this season with another Ultima graduate – MONBEG GENIUS – who looks a cracking each-way bet for the National at a general 25-1.
He progressed nicely for Jonjo O’Neill last season, winning a couple of times at stamina-sapping Chepstow before running a cracker when third in the Ultima behind Corach Rambler, with subsequent Grade 1 winner Fastorslow in second.
That was a good effort for a novice and he starts off this season on a very workable mark of 147.
I think the Aintree showpiece looks perfect for him as he likes it soft and we don’t get quick ground Nationals any more.
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He is likely to take in what was the Hennessy – now the Coral Gold Cup – as his early-season target and he looks worth supporting in that too.
Hopefully he’ll win it by just a neck to not destroy his handicap mark for Aintree!
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