Timeform Horses to Follow over jumps in 2023/24: Monbeg Genius

Monbeg Genius (Jonjo O'Neill)

The first three home in the Ultima Handicap Chase at the Cheltenham Festival in March – Corach Rambler, Fastorslow and Monbeg Genius – currently head the ante-post betting for the 2024 Grand National.

Corach Rambler, of course, went on to win at Aintree in April and is sure to have a lot more weight to carry next spring, while the cat is also well and truly out of the bag now so far as runner-up Fastorslow is concerned given he gained a shock win over Gold Cup winner Galopin des Champs at the Punchestown Festival. But beaten little more than two lengths into third behind that pair in a red-hot edition of the Ultima was Monbeg Genius, who could well prove the most interesting of the trio where the Grand National is concerned.

In fact, Monbeg Genius, who was sent off joint-favourite with the winner, could hardly have shaped much better at Cheltenham for a novice in the cut-and-thrust of a big-field handicap for the first time. Making smooth headway three out, he led approaching the straight and rallied after being headed two out to still have every chance at the final flight.

A former winning pointer in Ireland, Monbeg Genius won twice over hurdles in 2021/22 and was then given a breathing operation before his return over fences last season.

Much sharper for his reappearance, and doubtless helped by the return to around three miles, Monbeg Genius went on to win his next three starts in handicaps before the Festival. He easily beat just two other finishers at Newcastle in December and then beat fellow novices in a couple of starts at Chepstow after the turn of the year. On his last outing before Cheltenham, Monbeg Genius won with more in hand than the winning margin of a length and a quarter would suggest after travelling strongly in front and jumping soundly in the main.

Open to further improvement and promising to stay longer trips, Monbeg Genius has just the right profile for the Coral Gold Cup at Newbury – won by his stable’s Cloth Cap in 2020/21 when he also started favourite for the Grand National – while the Welsh Grand National would have to come into the reckoning, too. A winner on heavy, Monbeg Genius doesn’t necessarily need it that testing, though he wasn’t risked on drying ground in the Scottish Grand National after being backed into favouritism.

Dave Ord

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