Wednesday, 15th October 2025
In ATC today….
I’m certain Toll Stone will land a big handicap at some point….
…. he got my antenna twitching at Cheltenham last term….
…. and nothing I’ve seen in the meantime has put me off….
Oh…. and I think the way he’s been seasoned is second to none….
Read on….
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I mentioned Toll Stone ahead of last weekend’s Cesarewitch as a horse of interest….
As it turned out he wasn’t declared for Saturday’s big race at Newmarket….
…. perhaps because he wasn’t ready….
…. or because he’d encountered some problem in his preparation….
…. or because there’s another plan in the works….
Who knows?
Anybody setting out to second guess the intentions and plans of trainer Emmet Mullins is probably on a hiding to nothing….
But one thing I’m sure of is that sooner or later….
…. be it on the flat or over hurdles….
…. this 5yo son of Derby-winner Australia will land a significant handicap pot for his connections….
It’s only a matter of time….
Toll Stone first came to my attention in the Greatwood Handicap Hurdle at Cheltenham last November….
He carried bottom weight….
…. there was absolutely zero market confidence in him on the day….
…. ‘spare’ jockey Adam Wedge rode him….
…. and he was running on the quickest ground he’d encountered at that point in his career….
…. but I thought he produced an encouraging performance to finish seventh….
He was out the back and running wide early doors….
…. he made some headway between three and two out….
…. and he kept on up the hill….
He was never close enough to be put into the race serious….
…. and there never looked to be any serious intention to get him close enough to go that way….
In short, it was one of those performances that I’d describe as ‘quiet’ and – potentially – ‘interesting’….
It was just his sixth go over timber, but he still produced what was a career-best hurdle RPR at that point….
…. and it was clearly a learning exercise for the horse….
….and maybe a long-range reconnaissance mission for a young handler whose already announced himself as a target trainer of some considerable prowess….
Given the profile of the yard….
…. and given this jaunt across the Irish sea so early in Toll Stone’s hurdling career….
…. and the apparent lack of serious intention on the day….
…. the performance got my antenna twitching….
Since then Toll Stone has been used sparingly….
He was entitled to need the run when he next turned out at Bellewstown in July in a decent handicap hurdle….
…. where he finished 5/16 and beaten 9.5 lengths….
The time after that he was plenty fancied in a valuable big-field flat handicap at the Galway Festival….
…. but not so fancied as winning stablemate Filey Bay – who was backed in from 20s to 7s in a big on-the-day gamble….
…. and he finished down the field without getting competitive….
Just five days later he was running at Galway again – this time in a valuable big-field handicap hurdle….
Backed into favoritism he ran big but got chinned on the line by Gavin Cromwell’s Come On The Lads….
He’s not been seen since….
…. but I’ve seen enough to conclude that he’s a dual-code operator who can mix it with the big guns for big money in a big field….
… exactly the type of horse I’d expect his trainer to win a proper big race with….
He’s only 5-years of age….
…. he’s got plenty of time on his side….
…. and with a mark of 84 on the flat and – more pertinently with the winter in front us – a mark of just 119 over hurdles….
…. he’s got plenty of room to grow into….
He’s still only had the eight goes over timber….
…. and with another year of development and physical maturity under his belt….
…. and assuming he’s fit and well….
…. this upcoming jumps season could be a breakout platform for a horse that connections clearly think something of….
His ratings on the flat and over timber might have been used to land a few quid in lesser events….
…. and with a young horse that’s the way many handlers would have gone….
…. but five of Toll Stone’s last six assignments have been in open handicap company – races run for decent money that attract top-end contenders….
In other words, he’s not been given any easy options….
…. he’s well-seasoned from competing in the better races….
…. and now he’s getting a bit older he’s in a good position to capitalize on that grounding….
There’s plenty to like in his profile – at least I like it….
…. and for that reason I’m sticking him on my Watch List as one to monitor – and hopefully win with – at some point this jumps season….
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That’s all for today….
Back tomorrow – with a couple more horses I’ll be following this term….
Meantime – contact me at – nick.pullen@spapublishinggroup.co.uk
Stay tuned….
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