If you follow jumps racing through the colder months, you already know the rhythm: the rain sets in, the ground turns testing, and National Hunt trainer Venetia Williams’ team starts knocking in big Saturday wins like it’s the most natural thing in the world. This isn’t a cliché — it’s a pattern that repeats most seasons. Venetia has built a reputation for getting stayers and bold-jumping chasers to thrive when the muck is flying and the fences look that bit bigger — and her Venetia Williams horses to follow are once again expected to shine through the mud this season.
If you enjoy following these kinds of stories, you’ll find more guides like this one in our Horses to Follow section — where we track the top names from every major National Hunt yard.
She’s also doing this with the calm of someone who has seen it all. Thirty years with a licence will do that to you — and this November marks three decades at the top, during which she’s sent out more than 1,700 winners and banked close to £23m in prize money. That makes her the winning-most female National Hunt trainer in Britain and a figure whose winter “purple patch” can swing entire markets.
Basecamp is Aramstone in Herefordshire. That’s where her horses learn to jump accurately and keep galloping through the deepest winter ground.
If you’re new to Venetia’s story, start with two landmarks: Teeton Mill — winner of the Hennessy and King George VI Chase in 1998 — and Mon Mome, who shocked the world at 100/1 in the 2009 Grand National. Proof, if you ever needed it, that her yard can land the biggest prizes when timing and conditions align.
The last two seasons have only reinforced the point. Royale Pagaille rolled back the years to win another Betfair Chase at Haydock in November, ploughing through the mud like a tractor with wings; and the string kept right on with Saturday winners into December.
How to make the most of Venetia’s runners this season
So, how do you actually use this info as a fan — or punter — reading Inside The Paddock?
Simple: keep a shortlist of Venetia horses, note the ground, and wait for the calendar to turn to late autumn.
Among Venetia Williams’ horses in training this season, these ten stand out for different reasons — class, stamina, or pure heart. Below you’ll find them all, followed by a few easy “rules of thumb” for spotting when a Venetia runner is a bet and when it’s one to just enjoy with a pint.
Trainer profile: how Venetia Williams prepares her horses for winter
Forget the jargon. Venetia’s chasers — especially her Venetia Williams horses to follow — are trained to judge a fence, travel in a rhythm, and keep going when others back out of it — the essence of proper chasing and hurdling through the British winter. You’ll see a lot of French-breds who jump neatly and handle soft and heavy ground — real soft-ground specialists that thrive when the mud starts flying.
Her team doesn’t need five prep runs to come to the boil — more often than not, they’re ready first time up if the ground is right. And when the yard hits form (usually November to February), it can feel like every Saturday throws up another big pot. December 2024 was a case in point: Gemirande grabbed the Cheltenham December Gold Cup, capping a hot spell.
And if you want to keep tabs on other yards doing similar things this season, check out our full Horses to Follow 2025–26 Jumps Season guide — a bigger list that covers all the standout names across Britain and Ireland.
Venetia Williams horses to follow for the 2025–26 jumps season
Below I’ve picked a balanced list: headline acts, reliable handicappers, and one or two who could surprise. I’m not trying to be clever for the sake of it — these are horses with recent, verifiable form-lines or a profile that Venetia typically improves.
1) L’Homme Presse — the class act you still want onside
You don’t need me to introduce him. He came back with a bang, then won the Cotswold Chase in January, which kept the Gold Cup dream alive for his people — before a late setback knocked Cheltenham off the table. There was even chatter about Aintree afterwards. The bottom line: when he’s right, he’s a proper Grade-1 chaser who travels, jumps, and finds under pressure. If you see him declared on soft or heavy, your antenna should ping.
How to play it: Don’t overthink. If the ground is testing and he’s had a clean run of things at home, you respect him in any staying Grade 1 or top handicap.
2) Royale Pagaille — the Haydock mud king
You’ve seen this movie: deep ground, long trip, and Royale Pagaille just keeps grinding. He won the Betfair Chase again in November — a proper war of attrition where his stamina and heart mattered as much as anything else. He’s eleven now, so placement is key, but Venetia isn’t shy about running him in the very best. On the right ground, he’s still a brute.
How to play it: Betfair Chase-type conditions anywhere? You give him maximum respect. If it dries out, be cool — he’s simply not the same horse on quick ground.
3) Djelo — smooth jumper with a Ryanair-ish profile
Want a Venetia horse who travels like a dream and has a turn of foot at 2m4f? That’s Djelo. He smashed a good field in the Peterborough Chase at Huntingdon in December, beating last season’s Ryanair winner along the way, and looked every inch a Grade-1 prospect at this trip. On a sounder surface he’s still effective, but add soft ground and he becomes a bit of a bully.
How to play it: Any Grade 2/Grade 1 from 2m3f to 2m5f, especially on soft. He’s uncomplicated and jumps like a pro — the kind you want in your multiples.
4) Gemirande — your tough, likeable handicap hero
He’s not flashy; he’s effective. Gemirande made a name for himself by winning the December Gold Cup at Cheltenham — a proper, rough-and-tumble handicap where attitude matters as much as class. He stays further than 2½m, handles a battle, and has that “keep finding” gear Venetia’s toughies often show.
How to play it: Track him in Premier/Listed handicaps from 2m4f to 3m. If Venetia aims him at another Cheltenham handicap on soft, don’t be shocked if he runs a monster.
5) Victtorino — on the verge of something bigger
This lad won the Grade 3 Howden Silver Cup at Ascot and later ran third in the Coral Gold Cup, which is form that travels. He’s got the size and scope to stick in big handicaps and might even sniff at graded races if he keeps climbing. A Venetia chaser who relishes Ascot and stays well? That’s a profile we can all get behind.
How to play it: Keep him onside in valuable 3m handicaps (Ascot/Newbury especially). If the ground goes soft and he turns up fit, he’s a win-only type for me.
6) Funambule Sivola — the yard’s speedball
Blink and you’ll miss him. Funambule Sivola is Venetia’s long-time two-mile speedster, a Game Spirit winner who, on his day, is blazingly quick and clinical at his fences. He’s been around the block, yes, but that blend of pace and accuracy can still cash cheques in the right Grade 2 or a sharp handicap.
How to play it: Tight, right-handed tracks at around 2m, not bottomless ground. He’s the sort you forgive a quiet run with — because the bounce-back can be lucrative.
7) Green Book — the hardy stayer who pops up when it’s grim
You’ll remember him from that gritty handicap-hurdle profile: travels honestly, keeps going, and often hits the frame when the race turns into a slog. He’s not a headline act, but yards like Venetia’s are built on horses like Green Book — the ones who keep the scoreboard ticking all winter.
How to play it: Pertemps-style staying hurdles or long-trip handicaps on soft. He’s an each-way friend when the forecast is grim.
8) Frero Banbou — new lease of life over further
This was a revelation last winter: Frero Banbou stretching out to three miles and winning at Newcastle. If Venetia thinks stamina brings out his best, believe her — you could see him in marathon handicaps that reward rhythm and jumping rather than pure speed.
How to play it: Don’t pigeonhole him at 2m. On soft ground at 2m6f-3m, he suddenly looks like a bang-solid handicapper.
9) Chambard — the old rogue who owes nobody anything… and might do it again
He gave Venetia a famous Cheltenham Festival winner a couple of seasons back and still pops up with performances that make you smile. The engine isn’t what it was, but experience counts for a lot over fences — and few jump with his honesty.
How to play it: Veteran chases on soft ground where jumping accuracy wins the day. A small stakes-for-fun horse you won’t regret following.
10) Cloudy Glen — big-race credentials when everything falls right
“Cloudy” has proper handicap chops (you’ll remember his Ladbrokes Trophy win a while back) and still shows up in good races when Venetia points him that way. He won’t be everyone’s idea of a follow horse at 12, but in a war of attrition, he keeps finding.
How to play it: Only when ground and mark look friendly — soft ground, big field, true stamina test.
How to read Venetia Williams runners and spot betting angles
The simple checklist
Best ground conditions for Venetia Williams horses
Soft to heavy improves the strike-rate of this yard’s best horses. If the going turns gruelling, bump up your Venetia shortlist. (Look at Royale Pagaille’s Haydock record for the blueprint.)
Why Venetia Williams horses are fit and ready first time out
Don’t be scared of “first run of the season” if the ground is suitable. Venetia’s string is fit and ready more often than not once the weather turns — December 2024’s Saturday sequence wasn’t a coincidence.
French-bred Venetia Williams horses: accuracy and jumping style
So many of her chasers (L’Homme Presse, Djelo, Royale Pagaille, Gemirande, Victtorino…) have that French schooling polish: low, economical, accurate. That matters when fences come at you fast on testing ground.
Best racecourses for Venetia Williams horses
Haydock, Cheltenham, Ascot — places where you need balance, bravery, and a big tank. Venetia places them there because they’re built for it (see: Royale Pagaille at Haydock, Gemirande at Cheltenham, Victtorino thriving at Ascot).
Recent success of Venetia Williams horses
- Royale Pagaille: back on top in the Betfair Chase — deep ground, strong stayer, job done.
- Gemirande: landed the December Gold Cup at Cheltenham — tough as teak in a proper handicap.
- Djelo: blitzed the Peterborough Chase — smart mid-range chaser on a steep upward curve.
- Victtorino: Grade 3 winner at Ascot and third in the Coral Gold Cup — rock-solid big-handicap profile.
- Frero Banbou: stepped up to three miles and won at Newcastle, opening new doors.
- L’Homme Presse: Cotswold Chase winner before setbacks scuppered Cheltenham; still an A-list chaser when right.
When to keep your powder dry
Even Venetia’s string has off-switches:
- Drying ground that turns tacky or “dead” can blunt their edge — especially for the deep-ground horses.
- Second run back after a big comeback race: just check the vibes and quotes; sometimes the first day back takes a chunk out of them (L’Homme Presse being staged carefully last term was a reminder).
- Sharp, speed-favouring tracks at the minimum trip can catch out anything that needs a stride to organise at a fence — Funambule Sivola aside.
A quick word on Venetia Williams: experience and achievements
Three decades in, and she’s still evolving — placing the right horses in the right races, and leaning into what her team does best: accuracy, rhythm, stamina, and resilience. You can see the consistency of her results in the official records kept by the British Horseracing Authority
The yard’s recent form surge wasn’t a fluke; it came off the back of a carefully tuned season plan. If you only remember one thing from this guide, make it this: when the rain comes, upgrade Venetia. The strike-rate and the pots follow.
Your mini playbook for following Venetia Williams horses this season
- Track the weather and seasonal form trends — and don’t lose sight of the key fixtures in our National Hunt 2025–26 calendar. When the yard hits top gear, Venetia’s runners tend to keep it going for weeks. The softer it gets, the more you bump them up your shortlist
- . (especially Royale Pagaille, L’Homme Presse, Gemirande, Green Book).
- Note the targets: Djelo (2m4f graded chases), Victtorino (3m handicaps/Ascot), Funambule (2m speed tests), Frero Banbou (2m6f–3m handicaps).
- Respect freshness: first-time-out on soft ground is often green-light time. December’s returns told the tale.
- Course fits: Haydock for mud-pluggers, Cheltenham — especially the Cheltenham Festival — for the honest jumpers, and Ascot for rhythm horses with a bit of class.
Final thoughts: how to use this Venetia Williams horses guide
If you want to keep it simple — and make the most of this little Venetia Williams stable tour — here’s how to use it:
- Make a Venetia short-list of the ten above.
- Watch the weather — especially the week of the race.
- Pick your spots: big Saturday handicaps, soft-ground Graded chases from 2m3f to 3m2f, and staying hurdles for the grinders.
- Don’t chase every entry — wait for the conditions that light these horses up.
You’ll still get the odd surprise (this game loves to make fools of us), but with Venetia’s team — and your shortlist of Venetia Williams horses to follow — you’re giving yourself a nice head start. And if a muddy weekend rolls in and you see those familiar black and white colours popping up on declarations, you know what to do: lean in, enjoy the ride, and try not to shout at the TV when they start winging fences from halfway. Because when you’re following the best Venetia Williams horses 2025–26, every muddy Saturday feels like a small Festival of its own.
Quick reference (names & one-liners)
- L’Homme Presse — classy stayer; Cotswold Chase winner; soft ground = green light.
- Royale Pagaille — Haydock warhorse; Betfair Chase machine on mud.
- Djelo — smooth 2m4f operator; Peterborough Chase romp signals more.
- Gemirande — December Gold Cup hero; honest, tough, keeps finding.
- Victtorino — Ascot suit; Coral Gold Cup third; big-handicap player.
- Funambule Sivola — two-mile speedball; Game Spirit class on his day.
- Green Book — durable stayer; thrives when it’s a slog.
- Frero Banbou — stays better than you think; Newcastle win opened doors.
- Chambard — veteran with Cheltenham memories; jumps honestly.
- Cloudy Glen — old warrior with big-race history; needs his conditions.
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