2025/26 Season Review

The 2025–2026 jumps season proved to be a rewarding and consistent campaign for David Dennis Racing, with the yard finishing on 12 winners from 14 individual runners, a 20% strike rate, and total prize money of £76,120. It was particularly pleasing our small team of horses perform with such regularity throughout the year.

The season got underway in May thanks to Time Interval, who opened the account at Stratford Racecourse, before following up with an impressive front-running success at Warwick Racecourse under Adam Wedge. Carrying Clan McNeil’s distinctive tartan silks, he continued to run with great credit, adding several placed efforts through the summer.

Hobie made a welcome return after a 12-month absence and wasted no time getting back into the winner’s enclosure at Worcester racecourse, where he appears to be a bit of a course specialist. Under Sam Twiston-Davies, he landed a handicap hurdle in August, before following up over fences, showing a great attitude and jumping soundly for his owner Dr Tom Davies.

Ballynaheer, owned by David Purvis, enjoyed a productive campaign after a well-timed break. He struck at Fontwell Park Racecourse in September and backed that up with a pair of runner-up efforts at both Hereford and Fontwell Racecourse. He really came into his own in November, winning impressively at Warwick before following up at Plumpton Racecourse under promising conditional, Charlie Maggs.

After a challenging winter campaign on heavy ground, Imperial Pride bounced back to form with a well-earned victory at Huntingdon Racecourse in early March over fences, providing a great result for the David Dennis Racing Club members, who had been patient with her throughout the winter. On the same day, Kally Des Bruyeres won the two-mile handicap hurdle, surviving a bad mistake at the last flight—well handled by Tom Bellamy—to complete a double for the team.

After a winter break, Ballynaheer returned in style to land the first leg of a memorable double at Market Rasen Racecourse on Easter Sunday. The second leg came courtesy of Kally Des Bruyeres, who built on his Huntingdon success, to win on just his second start over fences. It was a particularly special day for owners David Purvis and Paul McAloon, seeing their colours carried to victory twice within the space of half an hour.

Gasmani, lightly raced over the past 18 months, made a striking return at Taunton Racecourse in April, winning a three-mile handicap hurdle by six lengths under Charlie Maggs. He followed up with a fine second over the same course and distance, beaten just a length while carrying top weight of 12 stone. It was a deserved result for the patient partnership of Hardwick, Wright, and Richmond, and he looks an exciting prospect as he goes chasing in the future.

Away from the track, it was also a pleasing season on the point-to-point scene. Veteran Innisfree Lad rolled back the years at the grand age of 14, producing a determined front-running performance to win the Ladies’ Open at Cocklebarrow Racecourse in February under Tilly. Just For Fame also got his head in front, winning his maiden at Guilsborough, jumping soundly throughout under Dom Lewis.

Harthill returned to training after missing two seasons. She shaped with plenty of encouragement, running well at Wincanton Racecourse on heavy ground before showing promise with her jumping in a novice handicap chase at Warwick towards the end of the season. She can hopefully build on this next season.

 Overall, it has been a thoroughly pleasing season, with winners spread across the campaign—including two notable doubles in the spring—and a number of horses showing progression and promise for the future.

We would like to thank all our owners for their continued support throughout the season and wish them the very best of luck for the 2026/2027 campaign ahead.