With the first Cheltenham meeting of the jumps season this weekend, Steve Jones nominates some of the stables to keep on the right side of

The jumps season is starting to go through the gears and it goes up another notch with Cheltenham’s opening meeting of the season this weekend.

As the winter performers start emerging from their summer holidays, it often pays to latch onto trainers who have their horses fit to strike first time out.

Lambourn-based Jamie Snowden is certainly one. In the last couple of weeks he has bagged six winners from 20 runners at an impressive strike-rate of 30 per cent. Those stats improve to four winners from ten runners for horses having their first run of the season. That’s a 40 per cent strike-rate.

Legendary Luke is an interesting chase debutante due to run at Ffos Las tomorrow, while Wilde’s Legacy could have his first start over hurdles at Market Rasen on Sunday.

Snowden’s bumper runners are always worth a second look. He operates at around 25 per cent with his runners in National Hunt Flat races and he has point-to-point winners Lady Jetfire and Ballycrystal Boy entered at the weekend.

Flying high

Stuart Edmunds’s Leighton Buzzard stables are also flying high Since the start of September, he has recorded eight winners from just 24 runners. That has returned a level-stakes profit of more than 14pts.

His last four winners were all either making their debuts or having their first start of the season, which underlines how fit his horses are.

Both his runners at Ffos Las on Thursday are of interest. Fireball Frenzy returns from nearly two years off the track and consistent One Eye On Vegas will attempt to record career victory number five.

Court Cian has an entry at Aintree on Sunday and could have his first start for more than 18 months. With Edmunds in such terrific form, those lengthy absences are not a worry.

Fruitful Autumn

Charlie Longsdon is traditionally very strong at this time of year. The autumn months tend to be fruitful for the Cotswolds-based trainer and this year is no different.

Three of his four winners this month – from 16 runners – have come on their first start since returning from their summer break.

Molto Bene would be of particular interest if taking up her entry at Aintree on Sunday. She has won first time out in each of the last two years. Realisation and New Order also catch the eye. They are both entered at Kelso on Saturday.