We are now into the second half of the 2022/23 National Hunt season, and often this is where many trainers either introduce some of their leading juveniles to the racecourse or step them up in class.

Here is a look at three juvenile hurdlers from Ireland who could be set for major success this season and beyond.

Lossiemouth

Given the size of his stable and the talent he has, Willie Mullins is always a trainer to keep an eye out for with his juvenile hurdlers. The Irishman looks to have a very exciting prospect on his hands this season with Lossiemouth, based on her two appearances since moving to his yard.

The four-year-old made her stable debut in a Grade 3 contest at Fairyhouse, scoring by four lengths. She then stepped up in class to land a Grade 2 race at Leopardstown during the festive period.

The filly was purchased from France, which is where a lot of prospective horse racing owners find juvenile hurdlers. Venetia Williams, one of the most successful trainers in the UK, regularly visits France to source juveniles who have the right profile for hurdling. One of these is Jolly Nellerie, a four-year-old hurdler who is part of RaceShare. When in France, he was under the hands of legendary trainer Guillaume Macaire. Many of his horses have gone on to have success in the UK and Ireland. With RaceShare you can purchase a racehorse shares gift from as little as £10 to give to friends and family so they can invest in horses like Jolly Nellerie. He has a similar profile to Lossiemouth in terms of his background so he's certainly someone to look out for the rest of the season.

Gala Marceau

Former Listed winner Gala Marceau is another horse that is now in Mullins’ yard after moving from France. She was successful three times before that switch, including in the Prix Girofla at Auteuil. As a two-year-old, the filly ran on the flat over distances ranging from seven to nine furlongs. She then switched two hurdles in her three-year-old campaign, showing a big improvement following the change in codes.

Gala Marceau finished second behind her stablemate Lossiemouth on her debut in Ireland. Although she was no match for the winner, she finished ahead of some good horses and her connections will be confident she can build on that opening result in a Grade 2 contest.

Comfort Zone

As a son of Churchill, Comfort Zone is a well-bred juvenile who began his career on the flat. His trainer Joseph O’Brien is a dual-purpose operator and his decision to switch to hurdles with his horse looks like a smart one, as he won the Grade 2 Finale Juvenile Hurdle at Chepstow last time out.

The four-year-old has won two of his three hurdles races. His next appearance may come at the Dublin Racing Festival at Leopardstown in February, according to his trainer. That will be another chance for him to shine and prove he is one of the leading juveniles in Ireland and the UK.

All three of the above horses are likely to be in action at the Cheltenham Festival in March. The Triumph Hurdle is the leading juvenile race at that meeting, and it is a race that has been dominated by Irish-trained horses in recent years, so the trends suggest they go there with a big chance of success.