Who is the highest rated jumps horse this season? Celebrate the champions in pictures

Madeleine Silver's avatar
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Published In Features
Don Cossack retires
Don Cosack (left) wins the Gold cup from Djakadam (rt) 18-3-16
(Image credit: Bill Selwyn)

The National Hunt world has been treated to some jaw-dropping highs during the 2015/2016 season — Sprinter Sacre‘s comeback at Cheltenham would bring a tear to the hardiest of racing fans, and 19-year-old jockey David Mullins heading for victory in the Grand National put the spotlight on a star of the future.

Don Cossack
(Image credit: Bill Selwyn)

Don Cossack

Vautour
(Image credit: Bill Selwyn)

Vautour

Sprinter Sacre
(Image credit: bill selwyn)

Sprinter Sacre

Category: 2-mile Chaser
Rating: 175
Trainer: Nicky Henderson
Owner: Mrs Caroline Mould
Best result in 2015/2016 season: victorious in all four runs this season including two Grade Ones — the Betway Queen Mother Champion Chase at Cheltenham Festival and the bet365 Celebration Chase at Sandown

No More Heroes
(Image credit: RACINGFOTOS.COM)

No More Heroes

Category: 3-mile-plus Novice Chaser
Rating: 159
Trainer: Gordon Elliott
Owner: Gigginstown House Stud
Best result in 2015/2016 season: fourth in the RSA Chase behind Blaklion at Cheltenham Festival and winner of the Grade One Neville Hotels Novice Chase at Leopardstown

Rule The World
(Image credit: Bill Selwyn and Stephen Sparkes)

Rule The World

Category: 3-mile-plus Novice Chaser
Rating: 159
Trainer: Mouse Morris
Owner: Gigginstown House Stud
Best result in 2015/2016 season: triumphant in the 2016 Crabbie's Grand National at Aintree in April

Arzal
(Image credit: Bill Selwyn)

Arzal

Category: 2 1/2-mile Novice Chaser
Rating: 159
Trainer: Harry Whittington
Owner: The Hennessy Six
Best result in 2015/2016 season: won the Grade One Merseyrail Manifesto Novices' Chase at Aintree in April

Black Hercules
(Image credit: Bill Selwyn and Stephen Sparkes)

Black Hercules

Douvan
(Image credit: Bill Selwyn)

Douvan

Thistlecrack
(Image credit: Bill Selwyn and Stephen Sparkes)

Thistlecrack

Category: 2 1/2-mile-plus Hurdler
Rating: 174
Trainer: Colin Tizzard
Owner: John and Heather Snook
Best result in 2015/2016 season: unbeaten in 2015/2016 season, including Grade One wins in Ryanair World Hurdle at Cheltenham Festival and the Liverpool Stayers' Hurdle at Aintree

Faugheen
(Image credit: Bill Selwyn)

Faugheen

Category: 2-mile Hurdler
Rating: 176
Trainer: Willie Mullins
Owner: Mrs S Ricci
Best result in 2015/2016 season: won the williamhill.com Christmas Hurdle at Kempton

Yorkhill
(Image credit: Bill Selwyn and Stephen Sparkes)

Yorkhill

Category: 2 1/2-mile-plus Novice Hurdler
Rating: 155
Trainer: Willie Mullins
Owner: Andrea & Graham Wylie
Best result in 2015/2016 season: winner of Grade One races — the 32Red Tolworth Novices' Hurdle at Sandown, the Neptune Investment Management Novices' Hurdle at Cheltenham Festival and the EZ Trader Mersey Novices' Hurdle at Aintree

Altior
(Image credit: Bill Selwyn)

Altior

Madeleine Silver
Madeleine Silver
Former features editor

A graduate from Durham University, Madeleine joined H&H in 2011 and became Features Editor — producing content across the magazine and website, including the popular inside back cover article ‘The horse that made me’ and the weekly ‘The best of my fun…’ interview. She has written on topics as diverse as hay making and headcams, to hot totty in the horse world and circus horses. Madeleine now works as a freelance feature writer for Country Life, The Telegraph, Horse & Hound, cntraveller.com, The Spectator and The Field, as well as writing obituaries for The Times.