Sandown will host the G1 Scilly Isles Novices’ Chase, on Saturday February 4th. Our ante-post market is already firming-up…
View Ante-Post Market Now!Buveur D’Air
We wrote about this exciting 6-year-old in our ’10 Horses To Follow, In The 2016/2017 National Hunt Season’ piece, back in October. He certainly hasn’t disappointed us, sine then, winning first at Haydock and then at Warwick (both races took place in December). He’s already a Grade 1 Champion and while this is his first big test of the campaign, we expect Buveur D’Air to put in another breath-taking performance.
Clan Des Obeaux
Doesn’t have the best win-rate, but this Kapgarde-sired 5-year-old has been running in fairly exclusive company and didn’t disgrace himself when 6th in the G1 Triumph Hurdle at Cheltenham (9 lengths ahead of Sceau Royal). Easily won the G2 Berkshire Novices’ Chase and may well have been victorious in the G2 Dipper Novices’ Chase, if he had jumped a little straighter. Big chance.
Top Notch
Punters are nibbling at yet another French fancy and his last 3 outings have been sweet for Nicky Henderson. Wins at both Warwick and Plumpton were topped-off with success in the Owen Brown Graduation Chase, at Ascot in December. That Class 2 win represented a new high watermark though (in terms of victories) and market-support will be heavily-based on his 5th place in the G1 Champion Hurdle, at Cheltenham. He finished 9-lengths ahead of Identity Thief, but may need to show even further improvement if he is going to seriously threaten both Clan Des Obeaux and Buveur D’Air.
While a few late-withdrawals are almost inevitable, this race looks like it will get underway with plenty of depth to it. Ante-post bets have been coming in for the likes of Baron Alco, Politilogue, Frodon, Le Prezien and Rock The Kasbah. This should be a memorable renewal and you can watch it live on Saturday’s edition of ITV Racing.
Racing At Sandown
Sandown was opened in 1875 and a 3-day meeting took place in that year which included the first Grand National Hunt Chase. That is now held at Cheltenham, but there is no shortage of other top National Hunt races that have made this course their home.
These include the G1 Tolworth Hurdle, the Gainsborough Chase, the G3 Heroes Handicap Hurdle, the Contenders Hurdle, the Grand Military Gold Cup, the G3 Imperial Cup, the G3 European Breeders’ Fund Novices’ Handicap Hurdle Final, the G1 Celebration Chase, the G2 Winter Novices’ Hurdle, the G1 Henry VIII Novices’ Chase and the G1 Tingle Creek Chase.
Betting At Sandown, With RaceBets
Create a RaceBets account and you will be able to bet on every Sandown fixture. You’ll get your first deposit matched with bonus cash, up to a maximum of £/€50 and will also be able to play our daily Jackpot Freeroll, giving you the chance of scooping a £/€5000 cash prize!
View Ante-Post Market Now!
