Grade 1 opportunity for Nicky Henderson at Sandown
There’s Grade 1 action in Britain and Ireland to enjoy this weekend as the Scilly Isles Novices’ Chase headlines the card at Sandown.
Nicky Henderson’s stable is in good form currently and he’ll be looking to continue that streak at the Esher track with his three chances.
Read below for a rundown of Henderson’s entries and possible runners across Sandown’s Scilly Isles Novices’ Chase Day courtesy of Racing TV, who will be offering the best Cheltenham free bets offers throughout the weekend.
12.50 - Noble Park
The Constitution Hill silks are in action on Saturday as Noble Park represents Michael Buckley and Anthony Speelman in the opening two-mile novices’ hurdle.
On paper, he looks to have a tough task as he hasn’t shown much in four starts so far.
He was well-beaten in his bumper and the same occurred in his subsequent two starts over hurdles before he unseated de Boinville at Sandown earlier this month.
He’s tough to make a case for, though he does come from a nice family that includes the useful Duel At Dawn and Miles To Memphis.
1.25 - Old Time Chaser
The second race of Sandown’s fixture is a hot Class 3 novices’ handicap hurdle and Henderson saddles Old Time Chaser.
In time, he may well turn into something very similar to what his name suggests, but he’s certainly unexposed in handicap company right now.
Henderson gave him three runs in novice company last year and finished 2024 with a fine fourth of 13 on his handicap debut.
Although he needs to find improvement to win, he finished behind Junker d’Allier (rated 131), Geezer Rockstar (rated 113), Zanndabad (rated 115), and Vincenzo (rated 134) across two separate novice races last year, so he could make his rating of 99 work.
2.35 - Jango Baie
Henderson’s strongest chance of the day comes in the feature race, the Grade 1 Scilly Isles Novices’ Chase, thanks to Jango Baie, a Grade 1 winner over hurdles last season.
His performance on chase debut at Cheltenham in December was one of the best we’ve seen from a debutante so far this season on both sides of the Irish Sea.
He jumped from fence to fence and quickened away readily up the famous Cheltenham hill when Nico de Boinville asked him the question.
He could well end up running at the Cheltenham Festival in something like the Brown Advisory Novices’ Chase over three miles, but he’s proven at this middle-distance trip and looks like a very exciting recruit for Seven Barrows.
