3 minute read
The curtains close on 2022/2023 jumps season this Saturday with the final fixture being staged at Sandown Park. Traditionally champions will be crowned, and horses have one final opportunity to show their talents before the summer break.
The quality feature event on the card is race two at 1.40pm, the Grade 1 Celebration Chase over 2m. In recent years Nicky Henderson has sent his chasing stars to this final Grade 1 event of the campaign including Sprinter Sacre (2016) and Altior on three occasions between 2017 to 2019. This time around he enters Jonbon who has enjoyed another excellent season with a course and distance success in the Grade 1 Henry VIII Novices Chase as well as a pair of Warwick victories. The seven-year-old produced a great second in the Grade 1 Arkle at the Cheltenham Festival before an easy success contesting the Grade 1 Maghull Novices Chase at Aintree exactly a fortnight ago. He now attempts open company and looks up to the task.
The four challengers in this contest all hold a fair chance. Greaneteen won this race the past two years and the nine-year-old loves this Esher venue with three wins and two placings from six outings here. He was not disgraced when third of seven tackling the Grade 1 Queen Mother Champion Chase at the Cheltenham Festival. Horses trained by Gary Moore are always worth noting at Sandown and Editeur Du Gite is progressing again this season tackling the top-level with an impressive triumph at Kempton over Christmas in the Grade 2 Desert Orchid Chase before winning in brave fashion the re-arranged Grade 1 Clarence House Chase at Cheltenham back in January, his highlight of the campaign.
Rachael Blackmore comes over from Punchestown for this meeting and she rides Captain Guinness who is a consistent eight-year-old. He has shown plenty of ability at this circuit before including when third in the 2021 Grade 1 Tingle Creek Chase behind re-opposing Greaneteen. His runner-up effort in last month's Grade 1 Queen Mother Champion Chase at the Cheltenham Festival rates well while Funambule Sivola won the Grade 2 Game Spirit Chase at Newbury in February and completes the field.
The meeting commences with a competitive looking Novices' Championship Final Handicap Hurdle where leading trainers Paul Nicholls and Nicky Henderson both hold a strong hand and can battle it out between them.
In terms of quantity and history the feature event at this fixture is the 2.15pm, bet365 Gold Cup Handicap Chase, which is a premier handicap over 3m 4f. Frodon can never be dismissed with a Nicholls and Frost combination heading up the weights. Kitty's Light makes a surprise reappearance after winning last Saturday the Scottish Grand National at Ayr. The seven-year-old has provided excellent form this season in staying handicap chases and placed third in this race last year behind re-opposing Musical Slave who was second but managing only mixed form since. Enrilo will be looking to atone in this contest after "winning" it in 2021 before being relegated to third because of interference.
Elsewhere on the programme, the Grade 2 Oaksey Chase for the Menorah Challenge Trophy over a unique distance of 2m6½f has Hewick as one of the market leaders. He won the premier handicap on this card twelve months ago and was going well in the Grade 1 Cheltenham Gold Cup when falling two out. Solo has been consistent this year and may go close.
Finally, the Grade 2 Select Hurdle is the final Black Type race of the season where Nicky Henderson already holds a good record in this contest which was introduced less than ten years ago. Former race winner, Call Me Lord placed in a premier handicap here in February and faces an intriguing line-up with the talented Goshen and Thyme Hill declared.
This is an excellent card to bring down the curtain on the jumps season.
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