December 07 / 13.50 Sandown

13.50

Good To Soft

Betfair Henry VIII Novices’ Chase (Grade 1) (GBB Race)

  • Prize money: £56950
  • 1m 7f 99y
  • Class 1
  • 4 runners
ITV4
View Course
Betfair Henry VIII Novices’ Chase (Grade 1) (GBB Race)

Runners: 4 runners

Type: Chase Turf

Surface: Turf

Weather: Showers

OUR TIP

10/11 (Won)

  • Win: £1.91

Form: 225-11 D

Last run: 21 days

W: 11st 7lb

6 yo Gelding

OR: 151

Form & Verdict
Good second in a couple of major handicap hurdles (on heavy ground) last term; two from two over fences, impressive in Grade 2 contest at Cheltenham (2m, good) latest; top rated, with still more to offer.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

5

10th Apr 2026

Good To Soft

2m 3f 200y

Class 1

15:30 Aintree

LEau Du Sud

11st 10lb

J: Tristan Durrell

T: Dan Skelton

Third of five in Grade 1 Maghull Novices' Chase here (2m, good) 12 months ago and reappeared with a win in the Grade 2 Shloer at Cheltenham (2m, soft) in November; ran well when 12l third in the Champion Chase at Cheltenham (2m, good to soft) last month but doesn't appear to be crying out for this step up in trip, and Harry Skelton rides Grey Dawning.

11/1

3rd

6

11th Mar 2026

Good To Soft

1m 7f 199y

Class 1

16:00 Cheltenham

LEau Du Sud

11st 10lb

J: Harry Skelton

T: Dan Skelton

Progressive in the main; smart novice chaser last term and ties in closely with Majborough on Arkle bare form (good to soft; finished a close fourth); below par in the 2025 Tingle Creek when last seen but this looks the day to catch him; successful the last three times he has returned from a break of two months or bigger, most recently in this season's Shloer over C&D (soft) when easily beating his rivals and registering a fourth Graded win, as well as cementing his Champion Chase claims; favourably fresh and rightly respected.

4/1

2

1st Nov 2025

Good

2m 0f 172y

Class 1

14:05 Ascot

LEau Du Sud

11st 12lb

J: Tristan Durrell

T: Dan Skelton

One of Britain's best 2m novice chasers last season and held his own in the Grade 1s at Cheltenham and Aintree; didn't jump as well as he can on the latter occasion when tried in cheekpieces and those aids are now left off; high in the weights for a reason but he may prefer softer ground and will have new handling, having only been ridden by Harry Skelton in Britain.

Form: 441-21 D

Last run: 13 days

W: 11st 7lb

5 yo Gelding

OR: 147

Form & Verdict
Recorded a comfortable win in Grade 2 at Punchestown (2m, soft) two weeks ago on second chase attempt; improving 5yo who could have plenty more to offer; one of two interesting runners for Gordon Elliott.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

20th

3

28th Apr 2026

Yielding

2m 0f 132y

15:40 Punchestown

Touch Me Not

10st 12lb

J: Jack Kennedy

T: Gordon Elliott

Talented chaser rated 152 in that sphere and a Grade 2 novice chase winner at this venue; soundly beaten in the Grand Annual on latest and now tries to exploit a 17lb lower hurdles mark on first start over timber since April 2024; can't discount.

12/1

14th

1

11th Mar 2026

Good To Soft

1m 7f 199y

Class 1

16:40 Cheltenham

Touch Me Not

12st 0lb

J: James Smith

T: Gordon Elliott

Tailed off in last season's Arkle on sole visit here and has a lofty mark to defy; however, he won a Grade 2 novice chase last term and ran really well in second in a 2m Grade 3 at Naas recently when conceding 9lb to all of his rivals; James Smith removes 5lb; not ruled out each-way.

25/1

2nd

1

22nd Feb 2026

Soft To Heavy

2m 0f 0y

16:30 Naas

Touch Me Not

11st 10lb

J: Jack Kennedy

T: Gordon Elliott

Grade 2 winner at Punchestown (2m, soft) last season; form dipped last spring after two respectable runs in Grade 1 company; below best on seasonal return in Fortria (2m, soft to heavy) but much better on handicap debut at Fairyhouse next time when runner-up (2m1f, yielding to soft); ran a solid race when third in a similar contest to this at Fairyhouse last time; race conditions are against him here but a lot of the others have question marks.

9/2

Form: 1/13-1

Last run: 21 days

W: 11st 7lb

6 yo Gelding

OR: 149

Form & Verdict
Jumped well and posted an impressive performance in beginners chase at Navan (2m1f, yielding) three weeks ago, adding to his point/bumper/hurdle wins and taking overall record to 4-5; very promising.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

1

29th Apr 2026

Yielding

2m 4f 80y

17:25 Punchestown

Down Memory Lane

11st 12lb

J: Mark Walsh

T: Gordon Elliott

Both chase wins have come at Navan, notably 2m5f Listed handicap in December off 144 (soft-to-heavy); Cheltenham run put a line through as badly hampered early on, but recent Grade 2 Fairyhouse effort was a lacklustre one; cheekpieces now reached for and joint top-weight has a bit to prove.

10/1

5th

5

6th Apr 2026

Yielding To Soft

2m 3f 180y

16:20 Fairyhouse

Down Memory Lane

11st 4lb

J: Mark Walsh

T: Gordon Elliott

Won his bumper here; both chase wins have come at Navan; won a 20.5f Listed handicap chase on testing ground there off 144 in December; disappointed when third-favourite for the Plate Handicap at Cheltenham; better than that and has a good chance at the weights; can't be discounted.

6/1

2

10th Mar 2026

Good To Soft

2m 4f 44y

Class 1

16:40 Cheltenham

Down Memory Lane

11st 12lb

J: Jack Kennedy

T: Gordon Elliott

His campaigns can be short and not always sweet but he's had some excuses since making a sparkling chase debut at Navan (2m1f, yielding) in late 2024, including when returning with some mucus in a nostril in the Galway Plate last July; right back on his game when confidently ridden to win at Navan (about 2m4f, soft to heavy) in December, despite suffering some interference, and his best days could still lie ahead.

10/1

Form: 22-222 D

Last run: 28 days

W: 11st 7lb

7 yo Gelding

OR: 140

Form & Verdict
Productive over hurdles and is knocking at the door over fences, having finished runner-up in last five attempts, latest at Wincanton (2m4f Grade 2); faces a stiffer task in this field, back down in trip.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

6th

2

18th Jul 2026

Good

2m 5f 89y

Class 1

14:45 Market Rasen

Soul Icon

11st 12lb

J: Harry Cobden

T: Keiran Burke

Two good runs in defeat at 3m before coming down at the Canal Turn in the Topham Trophy; went close to winning this two years ago and that was after a two-month break; definite possibilities, as this mark isn't beyond him; Harry Cobden has won the last three renewals of this race.

6/1

12

10th Apr 2026

Good To Soft

2m 5f 19y

Class 1

16:05 Aintree

Soul Icon

10st 10lb

J: Tom Bellamy

T: Keiran Burke

He's run pretty well in defeat at Kempton on his two starts this year (3m, good/good to soft); also ran okay when ninth in this last year (good to soft) but beaten nearly 20l and he's just 3lb lower this time around.

33/1

5th

3

21st Feb 2026

Good To Soft

3m 0f 0y

Class 1

15:35 Kempton

Soul Icon

11st 6lb

J: Rian Corcoran

T: Keiran Burke

His best form is over shorter, including last season's 2m Grade 2 victory here off the same mark as today; whether he wants 3m is questionable, for all that he was only 2l off The Doyen Chief here last month.

12/1

Non-runners

Rubaud

+o+e Accumulators

Payout
Exacta £4.90
Straight Forecast £5.57
Trifecta £8.40

Selections

RP RATINGS:

L'Eau du Sud

SPOTLIGHT:

Down Memory Lane

TOPSPEED:

Touch Me Not

POSTDATA:

Touch Me Not

Daily Mail:

Down Memory Lane

Daily Mirror:

Down Memory Lane

The Times:

L'Eau du Sud

Telegraph:

L'Eau du Sud

The Guardian:

L'Eau du Sud

D Express:

L'Eau du Sud

The Sun:

L'Eau du Sud

The Star:

L'Eau du Sud

Daily Record:

L'Eau du Sud