April 25 / 16.02 Sandown

16.02

Good

bet365 Select Hurdle (Grade 2) (GBB Race)

  • Prize money: £45560
  • 2m 5f 110y
  • Class 1
  • 4 runners
RTV
View Course
bet365 Select Hurdle (Grade 2) (GBB Race)

Runners: 4 runners

Type: Hurdle Turf

Surface: Turf

Weather: Mostly cloudy

11/2 (Won)

  • Win: £1.84

Form: U-7216 C

Last run: 14 days

W: 11st 8lb

7 yo Gelding

OR: 153

Form & Verdict
Has shown good form over 2m4f/2m5f at Cheltenham this term, finishing second to Kabral Du Mathan in Grade 2 and recording an emphatic success from the front in Festival handicap; failed to get home in 3m Grade 1 at Aintree last time; one of the main contenders, back down in distance.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

1st

4

25th Apr 2026

Good

2m 5f 110y

Class 1

16:02 Sandown

Jingko Blue

11st 8lb

J: James Bowen

T: Nicky Henderson

Has shown good form over 2m4f/2m5f at Cheltenham this term, finishing second to Kabral Du Mathan in Grade 2 and recording an emphatic success from the front in Festival handicap; failed to get home in 3m Grade 1 at Aintree last time; one of the main contenders, back down in distance.

11/2

6th

8

11th Apr 2026

Good To Soft

3m 0f 149y

Class 1

15:05 Aintree

Jingko Blue

11st 10lb

J: James Bowen

T: Nicky Henderson

Runner-up in Grade 2 Relkeel Hurdle at Cheltenham in January (2m4f, good; no match for Kabral Du Mathan) when his jumping lacked fluency, then convincing winner of the BetMGM Cup (Handicap) at Cheltenham (2m5f, good to soft) last month; he should be fine now back up in trip, having won a 3m Grade 2 novice chase last season, and this unexposed 7yo could have a part to play.

11/2

1st

10

11th Mar 2026

Good To Soft

2m 5f 0y

Class 1

14:40 Cheltenham

Jingko Blue

11st 3lb

J: James Bowen

T: Nicky Henderson

Unseated last February in his third chase but won the previous two and that form makes this hurdles mark look highly tempting; second to a fine prospect over hurdles here on New Year's Day (Lucky Place third) suggested he's on his way back; bold show likely for a top trainer with three solid candidates.

10/1

OUR TIP

Form: 4-3230

Last run: 45 days

W: 11st 10lb

7 yo Gelding

OR: 151

Form & Verdict
Dual Grade 2 winner last term; finished third at the same level on penultimate start but was behind Kabral Du Mathan and stablemate Jingko Blue in that Cheltenham race; seems set for another bronze medal at best.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

2nd

2

25th Apr 2026

Good

2m 5f 110y

Class 1

16:02 Sandown

Lucky Place

11st 10lb

J: Nico de Boinville

T: Nicky Henderson

Dual Grade 2 winner last term; finished third at the same level on penultimate start but was behind Kabral Du Mathan and stablemate Jingko Blue in that Cheltenham race; seems set for another bronze medal at best.

11/1

Form: F117U0 D

Last run: 42 days

W: 11st 4lb

6 yo Gelding

OR: 146

Form & Verdict
Form has gone rather awry in last three outings but he has been progressive otherwise, culminating in 2m4f handicap wins at Cheltenham and Newbury in the autumn; may rebound and run a good race.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

3rd

6

25th Apr 2026

Good

2m 5f 110y

Class 1

16:02 Sandown

French Ship

11st 4lb

J: Ben Jones

T: Philip Hobbs & Johnson White

Form has gone rather awry in last three outings but he has been progressive otherwise, culminating in 2m4f handicap wins at Cheltenham and Newbury in the autumn; may rebound and run a good race.

14/1

15th

1

14th Mar 2026

Good To Soft

2m 7f 70y

Class 2

14:25 Uttoxeter

French Ship

12st 0lb

J: Lorcan Williams

T: Philip Hobbs & Johnson White

Largely progressive but came up short off top weight in the Lanzarote when bidding for a handicap hat-trick and needs to prove current mark isn't beyond him; unseated rider three out in 3m Grade 2 last time.

8/1

4

14th Feb 2026

Good To Soft

3m 0f 58y

Class 1

14:05 Haydock

French Ship

11st 2lb

J: Lorcan Williams

T: Philip Hobbs & Johnson White

Won big-field handicaps at Cheltenham (2m4f, good to soft) and Newbury (2m4f, soft) in the autumn; having gone up the weights he was merely mid-division at Kempton (2m5f, good) last month and is untested at today's trip, but this lightly raced 6yo may still have more to offer and is not discounted.

11/2

Form: 51132P

Last run: 45 days

W: 11st 10lb

8 yo Gelding

OR: 145

Form & Verdict
Form dipped in Cheltenham Festival handicap returned to fences last time; multiple Grade 2 winner but has raced mostly at about 2m and isn't crying out for this step back up in trip; first go beyond a sharp 2m4f.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

4th

3

25th Apr 2026

Good

2m 5f 110y

Class 1

16:02 Sandown

Rubaud

11st 10lb

J: Harry Cobden

T: Paul Nicholls

Form dipped in Cheltenham Festival handicap returned to fences last time; multiple Grade 2 winner but has raced mostly at about 2m and isn't crying out for this step back up in trip; first go beyond a sharp 2m4f.

14/1

3

11th Mar 2026

Good To Soft

1m 7f 199y

Class 1

16:40 Cheltenham

Rubaud

11st 7lb

J: Harry Cobden

T: Paul Nicholls

Listed/Grade 2 wins over hurdles this term; goes back over fences for the first time since last May and he's 1-5 in this sphere, the win coming in a Grade 2 novice last February; sixth of 15 off this mark in the Scottish Champion Hurdle in April 2024 when he last tackled a handicap; may be vulnerable.

16/1

2nd

1

14th Feb 2026

Heavy

1m 7f 50y

Class 1

13:35 Wincanton

Rubaud

11st 10lb

J: Sam Twiston-Davies

T: Paul Nicholls

Front-runner who is 2-3 since returned to hurdles from fences, winning races at Kempton (Listed) and Wincanton (Elite Hurdle) that he also took in 2023 and 2024; held in a 9l third at Kempton on Boxing Day but that was behind Sir Gino in a Grade 1 and he's strongly respected on this drop back in class; most of his wins have been on good ground but he's effective on soft.

7/4

Non-runners

Kabral Du Mathan, Altobelli

+o+e Accumulators

Payout
Exacta £3.70
Straight Forecast £4.94
Trifecta £8.20

Selections

SPOTLIGHT:

Kabral Du Mathan

LAMBOURN:

Lucky Place

POSTDATA:

Jingko Blue

RP RATINGS:

Kabral Du Mathan

TOPSPEED:

Kabral Du Mathan

The Times:

Kabral Du Mathan

Telegraph:

Kabral Du Mathan

The Guardian:

Kabral Du Mathan

Daily Mail:

Kabral Du Mathan

D Express:

Kabral Du Mathan

Daily Mirror:

Kabral Du Mathan

The Sun:

Kabral Du Mathan

The Star:

Kabral Du Mathan

Daily Record:

Kabral Du Mathan