Andrew Asquith returns with his ante-post column and has two selections at Sandown on Saturday.
Weekend View: Saturday April 25
1pt e.w. Cosmic Connection in Novices' Championship Final at Sandown at 12/1 (William Hill, 10/1 General 1/4 1,2,3,4)
1pt win In d'Or in the Gold Cup Handicap Chase at Aintree at 11/2 (bet365, 5/1 General)
Sky Bet odds | Paddy Power | Betfair Sportsbook Betfair Sportsbook
The curtain comes down on what has been another excellent National Hunt season at Sandown on Saturday and, at the time of writing, Dan Skelton is under £130,000 away from surpassing £5,000,000 in prize money.
Skelton recently became the first British jumps trainer to breakthrough the £4,000,000 barrier only a matter of weeks ago and if he were to achieve another record-breaking feat on Saturday it would be nothing short of extraordinary.
He’s got a strong team assembled for the weekend, too, with Thistle Ask – a huge success story in his own right this season given he started life with Skelton from a BHA mark of 115 – looking a big player in the Celebration Chase. He has three lengths to find with Jonbon on their running in the Clarence House at Ascot, but he arrives fresh having not been seen since, and Sandown could really suit his free-going, front-running style.
With some strong chances at Perth this week, also, it looks a distinct possibility Skelton will achieve another unbelievable feat.
Sandown are watering up to 10mm per day to try and achieve good ground for Saturday’s jumps card and that will be perfect for my first selection who goes in the bet365 Novices’ Championship Final Handicap Hurdle.
This is a race which usually throws up a good one, given the unexposed nature of the horses on show, and it is the Chris Gordon-trained COSMIC CONNECTION who makes plenty of appeal.
He’s come a long way in a short space of time, only making his debut under Rules at Warwick in March – he was a winner in points – and he overcame inexperience to make a winning start.
That was a good performance on the clock, beating another newcomer, who had fairly useful form on the Flat with something to spare, and that rival gave the form a boost when easily landing the odds at Southwell next time.
Cosmic Connection bumped into a useful sort who wasn’t disgraced at the Cheltenham Festival on his next start over two miles at Chepstow, and he lost little in defeat, improving on his debut effort for all he was no match for the 9/2-on favourite.
It was his latest performance which really caught the eye, though, when making a winning handicap debut returned to Chepstow a fortnight ago. Cosmic Connection cruised through that race, his jumping looking solid and his rider didn’t have to resort to the whip to assert from the runner-up on the extended run-in.
That effort also caught the eye on the clock, supported by a good timefigure, and he’s clearly been let into handicaps from a lenient mark. The runner-up pulled nine and a half lengths clear of the third, who started favourite, so the surprise is that Cosmic Connection has only been raised 6lb since, given the first two looked some way ahead of their marks.
He’s bred to be suited by two and a half miles or further in time, but it is encouraging he’s shown so much natural speed in his short career under Rules to date, and the stiff finish at Sandown will play to his strengths. This looks a potentially strong renewal, but Cosmic Connection shouldn’t be a double-figure price on what he’s achieved so far, especially as he has the potential to improve further still.
Montregard was a late non-runner in the Scottish Grand National last weekend after the ground turned heavy and he’s entered in the bet365 Gold Cup Handicap Chase this Saturday.
The ground will be much more to his liking and there’s no doubt he’s a progressive chaser, as he proved when winning the Swinley Handicap Chase at Ascot last time from 3lb out of the weights. That wasn’t the strongest renewal, however, with more than half the field eligible to contest veterans’ races, and on his previous effort over the same course and distance he’s closely matched with IN D’OR.
He cost £220,000 at the David Maxwell dispersal sale last year and he’s made a promising start for Fergal O’Brien, leaving the impression he was in need of the run after nine months off at Sandown in December, travelling well and having every chance coming down to the last, but was only able to stay on at the one pace on the run-in.
In d’Or progressed further when finishing third at Ascot on his latest start in February and that form is proving particularly strong. It was won by the upwardly-mobile The Jukebox Kid, who won again next time, Montregard finished runner-up, who also has advertised the form since, while the fourth has won his next two starts and the sixth was also successful next time out.
He travelled well through that race, too, moving into contention nicely before getting the third-last wrong and he stuck to his task well, winging the last but just not having the speed to land a blow on the run-in.
To me, In d’Or shaped like a horse who is ready for another try at a marathon trip given he didn’t shape badly in the National Hunt Chase at the Cheltenham Festival last season, and he will meet Montregard on 7lb better terms now. He’s usually a solid jumper, which will stand him in good stead round here, and he remains unexposed as a chaser, particularly at this sort of trip.
Fergal O’Brien has his string in good order at present, and you would imagine In d’Or has been saved for this race given he hasn’t been seen since January. I’m of the opinion the trip will suit, the ground shouldn’t inconvenience him, and he has a fair record when fresh.
Preview posted at 15:00BST on 21/04/2026
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