Johnson White

Sober Glory to take drop in class at Exeter next

By Graham Clark

Horse Racing

Mon December 22, 2025 · 3h ago

Sober Glory is set to be eased in class at Exeter on New Year’s Day in a bid to get his career back on track.

The Philip Hobbs and Johnson White-trained son of Mount Nelson surrendered his unbeaten record when finishing fourth in the Listed Betfair Exchange Claremont Novices’ Hurdle at Sandown Park earlier this month.

However, after being a clean bill of health following that defeat the Brocade Racing-owned five-year-old will now head to the Devon track on January 1st for the Thurlstone Hotel Novices’ Hurdle, which doubles up as a Novices’ Championship Hurdle series qualifier.

White said: “We have done lots of tests on him and nothing has flagged up particularly negative. He has worked since that defeat. He worked on Friday and he worked really well. The aim is to go to Exeter on January 1st. That is just for a normal novice under a penalty.

“I just hope that we can put a line through Sandown Park and move on as it wasn’t his day. He is in great form at home and we are looking forward to running him.”