15:35 Sandown
Saturday 3 January 2026
All12:1512:4513:1513:5014:2515:0515:35
Read Nicky Henderson's Unibet Blog Handicap Hurdle
- 4YO plus  |  Class 3  |  1m 7f 216y  |  Good (Good to Soft in places)  |  8 Runners  |  Turf  |   Weighed In
- Off time: 15:38Â Â |Â Â Winning time: 4m 6.82s
Cloth number
Odds
Star rating
Horse A-Z
Show odds
€135,000 purchase who has resumed progress following wind surgery this season, scoring at Plumpton and over this C&D during the autumn. Never travelling when pulled up at first-named venue latest but was presumably amiss and no surprise at all should he bounce back with a bold show.
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Useful on Flat and made all in a C&D juvenile event last December prior to finishing a cracking fourth of 22 in the Fred Winter. Returned to form when finding just one too good with the visor refitted (retained) at Ascot (15.7f, good to soft) a fortnight ago and he's a must for the shortlist.
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Enthusiastic front-runner who landed back-to-back victories at Ludlow and Fontwell last spring. Back to form when 2½ lengths second to Nardaran over C&D on penultimate start and better still when again finding just one too good at Cheltenham (16.8f, good to soft). Likely to be in the mix once more.
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Useful Irish Flat performer who made it 3-6 over hurdles when signing off last season with a victory in a 14-runner Perth handicap (16.2f, soft) in April. May well have more to offer but this a sizeable step forward will be needed if he's to follow up off 7 lb higher back from 8 months off here.
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Won twice on the Flat and in this sphere in France. Fair fourth on British debut/sole start for Gary & Josh Moore last spring but left that form behind when just touched off by Dance And Glance in a 15-runner Ascot handicap on his recent reappearance. Solid claims.
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Narrow winner of Taunton novice last spring and has done very little wrong switched to handicaps since, most recently adding to his tally when narrowly getting the better of All In You at Ascot (15.7f, good to soft). Meets that rival on the same terms and it should again be close between them.
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Made the frame both starts in France and, having shown some promise on debut for this yard at the end of October, the step up to 20.3f may have counted against him when well held on subsequent handicap bow at Newcastle. In top hands and he remains of interest.
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Notched fourth hurdles success when striking at Leicester at the end of November. Gave it a good shot when beaten just over 2 lengths into fifth in the Ascot handicap won by Dance And Glance last time but there's no real reason to expect him to reverse the placings with that rival (or All In You).
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Forecasts
Hot Fuss (5/2), All In You (11/4), Dance And Glance (3/1), Continuance (17/2), Nardaran (11/1), He's A Latchico (11/1), Imaginarium (22/1), Brace For Landing (33/1)
It could be a case of a rerun of the recent Ascot handicap in which DANCE AND GLANCE narrowly outpointed All In You. They've both gone up 4 lb, so meet on identical terms and while there is a case for thinking that the runner-up, who was making his seasonal reappearance that day, can exact his revenge here, Dance And Glance displayed a likeable attitude at Ascot and that gritty determination may again prove to be the difference. Hot Fuss is another key player.
- All In You11/4
- Hot Fuss5/2
Prize Money
1st: £15,609.002nd: £7,176.003rd: £3,588.004th: £1,794.005th: £897.006th: £447.00
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