13:45 Sandown

Saturday 25 April 2026

All13:1313:4514:2014:5515:3016:0216:4017:15

bet365 Novices' Championship Final Handicap Hurdle (GBB Race)

Off time: 13:46 | Winning time: 3m 46.70s

Cosmic Connection¹⁴

Age: 5| Weight: 12-0| J: Sam Twiston-Davies| T: C Gordon| OR: 129| D

6/1

Point winner who has made a bright start over hurdles, making it 2-3 when seeing off 8 rivals on 2m Chepstow handicap debut (good) 14 days ago. Had a bit in hand so a 6 lb rise looks fair with further progress on the cards.

Form: P-71121

Image of Stars that are filled with the colour gold

Kocktail Bleu³⁵

Age: 6| Weight: 11-10| J: Tom Cannon| T: C Gordon| OR: 125| D

7/1

Made successful start over timber at Fontwell in November. Runner-up 3 times subsequently (including Kempton Grade 2) before resuming winning ways in 2m Newbury novice (good) last month. Looks feasibly treated in his first handicap.

Form: 152221

Minella Yoga¹⁶

Age: 4| Weight: 11-9| J: Harry Cobden| T: P F Nicholls| OR: 132| D

9/4

Sold for £360,000 after making a winning debut in academy hurdle at Fairyhouse and has won 2 of his 4 outings for Paul Nicholls since. This strong traveller jumps well and appeals as one who will cope well with the demands of a big-field handicap. The stable won this in 2019 and 2022.

Form: 1131

Desertmore News³⁷

Age: 6| Weight: 11-9| J: Miss Gina Andrews| T: T Ellis| OR: 124| D

10/1

Made short work of his rivals when making all on 2m Southwell hurdle debut in February. Found the Grade 2 Dovecote too much at Kempton just 19 days later but resumed his progression with another all-the-way success at Sedgefield (17f) last month. More to come but opening mark looks tough enough.

Form: 3101

Last Round²⁹

Age: 5| Weight: 11-5| J: Ben Jones| T: B Pauling| OR: 120

33/1

Irish point recruit who was much improved when making it third time lucky over hurdles in maiden at Fontwell (2¼m, good to soft) 4 weeks ago. Handicap debut.

Form: P-2431

Race To Base^t⁴⁹

Age: 6| Weight: 11-3| J: J M Quinlan| T: Nick Scholfield| OR: 118| DWS

33/1

Fairly useful 2m novice winner for Nigel & Willy Twiston-Davies but pulled up in EBF Final here (2½m, soft) on handicap/stable debut last month. Has had a breathing operation since.

Form: 1-5134P

Kapitein Kool³⁵

Age: 5| Weight: 11-3| J: Paul O'Brien| T: J W Mullins| OR: 118

25/1

Made a successful hurdle debut at Newton Abbot (17f) in October and dug deep to double his tally in a heavy-ground novice at Exeter (17f again) in February. Could only manage seventh of 9 on subsequent Newbury handicap debut, though.

Form: 512217

Bespoke Tailor^t⁵⁶

Age: 6| Weight: 11-3| J: G Sheehan| T: O Signy| OR: 118WS

10/1

Fairly useful bumper winner and similar form when placed in maiden/novice events on first 4 starts over hurdles. Pitched into the ultra-competitive Morebattle at Kelso on handicap debut and wasn't disgraced, leaving the impression a return to a stiffer 2m will suit. Has had a breathing operation.

Form: 1-33227

Dutch Corner^h,t²¹

Age: 5| Weight: 11-3| J: Harry Skelton| T: D Skelton| OR: 118

12/1

Half-brother to high-class hurdler/chaser Yorkhill who has made steady progress with each start over hurdles, looking suited to a switch to front-running tactics when off the mark in 18.5f Newton Abbot maiden 3 weeks ago. Handicap debut.

Form: 3-3321

Ambiente Friendly^h⁸⁹

Age: 5| Weight: 11-2| J: J J Burke| T: James Owen| OR: 117| D

16/1

Placed in the Derby and Irish Derby in 2024 but this keen-goer's career has gone the wrong way since. Did manage to win a Huntingdon novice hurdle (soft) in December but his limitations in this sphere have seemingly been exposed since. Today's quicker ground may help but others are still preferred.

Form: 4164

Legal Weapon^t1⁴⁸

Age: 6| Weight: 11-0| J: Brendan Powell| T: B Pauling| OR: 115| D

80/1

Course bumper winner who has shown fair form when reaching the frame in 5 maiden/novice hurdles this season. Fitted with first-time tongue now moving into handicap company. Ben Jones on stablemate Last Round.

Form: 0-23244

Talakan⁴⁸

Age: 4| Weight: 10-9| J: K Brogan| T: T Lawes| OR: 118

11/1

A fair winner on the Flat in France and has made a promising start over hurdles for his new stable, hampered last when second of 11 in 2m Warwick juvenile 7 weeks ago. Open to improvement now moving into handicap company for the first time.

Form: 322

Secret Sniper¹⁶

Age: 5| Weight: 10-9| J: Thomas Bellamy| T: H Morrison| OR: 110

14/1

Brother to connections' useful performer Secret Squirrel and runner-up in 2m novice hurdles at Huntingdon (good to soft) and Taunton (good) on his last 2 outings. Handicap debut. Steadily progressive.

Form: 32-5722

Way Of Stars^h⁴⁷

Age: 4| Weight: 10-6| J: Jack Tudor| T: D Pipe| OR: 115| D

10/1

Useful on Flat for Andrew Balding and going the right way over hurdles for new connections, making it third time lucky at Taunton (2m, good to soft) last month. That Flat ability provides the hope for better now handicapping. Gets the vote.

Form: 321

Love You Back⁴⁷

Age: 4| Weight: 10-2| J: Freddie Mitchell⁽³⁾| T: G & J Moore| OR: 109| BF

33/1

Improving middle-distance winner on Flat. Promising runner-up in 2m juveniles on first 2 starts over hurdles but weakening in a well-held fourth when falling at the last at Stratford (19f, soft) last time. Drops back in trip for handicap hurdle debut from 2 lb out of the weights.

Form: 22F

Non-Runners

Kadastral⁴²

Weight: 11-10| Age: 6

T: D Skelton J: Harry Skelton

Wilstar⁴⁸

Weight: 11-10| Age: 6

T: O Murphy J: S Bowen

Next Twist⁶¹

Weight: 11-6| Age: 6

T: O Murphy J: Non Runner

Stanners Glen³³

Weight: 10-9| Age: 7

T: H Fry J: Bryan Carver

Forecasts

Minella Yoga (9/4), Kadastral (4/1), Cosmic Connection (6/1), Kocktail Bleu (7/1), Bespoke Tailor (10/1), Desertmore News (10/1), Way Of Stars (10/1), Wilstar (10/1), Talakan (11/1), Dutch Corner (12/1), Secret Sniper (14/1), Next Twist (14/1), Ambiente Friendly (16/1), Stanners Glen (20/1), Kapitein Kool (25/1), Race To Base (33/1), Love You Back (33/1), Last Round (33/1), Legal Weapon (80/1)

WAY OF STARS is an interesting contender towards the foot of the weights, with this opening hurdle mark potentially very workable based on his Flat ability. Minella Yoga, Wilstar and Chris Gordon pair Kocktail Bleu and Cosmic Connection head the many possible dangers in a cracking novice handicap.