12:20 Sandown 31 Jan 2026
Virgin Bet Supports Safe Gambling 'National Hunt' Novices' Hurdle
GBB Race | Class 3 | 4YO plus
Winner £7,804 - 6 declared to run
Hurdle: heavy-soft in places; chase: soft-heavy in places (prec inspection 7.30am)
Draw Advantage: None
Forecast: Drizzle
Temperature: 4.7° - 10.9°
Rainfall: 0.52mm
Wind: 5.6 mph S
Last Update: 30/01/2026 17:00x
- Winner
- Top 2 Finish
- Top 3 Finish
- W/O
- W/O Sinchi Roca
- W/O Crackerjacque And Sinchi Roca
- W/O Crackerjacque
- Insure 2 Places
- Top 4 Finish
Bookies best price percentage = 112.34%
AT THE RACES is not liable for any services or information offered or provided by its bookmaker partners. Please note: Whilst every effort is made to ensure odds and information are up to date and correct, differences between these and actual odds/information available from bookmakers at time of placing a bet may occur.
Too keen up in class but ran to form when last of five in Winter Novices' Hurdle (Grade 2) here last time; tongue-tie first time; off a short-break; effective 2m, acts on GS and HY; back in calmer waters and did win a bumper here on heavy.
Successful in a hurdle race and a NH flat race at 2m and 2m 2f on good to soft and heavy ground. Finished 20l behind No Drama This End when last of 5 at 18-1 on his latest outing in a Grade 2 hurdle race here over 2m 4f (soft) in December last year.
Too keen up in class but ran to form when last of five in Winter Novices' Hurdle (Grade 2) here last time; tongue-tie first time; off a short-break; effective 2m, acts on GS and HY; back in calmer waters and did win a bumper here on heavy.
| Race Record | Runs | Wins | Places | Win Rate | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| All Jumps Races | 2 | 1 | 0 | 50% | |
| Hurdle | 2 | 1 | 0 | 50% | |
| Conditions | |||||
| CD | Course and Distance | 1 | 1 | 0 | 100% |
| C | Course | 2 | 1 | 0 | 50% |
| D | Distance | 1 | 1 | 0 | 100% |
| G | Similar Going | 3 | 1 | 0 | 33.3% |
| Headgear | |||||
| Today (T only) | 0 | 0 | 0 | - | |
| Class & Handicap Rating | |||||
| Class 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | - | |
| This Handicap (OR) or Higher | 0 | 0 | 0 | - | |
| Connections | |||||
| J | Sam Twiston-Davies | 3 | 1 | 0 | 33.3% |
| T | A J Honeyball | 5 | 2 | 0 | 40% |
-
Grey = Horse has placed form
-
Blue = Horse has winning form
-
Gold = Horse has a 50% or better win record
Improved, scored with bit in hand on hurdles debut when winning a maiden hurdle at Wincanton by 2 1/2l last time; effective around 2m with cut; leading claims despite penalty.
He has won a hurdle race, a NH flat race and a point-to-point from 1m 7f to 2m 4f on soft and heavy ground. A winner at 3-1 in a maiden hurdle race at Wincanton over 1m 7f (soft) on his latest outing earlier this month, beating Wolf Walker by 2 1/2l.
Improved, scored with bit in hand on hurdles debut when winning a maiden hurdle at Wincanton by 2 1/2l last time; effective around 2m with cut; leading claims despite penalty.
| Race Record | Runs | Wins | Places | Win Rate | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| All Jumps Races | 1 | 1 | 0 | 100% | |
| Hurdle | 1 | 1 | 0 | 100% | |
| Conditions | |||||
| Course and Distance | 0 | 0 | 0 | - | |
| Course | 0 | 0 | 0 | - | |
| D | Distance | 4 | 1 | 2 | 25% |
| G | Similar Going | 4 | 2 | 1 | 50% |
| Headgear | |||||
| Today (No Headgear) | 5 | 2 | 2 | 40% | |
| Class & Handicap Rating | |||||
| Class 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | - | |
| This Handicap (OR) or Higher | 0 | 0 | 0 | - | |
| Connections | |||||
| J | Charlie Deutsch | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0% |
| T | S Hosie | 3 | 1 | 1 | 33.3% |
-
Grey = Horse has placed form
-
Blue = Horse has winning form
-
Gold = Horse has a 50% or better win record
Travelled, weakening when unseated late in a novice hurdle at Fontwell latest; effective 2m, acts on any; needs more to get back on track.
A winner of a hurdle race at 1m 7f on heavy ground. Unseated rider when 13-8fav at Fontwell over 2m 3f (soft) in a hurdle race won by Legendary Luke earlier this month on his latest outing.
Travelled, weakening when unseated late in a novice hurdle at Fontwell latest; effective 2m, acts on any; needs more to get back on track.
| Race Record | Runs | Wins | Places | Win Rate | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| All Jumps Races | 5 | 1 | 2 | 20% | |
| Hurdle | 5 | 1 | 2 | 20% | |
| Conditions | |||||
| Course and Distance | 0 | 0 | 0 | - | |
| Course | 0 | 0 | 0 | - | |
| D | Distance | 2 | 1 | 1 | 50% |
| G | Similar Going | 2 | 1 | 0 | 50% |
| Headgear | |||||
| Today (No Headgear) | 3 | 1 | 1 | 33.3% | |
| Class & Handicap Rating | |||||
| Cl | Class 3 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 50% |
| This Handicap (OR) or Higher | 0 | 0 | 0 | - | |
| Connections | |||||
| J | Charlie Hammond | 3 | 1 | 1 | 33.3% |
| T | S Edmunds | 3 | 1 | 1 | 33.3% |
| BF Was beaten favourite last time out | |||||
-
Grey = Horse has placed form
-
Blue = Horse has winning form
-
Gold = Horse has a 50% or better win record
100,000 euros Walk In The Park gelding; half-brother to Latitude, a fair sort up to 24f; trainer in form but riding arrangements suggests Ionian is the number one.
Half-brother to Hidden Commander, won seven times in chases between 2m 4f and 2m 7f and in a point to point race at 3m.
100,000 euros Walk In The Park gelding; half-brother to Latitude, a fair sort up to 24f; trainer in form but riding arrangements suggests Ionian is the number one.
| Race Record | Runs | Wins | Places | Win Rate | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| All Jumps Races | 0 | 0 | 0 | - | |
| Hurdle | 0 | 0 | 0 | - | |
| Conditions | |||||
| Course and Distance | 0 | 0 | 0 | - | |
| Course | 0 | 0 | 0 | - | |
| Distance | 0 | 0 | 0 | - | |
| Similar Going | 0 | 0 | 0 | - | |
| Headgear | |||||
| Today (No Headgear) | 0 | 0 | 0 | - | |
| Class & Handicap Rating | |||||
| Class 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | - | |
| This Handicap (OR) or Higher | 0 | 0 | 0 | - | |
| Connections | |||||
| J | James Bowen | 0 | 0 | 0 | - |
| T | N J Henderson | 0 | 0 | 0 | - |
-
Grey = Horse has placed form
-
Blue = Horse has winning form
-
Gold = Horse has a 50% or better win record
Far too keen, stopped quickly late when comfortably held in a maiden hurdle at Kempton last time; surely better than that and trainer in form but first-time hood needs to help him settle.
Unplaced in both NH starts. Well beaten at 10-3 behind Klub De Reve when sixth of 11 on his hurdling debut at Kempton over 2m (good) in December last year. He is wearing a hood for the first time.
Far too keen, stopped quickly late when comfortably held in a maiden hurdle at Kempton last time; surely better than that and trainer in form but first-time hood needs to help him settle.
| Race Record | Runs | Wins | Places | Win Rate | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| All Jumps Races | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0% | |
| Hurdle | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0% | |
| Conditions | |||||
| Course and Distance | 0 | 0 | 0 | - | |
| Course | 0 | 0 | 0 | - | |
| Distance | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0% | |
| Similar Going | 0 | 0 | 0 | - | |
| Headgear | |||||
| Today (H only) | 0 | 0 | 0 | - | |
| Class & Handicap Rating | |||||
| Class 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | - | |
| This Handicap (OR) or Higher | 0 | 0 | 0 | - | |
| Connections | |||||
| J | N de Boinville | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0% |
| T | N J Henderson | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0% |
-
Grey = Horse has placed form
-
Blue = Horse has winning form
-
Gold = Horse has a 50% or better win record
Improved when second, beaten 8l, in a juvenile hurdle at Cork latest. Off a short break, is effective at 2m1f on yielding to soft, and may have more to come on stable debut.
Placed in a hurdle race from two starts. Beaten 8l by Minella Academy when second of 12 at 100-1 on her latest outing in a hurdle race at Cork over 2m 1f (yielding - soft) in November last year. Having her first run for a new stable today, previously with Denis Gerard Hogan in Ireland.
Improved when second, beaten 8l, in a juvenile hurdle at Cork latest. Off a short break, is effective at 2m1f on yielding to soft, and may have more to come on stable debut.
| Race Record | Runs | Wins | Places | Win Rate | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| All Jumps Races | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0% | |
| Hurdle | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0% | |
| Conditions | |||||
| Course and Distance | 0 | 0 | 0 | - | |
| Course | 0 | 0 | 0 | - | |
| Distance | 0 | 0 | 0 | - | |
| Similar Going | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0% | |
| Headgear | |||||
| Today (No Headgear) | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0% | |
| Class & Handicap Rating | |||||
| Class 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | - | |
| This Handicap (OR) or Higher | 0 | 0 | 0 | - | |
| Connections | |||||
| J | Harry Atkins | 0 | 0 | 0 | - |
| T | M Keighley | 0 | 0 | 0 | - |
-
Grey = Horse has placed form
-
Blue = Horse has winning form
-
Gold = Horse has a 50% or better win record
Verdict
Ionian may fare better than he did at Kempton on Boxing Day now fitted with a first-time hood, but is possibly best watched for now and CRACKERJACQUE makes more sense. No match for No Drama This End in a Grade 2 here last time, Anthony Honeyball's charge should find this easier and he has Sam Twiston-Davies back in the saddle. The Cistercian and Sinchi Roca are also considered.
Expert View Verdict
Sinchi Roca improved on his already decent bumper form to make a winning hurdles debut at Wincanton two weeks ago and it would be no surprise to see him follow up, but CRACKERJACQUE looks well worth giving another chance to tried in a first-time tongue-tie. He won well on his hurdles debut before racing too keenly and finishing last of five in the Grade 2 Winter Novice Hurdle behind No Drama This End here last time. Dropping to 2m will suit him well and the going won't be an issue with him having won a bumper here on heavy last season. Ionian is surely better than his Kempton debut suggests and perhaps a first-time hood will assist him in settling.
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Race Record
| Distance | Record Time |
|---|---|
| 1m 7f 216y | 3:50.30 |