Henry VIII crown in Sud’s sights at Sandown

L’Eau Du Sud puts his growing reputation on the line in the Betfair Henry VIII Novices’ Chase at Sandown on Saturday.

Runner-up in the Betfair Hurdle and the County Hurdle last season, Dan Skelton’s grey has made a flying start over the larger obstacles with back-to-back victories.

The six-year-old was untroubled when making every yard of the running in an open handicap at Stratford on his fencing bow and was arguably even more impressive when blitzing his rivals in Cheltenham’s Grade Two Arkle Trial last month.

L’Eau Du Sud, who carries the colours of part-owner Sir Alex Ferguson, steps up to Grade One level three weeks later and Skelton is optimistic he can complete his hat-trick.

“He’s ready and we’re very happy with him. He’s got some nice form in the book, his work’s been good. We go there as the favourite and hope to remain unbeaten over fences,” said the Alcester-based trainer, who claimed this prize four years ago with Allmankind.

“It’s a good heat, it always is, and we’ll see how it boils down when we get to the spring, but we’ve got a lot of racing to do before then.

“It’s a £100,000 Grade One on Saturday, so we’ll be concentrating on that first.”

Skelton’s charge is set to face four rivals, with Gordon Elliott sending both Down Memory Lane and Touch Me Not over from Ireland.

The JP McManus-owned Down Memory Lane made a smart start to his chasing career at Navan last month, while Touch Me Not upset his better-fancied stablemate Farren Glory in the Grade Two Craddockstown Novice Chase at Punchestown a fortnight ago.

Fresh from successfully defending his crown in the Elite Hurdle, Rubaud is thrown in at the deep end on his debut over fences for Paul Nicholls.

The Ditcheat handler, bidding for a record eighth win in the race, told Betfair: “He has done a lot of schooling over fences and has always shaped like a chaser and he arrives at Sandown in top form after winning the same decent races stylishly over hurdles at Kempton and Wincanton from the front for the second year running.

“He could be a very exciting recruit to chasing but doesn’t want soft ground, so I will be keeping an eye on the weather forecast.”

Keiran Burke’s outsider Soul Icon, runner-up on his last five starts, completes the line-up.

Other Recent Posts by This Author:

• Super Survivor continues resurgence with Huntingdon success
• Lossiemouth heading to Leopardstown after swerving Constitution Hill rematch
• Patrick Mullins seals two-day Yorkshire adventure with another winner
• Nick Rockett proves an emotional winner of Thyestes Chase
• Rocky’s Diamond delivers knockout blow in Galmoy Hurdle