RANDOXHEALTH.COM

HENRY VIII NOVICES’

CHASE (GRADE 1)

THE randoxhealth.com Henry VIII Novices’ Chase produced a surprise result as Alan King’s Sceau Royal, the outsider of the quintet at 11/1, came home 11 lengths ahead of North Hill Harvey.

Though only three of the five horses completed the race, the five-year-old gelding was an impressive winner and continued a really good run of form for owners Isaac Soude and Simon Munir.

Daryl Jacob rode a patient race on the winner, making his ground four out and taking it up before the last. Nicky Henderson’s Brain Power was always prominent but was two lengths down when unseating David Mullins at the last, while Capitaine still had plenty to do when exiting two out.

Sceau Royal was left well clear when Brain Power made his mistake and North Hill Harvey was well held. The big disappointment, however, was Tizzard’s 13/8 favourite Finian’s Oscar, who never recovered from early mistakes and came home a mile adrift in his own time.

“I always thought Sceau Royal was about 10lb below the best over hurdles but from the first moment we schooled him over fences he was electric,” King said. “There would have been no excuses today because we couldn’t have had him any better.”

Tizzard was obliged to consider his options following Finian’s Oscar’s poor effort and the one certainty is that he will be stepped up in trip, possibly for the Grade 1 Kauto Star Novices’ Chase (formerly the Feltham) at the Kempton Christmas meeting.