randoxhealth.com Henry VIII Novices' Chase
Grade 1, Sandown 13:45 £50,000 added, 4yo plus, 1m 7f 119y, Class 1
Saturday 9th December 2017

1 Sceau Royal 11/1
2 North Hill Harvey 11/2
3 Finian's Oscar 13/8F
5 ran Distances: 11l, 50l
Time: 3m 53.50s (slow by 7.50s)

Sceau Royal storms to victory at Sandown

Sceau Royal
© Racehorse Photos

Beaten by North Hill Harvey at Cheltenham earlier in the season, Sceau Royal turned the tables on Dan Skelton's runner and some other promising youngsters.

Brain Power was the one to aim at as they raced towards the Pond Fence, but Daryl Jacob was sitting motionless on his outside.

As they approached the last, Sceau Royal had just taken up the running when David Mullins was unseated from Brain Power.

That left Alan King's five-year-old to come home clear, beating North Hill Harvey by 11 lengths.

The major disappointment of the race was Finian's Oscar, who was last of three finishers.

Jacob told ITV Racing: "This lad was awesome today, he pinged his fences. 

"I got there too soon and had to take a pull, he loved it. 

"We've done the same with this lad as we did with Top Notch, we've brought him along slowly and it's paying off."

King said: "He looked awfully good today. He was in great form coming here but I'd always said to Daryl he's probably 6lb or 7lb shy of the very top, but fences look to have pulled that out of him. 

"We were giving weight to North Hill Harvey at Cheltenham, so we were entitled to turn it round and he got a lot of confidence from his win at Warwick (two-runner race). 

"They were always going to go a pace, but he was taking a pull almost all the race. Even at the second-last I was like 'wait, wait' but he has seen the hill out very well. He has been slick from day one. From Warwick on his debut, he has been very good. 

"I will speak to Anthony (Bromley, owner's racing manager) but I wouldn't mind if he went straight to the Arkle. We will see. There might be one run or something but we will leave him alone a bit for now."

Henry VIII Novices' Chase (Grade 1)
£50,000 added, 4yo plus, 1m 7f 119y, Class 1
5 ran
Going: Good to Soft

Pos	D	Horse SP	Jockey Weight	Trainer	Age
1st		Sceau Royal (FR) 11/1	D A Jacob 11-2	A King	5
2nd	11	North Hill Harvey 11/2	Harry Skelton 11-2	D Skelton	6
3rd	50	Finian's Oscar (IRE) 13/8f	R M Power 11-2	C L Tizzard	5
F		Capitaine (FR) 8/1	Harry Cobden 11-2	P F Nicholls	5
UR		Brain Power (IRE) 15/8	D J Mullins 11-2	N J Henderson	6