'At the weights he's got a nice chance' - Paul Nicholls sweet on novice chaser

Friday: 1.50 Sandown
Betfair Daily Rewards Novices' Limited Handicap Chase | 2m4f | 4yo+ | ITV4/RTV

The horses to have beaten Bothwell Bridge are essentially a who's who of Britain's most exciting novice chasers, the six-year-old having finished second to Third Time Lucki and Boothill, and running with credit behind Bravemansgame.

That form, in addition to Nicky Henderson having tested him at Grade 1 level last time, means he will likely be popular as a potential improver in handicap company.

His form stacks up nicely, especially a Warwick win last November, and he has shown enough ability to suggest there could be plenty more to come from a rating of 131.

But there are question marks. He was pulled up in the Sefton Novices' Hurdle, won by Ahoy Senor, at Aintree last time and he lacks experience over fences – even if his trainer expects him to make a better chaser.

Henderson has concerning form figures of 4277U557 in this race, with all eight runners starting at 13-2 or shorter and three of those beaten favourites. Henderson is also 1-21 in novice handicap chases at Sandown. With those doubts, the value may lie elsewhere.

Champagne Well makes the most obvious appeal. He comes here after a surprising success over hurdles at Plumpton last month, and his mark in that sphere was raised 6lb to 137, yet he competes off a chase rating 5lb lower.

He did not jump too badly in his three winless outings over fences last season, the last of which came at Ludlow in December when he looked the most likely winner turning in but did not appear to stay the three-mile trip.

The Paul Nicholls-trained Halo Des Obeaux has to be considered given his connections and taking in the valuable four-year-old allowance.

He was in the process of running respectably in a particularly warm Newton Abbot novice hurdle before falling and can be expected to prove better than his current mark.

Mahler's Promise is a contender on the form of his recent course-and-distance second, while Zhiguli will need to improve his jumping to continue his good record over fences.

What they say

Fergal O'Brien, trainer of Champagne Well
We're very happy with him. We wanted to get his confidence back over hurdles before going back chasing and Conor [Brace] did a great job of that the last day, so he rides again.

Nicky Henderson, trainer of Bothwell Bridge
This will be his first run over fences but he's looked a chaser all his life and he's always jumped fences really well; we hope this will be the start a fruitful career. The two and a half miles around here will be ideal for him – the trip was just a bridge too far when he was pulled up [over 3m] at Aintree last time.

Kim Bailey, trainer of Bobhopeornohope
He's back in distance as David Bass felt he didn't quite get the [3m] trip last time. It looks a competitive race but I'd feel he has an each-way chance.

Paul Nicholls, trainer of Halo Des Obeaux
Having won in France, he was out of novices on November 1 and we see him as a chaser really. He is a hard horse to place but saying that, when he ran against I Like To Move It at Worcester he ran very well giving everything 10lb. It was a good race he ran the last day on ground I don't think he particularly enjoyed. I may have run him back a bit quick and he fell at the last. Now he has no penalty and gets a 6lb allowance as a four-year-old, so that's quite attractive. He hasn't had a lot of experience but we've done lots of jumping with him. On the form of his Worcester run at the weights he's got a nice chance.

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