Henry VIII Novices’ Chase: JPR One favourite for redemption

JPR One is Coral’s 2/1 favourite to make amends for a final-fence blunder last time out when he returns for the Henry VIII Novices’ Chase at Sandown Park on Saturday.

The Joe Tizzard-trained gelding looked to be en route to Grade Two success in the Arkle Challenge Trophy Trial Novices’ Chase at Cheltenham last month, but made an error at the last and unseated his rider.

Connections will regroup at the weekend for the Henry VIII Novices’ Chase, success in which would be a first at Grade One level for jockey Brendan Powell after multiple placings throughout his career.

“I’m really looking forward to riding JPR One again as he looked like he was going to be an impressive winner at Cheltenham before making a mistake and getting rid of me at the last fence,” he said.

“This is a race that will take a bit of winning, but I wouldn’t want to be on any other horse and hopefully I can make up for what happened at Cheltenham on Saturday.

“I think I’ve been second in seven or eight Grade Ones, but I don’t think I’ve ridden in a Grade One where I’ve had a proper live chance, but this weekend I do and that makes it even more exciting.

“It is something I want to get on my CV, and it is something I want to achieve before I finish my career. To win a Grade One for Joe would mean just as much to me as winning a Grade One for myself. I think Joe was a big influence on me riding for the Tizzard team again.

“I’ll always be grateful to him for that and to repay him with a Grade One win would be amazing.”

Though the Cheltenham mishap was costly, the six-year-old otherwise ran a pleasing race and has taken to chasing well after a successful hurdling career.

“That was the frustrating thing as he didn’t put a foot wrong the whole way around at Cheltenham,” Powell said. “He jumped and travelled and quickened well turning in. He has got all the attributes to be a good horse.

“He gave me a good spin at Newton Abbot on his debut over fences and I was quite surprised the price he was that day as well. He was seriously well handicapped that day if he came back to form over fences.

“The most important thing for our novice chasers is that they have a nice time and a good experience first time over fences. He did that and managed to win as well, which was a bonus.

“Hopefully on Saturday he should be good enough to be there, or thereabouts, at the back end of the race, then I suppose it will be then when we find out if he is good enough.”

Coral’s Lewis Knowles said: “JPR One was in the process of putting up a huge performance when coming down at the last at Cheltenham last time, and connections will be hoping he can make amends at Sandown this weekend.

“He heads our betting for the Henry VIII at 2/1, but Colonel Harry and Unexpected Party are also exciting novices challenging him at the head of the betting.”

Henry VIII Novices’ Chase betting odds

2/1 JPR One

5/2 Colonel Harry

3/1 Unexpected Party

6/1 Iceo

12/1 Le Patron, Petit Tonnerre

50/1 Pozo Emery

View the latest horse racing odds

All odds and markets correct as of date of publication