Celebration Chase Tips: Predicted 1-2-3 For Sandown Showpiece

The Celebration Chase is the feature race at Sandown on their jumps finale meeting that marks the end of the National Hunt season in Britain.

It is run over a distance of two miles and will go to post at 15:35 on Saturday, April 26th with defending champion Jonbon bidding to win for a third year running. Below we have in-depth analysis, predictions, and betting tips for the Sandown feature.

Willie Mullins is on a mission to retain his champion trainers' title in Britain and saddles both Energumene and It Etait Temps here. The former is into the veteran stages of his career now and has struggled to match Jonbon twice this season already.

It Etait Temps is intriguing on his first start in a year and first run out of novice company. He's got lots of scope for progress and could be underestimated.

Jonbon has won this race the last two years and rates the one to beat again. Nicky Henderson's star has just one blemish on his record this season, a silver medal behind Marine Nationale at Cheltenham that was extraordinary in the circumstances.

Cheltenham is perhaps not his best track, though it's hugely unfair to suggest he doesn't act there, but he certainly does at Sandown where he has five wins in five visits, all over this trip and on ground ranging from heavy to good. Mark Walsh is the man on board and he should taste success with Nico de Boinville injured.

Master Chewy could pick up some decent prize money for Team Twiston-Davies by defeating the veterans Energumene and Edwardstone

Celebration Chase Predictions    

Winner: Jonbon

Each-way selection: Il Etait Temps

1-2-3: 1st: Jonbon, 2nd: Il Etait Temps, 3rd: Master Chewy

Trainer & Jockey Insights

Paul Nicholls and Nicky Henderson share the record in this Grade 1 with seven wins apiece, which includes winning the last eight runnings between them.

The Seven Barrows handler had won with French Opera (2011), Sprinter Sacre (2016) and record three-time scorer Altior (2017, 2018, 2019) before Jonbon's double.

Nicholls scored with Cenkos (2002, 2004), Andreas (2008), Twist Magic (2009), Sanctuaire (2012), and Greaneteen (2021, 2022).

The leading rider is Nico de Boinville with five wins on board Sprinter Sacre (2016), Altior (2017, 2018, 2019) and Jonbon (2024).

Celebration Chase Trends & Stats

Favourites have a good record in this race, with the market leader winning eight times in the last 10 runnings. Five of those most recent winning favourites were odds-on, though El Fabiolo was turned over as the 4/6 fav last season by Jonbon (15/8).

Four of the last six first-time winners have been aged seven at that time, with Sire De Grugy, Altior, Greaneteen and Jonbon all scoring again aged eight.

Celebration Chase Recent Winners