All good things come to an end, and this Saturday sees the conclusion of another memorable National Hunt campaign.
As ever, Sandown sets the stage for the bet365 Jump Finale as the leading British and Irish yards target the seven valuable contests on offer. With £685,000 up for grabs, the Esher venue will again play a decisive role in determining who will claim the British Champion Trainers crown. Can Dan Skelton hang on, or will Willie Mullins ensure the prize remains locked in the Closutton Trophy cabinet? We will know the answer by the end of this cracking seven-race card.
With 71 entries between them, Messrs Mullins and Skelton are heading to Sandown with all guns blazing. Will they lead away amongst the winners? Or will the other yards do their bit to finish on a high?
Here, we look back at the ten editions of the meeting between 2014 and 2024 (looking only at the races that feature on the 2025 menu) and pick out the trainers, jockeys, and sires who have fared best. Finally, we sift through this year's runners, pick out the entries that qualify on multiple fronts, and highlight our best betting options for the 2025 bet365 Jump Finale Meeting.
Top Trainers
Skelton and Mullins may fight it out for the title in 2025, but the traditional British powerhouses of Paul Nicholls and Nicky Henderson have fared best at this fixture in recent times.
Henderson’s wins were split 10-6 in favour of chases, seven were at around 2m with nine at 2m4f, and 11 came in Graded events compared to 5 in handicaps.
Nicholls’ victories were split 8-6 in favour of hurdles, four were at around 2m with 10 at 2m4f+, and nine came in Graded events compared to 5 in handicaps.
All six of Philip Hobbs’ wins came over 2m4f+, four were in chases, and four were in Grade 2 events.
All four of Alan King's wins came in handicaps, three were over 2m4f, with two apiece in hurdles and chases.
All three of Mullins’ wins came over 2m4f+, two were in handicaps, and two were hurdles.
All three of Neil Mulholland’s wins were in handicap events over 2m4f+.
2025 Entries
Nicky Henderson:
Kientzheim (bet365 Novices’ Championship Final Handicap Hurdle)
Jonbon (bet365 Celebration Chase)
Lucky Place (bet365 Select Hurdle)
Bo Zenith (bet365 Handicap Hurdle)
East India Express (bet365 Handicap Hurdle)
Kingston Pride (bet365 Handicap Hurdle)
Paul Nicholls:
Sorceleur (bet365 Novices’ Championship Final Handicap Hurdle)
Fasol (bet365 Novices’ Championship Final Handicap Hurdle)
Nardaran (bet365 Novices’ Championship Final Handicap Hurdle)
Hitman (bet365 Oaksey Chase)
Pic D’orhy (bet365 Oaksey Chase)
Sans Brut (bet365 Celebration Chase)
Rubaud (bet365 Celebration Chase)
Threeunderthrufive (bet365 Gold Cup Handicap Chase)
Blueking d’Oroux (bet365 Select Hurdle)
Insurrection (bet365 Josh Gifford Novices’ Handicap Chase)
Ivaldi (bet365 Handicap Hurdle)
Go West (bet365 Handicap Hurdle)
Fire Flyer (bet365 Handicap Hurdle)
Philip Hobbs & Johnson White:
Kap Vert (bet365 Novices’ Championship Final Handicap Hurdle)
Alan King:
HMS President (bet365 Novices’ Championship Final Handicap Hurdle)
Mythical Moon (bet365 Novices’ Championship Final Handicap Hurdle)
Don’t Mind If I Do (bet365 Novices’ Championship Final Handicap Hurdle)
Edwardstone (bet365 Celebration Chase)
The Doyen Chief (bet365 Gold Cup Handicap Chase)
Off The Jury (bet365 Handicap Hurdle)
Willie Mullins:
Blue Lord (bet365 Oaksey Chase)
El Fabiolo (bet365 Oaksey Chase)
Gaelic Warrior (bet365 Oaksey Chase)
Appreciate It (bet365 Oaksey Chase)
Il Etait Temps (bet365 Oaksey Chase)
Gentleman De Mee (bet365 Oaksey Chase)
Classic Getaway (bet365 Oaksey Chase)
Gaelic Warrior (bet365 Celebration Chase)
Il Etait Temps (bet365 Celebration Chase)
Energumene (bet365 Celebration Chase)
Impaire Et Passe (bet365 Celebration Chase)
Captain Cody (bet365 Gold Cup Handicap Chase)
Lombron (bet365 Gold Cup Handicap Chase)
Paggane (bet365 Gold Cup Handicap Chase)
O’Moore Park (bet365 Gold Cup Handicap Chase)
Chosen Witness (bet365 Gold Cup Handicap Chase)
Quai De Bourbon (bet365 Gold Cup Handicap Chase)
Minella Cocooner (bet365 Gold Cup Handicap Chase)
High Class Hero (bet365 Gold Cup Handicap Chase)
Klarc Kent (bet365 Gold Cup Handicap Chase)
A Penny A Hundred (bet365 Gold Cup Handicap Chase)
Olympic Man (bet365 Gold Cup Handicap Chase)
Judicieuse Allen (bet365 Gold Cup Handicap Chase)
Dancing City (bet365 Gold Cup Handicap Chase)
Grangeclare West (bet365 Gold Cup Handicap Chase)
Spanish Harlem (bet365 Gold Cup Handicap Chase)
El Fabiolo (bet365 Select Hurdle)
Kitzbuhel (bet365 Select Hurdle)
Lossiemouth (bet365 Select Hurdle)
Jade De Grugy (bet365 Select Hudle)
Lombron (bet365 Josh Gifford Novices’ Handicap Chase)
Paggane (bet365 Josh Gifford Novices’ Handicap Chase)
O’Moore Park (bet365 Josh Gifford Novices’ Handicap Chase)
Chosen Witness (bet365 Johns Gifford Novices’ Handicap Chase)
Jump Allen (bet365 Handicap Hurdle)
King Alexander (bet365 Handicap Hurdle)
Bunting (bet365 Handicap Hurdle)
Dr Eggman (bet365 Handicap Hurdle)
Neil Mulholland:
Transmission (bet365 Gold Cup Handicap Chase)
Ike Sport (bet365 Handicap Hurdle)
Top Jockeys
Of the jockeys on our list of leading riders, Richard Johnson, Daryl Jacob, and Jamie Moore have retired, whilst Bryony Frost is now based in France.
Nico de Boinville grabbed seven wins in chases and four over hurdles. Six wins were at around 2m and five at 2m4f+, with seven wins in the Graded events.
Harry Cobden’s wins were evenly split between hurdles and chases and in events over 2m and 2m4f+, with four coming in handicaps.
David Bass picked up all three of his wins in the Select Hurdle.
2025 Booked Rides
We still await the full list of confirmed jockeys. However, there are a few booked rides worth bearing in mind.
Nico de Boinville:
Kientzheim (bet365 Novices’ Championship Final Handicap Hurdle)
Jonbon (bet365 Celebration Chase)
Lucky Place (bet365 Select Hurdle)
Bo Zenith (bet365 Handicap Hurdle)
Harry Cobden:
Blueking d’Oroux (bet365 Select Hurdle)
Five Sires to Note
All eight of King’s Theatre’s wins came over 2m4f+, six were in chases, and six were in Grade 2 events.
Three of High Chaparral’s wins came in the Celebration Chase.
All three of Yeats’ wins came over 2m4f+, two were over hurdles, and two in Grade 2 events.
All three of Walk In The Park’s wins were at around 2m, two were in chases, and two were in Grade 1 events.
All three of Great Pretender’s wins came in Graded events, two were in chases, and two were over 2m.
2025 Entries
King’s Theatre:
No Entries
High Chaparral:
No Entries
Yeats:
John Barbour (bet365 Novices’ Championship Final Handicap Hurdle)
King’s Threshold (bet365 Gold Cup Handicap Chase)
Walk In The Park:
Master Chewy (bet365 Oaksey Chase)
Asta La Pasta (bet365 Celebration Chase)
Master Chewy (bet365 Celebration Chase)
Jonbon (bet365 Celebration Chase)
O’Moore Park (bet365 Gold Cup Handicap Chase)
Canal End (bet365 Gold Cup Handicap Chase)
Resplendent Grey (bet365 Gold Cup Handicap Chase)
Asta La Pasta (bet365 Josh Gifford Novices’ Handicap Chase)
O’Moore Park (Josh Gifford Novices’ Handicap Chase)
Great Pretender:
Judicieuse Allen (bet365 Gold Cup Handicap Chase)
Lossiemouth (bet365 Select Hurdle)
High Hopes for Henderson Quartet
At the end of our analysis, just one horse qualifies via their trainer, jockey, and sire, and he goes by the name of Jonbon. Successful in the 2023 and 2024 editions of the Celebration Chase, the trends (and formbook) suggest he has every chance of emulating Altior by winning three in a row.
The following qualify via trainer and jockey:
- Blueking d’Oroux (bet365 Select Hurdle)
- Bo Zenith (bet365 Handicap Hurdle)
- Kientzheim (bet365 Novices’ Championship Final Handicap Hurdle)
- Lucky Place (bet365 Select Hurdle)
The following qualify via trainer and sire:
- Judicieuse Allen (bet365 Gold Cup Handicap Chase)
- Lossiemouth (bet365 Select Hurdle)
- O’Moore Park (bet365 Gold Cup Handicap Chase)
- O’Moore Park (bet365 Josh Gifford Novices’ Handicap Chase)
Of those who qualify on multiple fronts, the Nicky Henderson trio of Jonbon, Bo Zenith, and Kientzheim stand out as solid fits for the type or race in which they are entered. Choosing between Lucky Place and Lossiemouth in the bet365 Select Hurdle. However, with the former likely to be available at a significantly bigger price, we will side with the following
all-Henderson quartet on the closing day.
Recommended Bet: Kientzheim each way @ Best Morning Price (Saturday 1:50)
Recommended Bet: Jonbon to win @ Best Morning Price (Saturday 3:00)
Recommended Bet: Lucky Place each way @ Best Morning Price (Saturday 4:10)
Recommended Bet: Bo Zenith each way @ Best Morning Price (Saturday 5:20)
Paul Harrison
Falling in love with racing at a young age, Paul’s passion for sports and betting took him to Salford University, where he obtained a Bachelor’s degree in Business Economics with Gambling Studies. Having spent ten years in the employment of a leading bookmaker, Paul opted to go it alone and pursue his dream job as a freelance writer.
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