AND so the 2025/26 National Hunt season finally comes to an end with the last meeting over jumps at Sandown Park. The shoulder races are not that bad and make for some interesting betting heats, but the Whitbread, as I still call it, or known in its current guise as the Gold Cup Handicap Chase looks one of the poorest renewals for a long time.

Gone are the days of Desert Orchid, Kildimo and Strands of Gold doing battle up that famous final climb, while this year’s renewal is even miles below the class of the race of 12 months ago with just the 14 entries. Last year all 19 runners were rated on or above a mark of 142, but this time around there are only two entries above 140!

They include last year’s hero Resplendent Grey, now some now some 12lbs higher off top weight of 152, and Henry’s Friend off 144.

It therefore gives a chance to some progressive second season chasers to run off some light weights and still unexposed marks the best of which could very well be MONTREGARD (3.30).

The Tom Lacey-trained runner was all set to run in the Coral Scottish Grand National at Ayr seven days ago before a deluge turned the ground bottomless at the West of Scotland track and he was subsequently withdrawn.

That could well be a blessing in disguise for this seven-year-old who will likely relish this step up in trip to an extended 3m5f and whose sure footed jumping will stand him in good stead over these tough fences. A new mark of 132 requires a career best from the youngster, but this will only be sixth start on a sound surface and there should be plenty more to come from him.

Of his 13 rivals, despite the big rise in the weights, Resplendent Grey should not be totally overlooked under the brilliant team of Olly Murphy and Champion Jockey Sean Bowen, while the progressive favourite Havaila along with Cheltenham festival winner Ask Brewster should also go well.

The last named also adores good ground and has the advantage of already having won over three-and-a-half miles at Cheltenham this season and gets on ever so well with his very capable amateur jockey. A rating of 128 seems very playable and he comes here relatively fresh following and game success in the Kim Muir at the Festival at the Prestbury Park course.

You often get some funny results at this meeting following a long, hard season and I think that there could well be a big upset in the Celebration Chase due off at 2.55. That grand old stalwart Jonbon looks sure to go off a short priced favourite, but I am happy to let the 10-year-old win at around 6/4 or even shorter and the play for me has to be MIRABAD.

Under the care of the fabulous new Champion Trainer Dan Skelton, he will be the second string behind the much improved stable mate Thistle Ask, but I think the race will be run to suit him much better. His stable mate could well cut out the running with Irish raider Solness as both of those entries only know of one way to run in their races and if Tristan Durrell can get his mount popping away in rear I think that he has every chance of supplementing his flashy success in the Grade One Maghull Novices Chase at Aintree some two weeks ago. Yes, he has about 10lbs to find with the best of these, but he remains unexposed and open to masses of improvement.

I have been waiting for a while for BESPOKE TAILOR (1.45) to run over a stiffer track and I finally get my wish granted in the Novices’ Championship Final Handicap Hurdle, the second race on the card at the Esher venue.

He has twice been outpaced at flatter values in fair class races before running on late in the day. He still looks nicely treated on a rating of just 118 and I really like the booking of the still under rated Gavin Sheehan and anything around the 25/1 mark with extra places available from the bookies looks significant each-way value for this extended two-mile event.