Exciting prospects for Saturday
Paul Nicholls' five-year-old created quite an impression when winning the Sky Bet Supeme Trial Novices' Hurdle on his last start at Ascot and takes a step up in Grade at Sandown
CAPITAINE is one of 11 potential runners in the 32Red Tolworth Novices' Hurdle at Sandown on Saturday.
The Paul Nicholls-trained five-year-old made a successful start to his jumping career at Wincanton in early November and while he was beaten in a Listed event at Haydock, he bounced back to win a Grade Two at Ascot in December.
Nicky Henderson has saddled four of the last six Tolworth winners and has a couple of contenders for this year's renewal in Gaitway and Kayf Grace. The latter won a Grade Two bumper at Aintree last spring and scored with plenty in hand on her hurdling debut at Bangor.
Charlemar could bid for his third win from as many starts since joining Harry Whittington, Chalonnial looks an exciting prospect for Harry Fry and highly-rated Flat performer Celestial Path may be thrown in at the deep end on his National Hunt bow for David Pipe.
Finian's Oscar, a £250,000 purchase for Colin Tizzard, looked the part on his first start under rules at Hereford.
Ballyhill, Global Stage, Man From Mars and Mohaayed complete the entries.
Whittington said of Charlemar, who most recently impressed under a penalty in a novice event at Aintree: "It's very much the plan to run on Saturday.
"We gave him an entry at Kempton last week, but that was just a back-up and the Tolworth has been plan A since Aintree."
