All confirmations made for the Grade 1 Celebration Chase and the bet365 Gold Cup have been declared to race. Sandown‘s jumps finale card features those two races on Saturday 25 April.
Jonbon is the headline name in the top level contest. He will bid for a third Celebration Chase title after wins in the race in 2023 and 2024. He was second in the contest last year behind 2026 Champion Chaser Il Etait Temps. It also sees him drop back in trip despite Nicky Henderson having hinted at trying him over further.
His rivals will not make claiming another Grade 1 prize easy. Thistle Ask was a game runner-up to the ten-year-old in the Clarence House Chase at Ascot. The big improver of the season will look to make it a true celebration for Dan Skelton, who will be crowned Champion Trainer on Saturday.
A tearaway front-runner, he could face competition for the lead from Solness. Joseph O’Brien’s charge ran a belter upped to 2m4f at Aintree in the Melling Chase most recently.
That triumvirate are then joined by the veteran Edwardstone. The 12-year-old may contest his final race here, while Brookie, JPR One and Mirabad make up the field.
2026 Celebration Chase runners
| Number | Horse | Trainer |
| 1 | Brookie | Anthony Honeyball |
| 2 | Edwardstone | Alan King |
| 3 | Jonbon | Nicky Henderson |
| 4 | JPR One | Joe Tizzard |
| 5 | Mirabad | Dan Skelton |
| 6 | Solness | Joseph O’Brien |
| 7 | Thistle Ask | Dan Skelton |
Resplendent Grey to carry top-weight in bet365 Gold Cup defence
2025 bet365 Gold Cup champion Resplendent Grey will carry top-weight in defence of his stayers’ title at Sandown. Olly Murphy’s striking grey was a game winner from a host of Willie Mullins-trained runners last season.
He faces just one this season. Road To Home was second in the Kim Muir Chase behind Ask Brewster at the Cheltenham Festival. Both run here having missed the Scottish Grand National, as does the JP McManus-owned Montregard.
Ante-post favourite fore the race is the in-form Havaila for Gary & Josh Moore. He is chasing a hat-trick having readily improved to win his last two starts easily. Henry’s Friend, In d’Or and Rock My Way are other significant runners.
2026 bet365 Gold Cup runners
| Number | Horse | Trainer |
| 1 | Resplendent Grey | Olly Murphy |
| 2 | Henry’s Friend | Ben Pauling |
| 3 | Rock My Way | Joe Tizzard |
| 4 | Road To Home | Willie Mullins |
| 5 | Transmission | Neil Mulholland |
| 6 | Our Power | Sam Thomas |
| 7 | In d’Or | Fergal O’Brien |
| 8 | Certainly Red | Lydia Richards |
| 9 | Havaila | Gary & Josh Moore |
| 10 | Ask Brewster | Cath Williams |
| 11 | Montregard | Tom Lacey |
| 12 | Gabbys Cross | Nick Scholfield |
| 13 | Livin On Luco | Philip Hobbs & Johnson White |
| 14 | Invincible Nao | Gary & Josh Moore |