bet365 Celebration Chase
 AutoUpdating 150x150 Gif
Grade 1, Sandown 15:35
£170,000 guaranteed,
5yo plus,
2m, Class 1   
Saturday 26th April 2025

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1 Il Etait Temps 9/2
2 Jonbon 8/15F
3 Energumene
7 ran Distances: 5½l, 9½l, 1¾l
Time: 3m 46.08s (fast by 3.52s)

Il Etait Temps turned the formbook upside down, springing a major surprise at Sandown and handing Jonbon his first defeat away from Cheltenham.

Off the track for almost a year, Willie Mullins’ seven-year-old showed no signs of rust, cruising to a five-and-a-half-length success under a silky-smooth Danny Mullins ride.

There were clues, if you looked hard enough — he had beaten Gaelic Warrior at Punchestown last spring and landed a Grade One at Aintree — but after a season on the sidelines, he was sent off at 9-2. Any doubts were quickly brushed aside. Ping after ping at his fences, he still hadn't moved a muscle as he loomed alongside Jonbon at the Pond Fence. From there, it was over in a matter of strides.

Jonbon, who had jumped soundly bar shifting slightly right at a few obstacles, simply had no answer. Energumene, a two-time Champion Chase winner and another Mullins inmate, plugged on for third.

A stunned Willie Mullins admitted: "I didn’t expect that! I was just hoping both horses would get round safely and maybe pick up some place money. To do that off the back of a year off... that’s one of the moments of the season for me. He’s not the biggest, next to Jonbon it looked like father and son out there — but he's athletic, he stays, and he jumps like a buck. He’s proper top-class."

On his absence, Mullins added: "He had a little knee issue and every time we got close to running him again — Christmas, then Easter — something would go wrong. We were aiming for Punchestown, but when we needed him today, thank goodness he was ready. He’s been sparkling at home."

Nicky Henderson was typically sporting in defeat with Jonbon:
"He’s jumped and travelled and done everything right. He’s danced every dance this year — Cheltenham might have left a mark after a really tough race there. Aintree was great, but today just shows maybe that extra half-mile is where his future lies. It’s tempting to go the Shloer, Tingle Creek route next season, but stepping up in trip might bring out even more."

Meanwhile, connections of Energumene felt quicker ground blunted his trademark finishing kick — but ruled out any thoughts of retirement for the dual Champion Chaser, who will return for another campaign next season.

Boylesports

bet365 Celebration Chase
7 ran
Going: Good

POS. DIST HORSE AGE WGT TRAINER JOCKEY SP
1    Il Etait Temps 7 11-10 W P Mullins Danny Mullins 9/2
2 5½ Jonbon 9 11-10 Nicky Henderson Mark Walsh 8/15F
3 9½ Energumene 11 11-10 W P Mullins Paul Townend 11/2
4 1¾ Edwardstone 11 11-10 Alan King Tom Cannon 14/1
5 5 Unexpected Party 10 11-10 Dan Skelton Harry Skelton 50/1
6 3¼ Master Chewy 8 11-10 Nigel Twiston-Davies Sam Twiston-Davies 22/1
7 39 Harper's Brook 9 11-10 Dan Skelton Kielan Woods 125/1

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