End of season Celebration for Edwardstone

Edwardstone could make a third appearance in the bet365 Celebration Chase at Sandown Park on the final day of the season after showing once again the fire still burns brightly with a fine effort in defeat at Plumpton on Easter Monday.

While the sprightly 12-year-old was unable to concede both weight, and age, to the hat-trick completing Secret Des Dieux when finishing third in the BetGoodwin Sussex Champion Handicap Chase it was nonetheless a solid performance.

And on the back of that effort a return to the Sandown Park could beckon for Edwardstone with Alan conisdering giving him an outing in the final Grade One of the campaign, which he finished fourth in last year and third in 2024.

Alan said: “I was delighted with Edwardstone down at Plumpton. It was a great effort as he was giving the winner thirteen pounds and six years, but he finished off the race very well.

“He seems to have come out of the race well and if we are happy with him he will go to Sandown Park on the last day of the season for another go at the Celebration Chase.”

Switching back to the Flat and Paradias continued his fine winter campaign on Good Friday up at Newcastle when finishing a close up third in the Midnite All-Weather Easter Classic Middle Distance Handicap.

And Alan was seemingly not the only one impressed by the display after the handicapper nudged him up a further two pounds to a career-high mark of 105.

Alan said: “Paradias ran another mighty race in defeat up at Newcastle. The handicapper has put him up another two pounds following that run which now means he is bordering on Listed/Group Three class.

“He has come out of it well, but I’m not sure yet where we will go next. It is unusual for a seven-year-old to keep improving like that on the flat, but it is great to see.”