Two of the six runners in the Grade 2 Hampton Novices Chase of 2026 don’t have far to go in their horseboxes for this three-mile test at Warwick on Saturday, 10 January. If this meeting survives the cold snap, then there are locally-trained runners in the line-up in Wade Out and Doyen Quest.
Olly Murphy’s yard could hardly be much closer to this track. Warren Chase in Wilmcote is barely 10 miles away. It’s from his training there that Wade Out won three times over hurdles last season and both his outings over fences so far. He added Listed success at Cheltenham races in November last time out to a successful steeplechasing debut around Worcester.
Wade Out came from off the pace on both occasions, but stayed on very strongly. He can jump slowly, yet has abundant stamina. That’s an essential quality for the Hampton Novices Chase in any edition, but even more so when carrying a 5lb penalty for his Prestbury Park heroics under Sean Bowen. Wade Out already looks like a National Hunt Chase type, but may end up handicapped out of it.
There is a ratings ceiling of 145 for that Festival contest on day 1 of the Cheltenham schedule, though. Wade Out already has that mark from the assessor, so his performance here will tell us more about potential future targets. If he lands the hat-trick, then a tilt at the Brown Advisory come March looks the only race back at Prestbury Park for him.
What a performance 💯
Wade Out digs deep and stays on to take the Sun’s “Save Our Bets” Novices’ Chase 🙌🏼
A brilliant ride from Sean Bowen 🔥 pic.twitter.com/Cqfcmgghs3
— CheltenhamRacecourse (@CheltenhamRaces) November 14, 2025
This isn’t an easy assignment for Wade Out, though. He concedes 2lb to Doyen Quest, trained a dozen or so miles from Warwick Racecourse by Dan Skelton, and even more weight to the other four runners in the Hampton Novices Chase field. These include two from the Jamie Snowden stable.
Soft Surface Against Doyen Quest
Skelton continues his relentless pursuit of the British National Hunt Trainers Championship with a commanding lead in the title race. With brother Harry riding fancies for the yard at Kempton on their Lanzarote Hurdle card, the stable’s second jockey Tristan Durrell has the leg-up on Doyen Quest. Twice a Warwick winner in the spring, Storm Goretti turning the ground soft doesn’t help.
Doyen Quest much prefers good going with each of his last five victories on a sound surface. Like Wade Out, he’s a previous Cheltenham winner but in handicap company. The hope with Doyen Quest is that he could improve further for jumping fences, but he suffered defeats at Chepstow and Sandown in Listed and graded novice chases.
Although no match for Salver last time, he did finish in front of re-opposing third Laurens Bay. They meet off exactly the same terms in the Hampton Novices Chase of 2026 as at Esher. Stormy weather and snow may scupper Doyen Quest’s chances of confirming that Sandown form, however, with the Snowden runner better-suited by some cut in the ground.
A double on the day for @gl_racing as Salver produces a special @BetfairRacing Esher Novices’ Chase effort, under a patient and classy ride from @quinn_caoilin 👏 pic.twitter.com/J04hKdnqoX
— Sandown Park (@Sandownpark) December 5, 2025
Salver could only finish fourth in the Grade 1 Kauto Star at Kempton over Christmas, behind John Francome hero Wendigo. That one was previously outpointed by Wade Out around Worcester. With the topweight’s own form working out so well, Skelton could struggle to land a blow with Doyen Quest now that conditions have turned against him.
Away from the locally-trained horses, all the leading online Cheltenham bookmakers think Moon Rocket could have a part to play here. He represents the Kim Bailey & Mat Nicholls stable, but lost a Doncaster match at odds of 1/3 last time. Just held half-a-length, Moon Rocket couldn’t give 6lb to Gamesters Guy.
Hollygrove Cha Cha Has Hampton Novices Chase Hopes
After placing in a couple of graded novice hurdles last season, however, he retains potential. Moon Rocket won an Irish Point and isn’t the only last time out beaten favourite over fences in the line-up. Ben Pauling’s The Jukebox Kid could only manage fourth at Cheltenham in December, but did previously give subsequent Tommy Whittle winner Grand Geste 11lb and a four-length beating around Carlisle.
Given how the yard’s novice chasers have performed this since, it’s too early to write him off. Snowden doesn’t just rely on Laurens Bay in the Hampton Novices Chase either, but runs the mare Hollygrove Cha Cha. She receives at least 7lb from the field all-round and stable jockey Gavin Sheehan rides her. Whereas Laurens Bay has already proven his stamina, this is a step into the unknown for Hollygrove Cha Cha.
Hollygrove Cha Cha wins the @PricedUpBet The Jumps ‘Chasing Excellence’ Mares’ Novices’ Chase pic.twitter.com/QSiaXKtNCS
— Exeter Racecourse (@ExeterRaces) December 18, 2025
A head winner of the Grade 2 Jane Seymour at Sandown last season, mares are no strangers to success here either. Ms Parfois and Galia Des Liteaux both landed this in recent years, so Snowden isn’t simply tilting at windmills with Hollygrove Cha Cha after defeating Bluey around Exeter last time out. Based on her fine third in the Colin Parker behind the much higher rated Resplendent Grey and Handstands, this is worth a try.
Hollygrove Cha Cha jumped to her left both at Carlisle and Exeter, so returning to anti-clockwise track might help her. The mares allowance is always a great leveller, and the fact that she stayed on close home over two-and-a-half miles on her chasing debut gives connections extra hope that the staying power exists for her to be worth her place at this level and increased distance.
Hampton Novices Chase 2026 Shortlist & Verdict
Despite topweight, WADE OUT has demonstrated the stamina required for this test. He arrives just down the road from where he’s trained on an upward curve with the only negative being success will put him out of the National Hunt Chase, which looks tailor-made for him. With the ground now against Doyen Quest and Moon Rocket looking to bounce back from a long odds-on defeat, value lies elsewhere.
Snowden pair Laurens Bay and Hollygrove Cha Cha are no back numbers here. Given the 7lb and upwards all-round she receives from the field, the latter could go well if she sees out three miles for the first time. There’s enough in the pedigree of Hollygrove Cha Cha to think she may well do just that. The Jukebox Kid has most to find off these terms.
