Honeyball sets sights on Final repeat for Jepeck

Sandown winner heads to Exeter qualifier next month.

Jepeck will aim to get qualified for next year’s Veterans’ Series Final when he runs at Exeter next month, having already won this season’s event.

A long-term plan came to fruition for Anthony Honeyball when the 11-year-old won the £100,000 contest at Sandown early in the new year.

It was far from straightforward, though, as he was nearly taken out by a loose horse before the final fence and needed all of Rex Dingle’s expertise in the saddle to get him home a short head in front of Regal Flow.

“He goes to Exeter on February 9 for a £30,000 veterans’ qualifier for a nice race called the Veterans’ Final next January!” said Honeyball.

“It’s not too far from us, I’m happy with the plan. I was going to see if there was anything else for him and there was talk of going for an Albert Bartlett Trial at Haydock which would probably be a small field.

“He handles heavy well and he’d probably be placed in that, but I think we’ll keep it simple. He takes his races well, he’s got a month to get over Sandown and if he gets qualified, we can do whatever we want then before the final.”

Honeyball was slightly surprised when the handicapper raised the veteran 8lb, which has subsequently been downgraded by 1lb, and he hopes it may get looked at again.

“I thought his initial rise of 8lb was strong, it did get downgraded to seven and Regal Flow is entered this weekend so it could get assessed again,” he said.

“He’s progressing, which is a bit different to a normal veteran as he was beating horses who had already achieved plenty.

“It was such a good day at Sandown. For a long-held plan to come off the way it did, nearly getting carried out and then winning in a photo – it had it all.”

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