Soul Icon connections considering Sandown target

Sandown’s Betfair Henry VIII Novices’ Chase is a possible option for Soul Icon following his agonising near-miss in the Rising Stars Novices’ Chase at Wincanton.

Although still a maiden over the larger obstacles, the seven-year-old has finished second on his last five starts and after rattling the crossbar in Market Rasen’s Summer Plate in July, he produced arguably a career best when edged out by a neck by Dan Skelton’s Boombawn.

With conditions forecast to remain dry for the coming weeks, trainer Keiran Burke is now toying with stepping up to Grade One company at Sandown on December 7, where his sure-footed jumping from the front could be a sight to behold.

“Yet again he was second, he keeps knocking on the door and it’s not that he’s ungenuine or anything like that, he just keeps bumping into one, which is frustrating,” said Burke.

“He’s not out of place in that grade, especially on that ground, and Wincanton was definitely the right race to go for.”

He went on: “I’ve been having a chat with Tom Bellamy (jockey) and the long-range forecast looks quite dry still. We did think about entering him in the Henry VIII at Sandown, the Grade One.

“It would be frustrating to finish second in a Grade One, but I would take it. That might be a plan, but nothing is set in stone at the minute, that’s just our initial thoughts.

“When the rain comes, it will probably come, so that’s when he can have a break again.”