NOCTE OUT THE PARK!

Volatus lands gamble...but Kabral warning for punters

- BY DAVID YATES

NOCTE VOLATUS winged in to land a gamble in the £100,000 Unibet Veterans’ Handicap Chase Final at Sandown Park.

A victory at Warwick in November saw the Tom Lacey-trained 11-year-old put up to a career-high handicap mark of 135.

But those who braved the freeze in Esher - the fixture had to pass an 8am inspection — weren't put off, backing Nocte Volatus into 11-4 favourite.

And Stan Sheppard's mount - on offer at 6-1 in the morning - justified the support with a length-and-a-quarter defeat of trainers’ championship leader Dan Skelton's Le Milos, with Gabbys Cross flying from the back for third.

Lacey, winning the old hands’ prize for the first time, said: “It's brilliant to win a nice pot like that with an improving 11-year-old.