A cold snap has hit the UK, but hopefully Sandown Park and Wincanton will be able to race on Saturday 4th January, 2025 and the action is set to take place on ITV Racing. Our in-house tipster Steve Chambers previews the action and picks out his best bets across the two cards…
1:50pm Sandown – Read Nicky Henderson’s Weekly Unibet Blog Handicap Chase
We kick off with a hugely competitive 2m 4f 10y contest and the likes of Cheltenham Festival winner Unexpected Party and the progressive Roccovango are two leading contenders, but it’s Joe Tizzard’s TRIPLE TRADE that can land the spoils. Struggling over two miles in recent times, the nine-year-old has been plummeting in the handicap and is now 8lbs lower than his last winning mark. He has a decent record over two-and-a-half miles, having won over the trip on his last try at it at Wincanton, so the step up in distance won’t pose a problem. He’s been struggling to find his form of late, but with things likely to be happening a little slower here he can return to winning ways.
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2:05pm Wincanton – Bet 20 Get 20 With Unibet Handicap Hurdle
Kayley Woollacott’s OUR DYLAN was an impressive winner at Exeter last time out and the nine-year-old can duly build on that success and claim another win the 2:05pm at Wincanton. Three wins and three placed efforts in his last six outings show that he is in the form of his life, and while he will have to deal with a 7lbs rise for this contest, he still looks capable of delivering the goods. Plenty of his rivals in this event are out of form, but Our Dylan is thriving at the moment and can continue his excellent form with another win.
Matthew Sutcliffe’s Value Punts – Four Tips For Sandown On Saturday 4th January 2025
Fresh from a 3pt winner on New Year’s Day at Cheltenham, our value tipster Matthew Sutcliffe attempts to continue the excellent start to 2025 and has FOUR selections for Sandown’s card on Saturday 4th January. 1:50 Sandown – Read Nicky Henderson’s Weekly Unibet Blog Handicap Chase (GBB Race) (Class 2) (5yo+ 0-145) – Carbon King 28/1…
Fri 03 Jan 20252:25pm Sandown – Try Unibet’s New Smartview Racecards Mares’ Hurdle
Nicky Henderson’s ASTON MARTINI failed to run any sort of race in the Gerry Feilden at Newbury last time out, but the Seven Barrows mare can bounce back to form with victory in the Listed contest at Sandown at 2:25pm. Some smart performers ran in that event that day, but she was always struggling over that two mile trip, so a step back up in distance here should see her bounce back. The in-form Della Casa Lunga looks the main danger and was a winner last time out, but the Henderson team have landed some big winners of late and they can score once again here.
3:00pm Sandown – Unibet Veterans’ Handicap Chase
It could be an excellent day for the Joe Tizzard stable as they can land victory in the hugely competitive Unibet Veterans’ Handicap Chase at Sandown at 3:00pm with ELDORADO ALLEN. A former Grade 2 winner of the Denman Chase, the classy grey isn’t the force of old, but he ran a stormer when third off top weight at Cheltenham last time out and if he can replicate that run then he will take all the beating here. He just lacked a turn of pace that day, so back up to three miles should be ideal and that can help him turn around the form with Copperhead, who beat him at Cheltenham last time out.
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