2025 Sandown & Wincanton Saturday Preview

We did alright on New Year’s Day. Seddon landed the place money for us, holding on for third after setting a searching pace. It was a similar story with Half Shot. Dave Stevos’ is hoping to find more e/w value this weekend, check out his 2025 Sandown & Wincanton Saturday preview & tips below.

1.50 Sandown – Unibet Handicap Chase (Class 2)

A tricky start to the day. Of the outsiders, Carbon King is capable of producing a big performance but four of his five wins, including both his chase wins, have come on left handed tracks. Hubrisko is entitled to improve for his comeback run at Newbury in November but it can often take Willie Mullins’ cast-offs a few runs to hit top gear for their new yards.

Unexpected Party is probably on a tough mark and Harry Skelton prefers the chances of Etalon. I’d imagine this race will more than likely be dominated by those at or near the head of the market so the percentage call is to sit it out. No bet.

2025 Sandown & Wincanton Saturday Tip: No Bet

2.05 Wincanton – Handicap Hurdle (Class 5)

There’s nothing like a class 5 handicap hurdle on a Saturday to get the juices flowing. The one I’ll take a chance on at a half-decent price is the Keiran Burke trained Penna Rossa. Chalked up at 14/1, this son of Belardo has gone close a couple of times since joining this yard from Helen Nelmes.

On his stable debut back in October he finished a neck second in a handicap hurdle at Exeter (16.5f, gd). The handicapper hiked him up 6lb for that effort but three runs later he ran another cracker off his revised mark of 88 to finish a length second in another handicap hurdle over today’s C&D on good to soft.

He hasn’t backed that up in two runs since, including back here last time out, but in his defence that last run came in a class 4. He’s back down in grade, he’s in off the same mark off which he finished second here in November and he gets soft ground for the first time for this yard. At odds of 14/1, Penna Rossa is the each way selection.

2025 Sandown & Wincanton Saturday Tip: Penna Rossa e/w @ 14/1

2.25 Sandown – Mares’ Hurdle (Listed)

Six runners, so just two places on offer and no horses bigger than 10/1. No bet.

2025 Sandown & Wincanton Saturday Tip: No Bet

2.40 Wincanton – Middle Distance Veterans’ handicap Chase (Class 3)

With a sharpener in a point to point at Dunsmore under his belt, surely Longshanks can outrun his odds of 14/1 for Kayley Woollacott with Callum Pritchard taking off a handy 7lb. It has admittedly been a while since this son of Scorpion won under rules but he showed at the backend of last season he is still capable of mixing it on the racecourse.

After winning two successive points in November 2023 he ran in five handicap hurdles. He returned form figures of 3223 when completing and in his one non-completion, he ran out when holding every chance at the last hurdle. His last run saw him finish a 4l third at Ffos Las off 112 and he returns to chasing off a 2lb lower mark.

He won a novice hurdle at this track when trained by Philip Hobbs so he has run well here before and he won’t have any issues on testing ground. His last handicap chase win came off 112, so he is fairly treated (especially with Pritchard’s 7lb claim) and at the odds, I think Longshanks is worth an each way interest with a few bookies paying three places.

2025 Sandown & Wincanton Saturday Tip: Longshanks e/w @ 14/1 (3 places)

3.00 Sandown – Veterans’ Handicap Chase Final (Class 2)

He is 2lb wrong at the weights but even so, surely Smarty Wild can go well now returning to a more suitable track. Trained by Philip Hobbs and Johnson White, this 11yo son of Fair Mix was pulled up on his return from almost a year off at Haydock in December. He should strip fitter for that and he’ll be much more comfortable now returned to a right handed track.

In chases, Smarty Wild has career form figures of 455P on left handed tracks. Going in the opposite direction, his form figures in chases read 3313332F232. Not a lot of wins there admittedly, but lots of places and at 14/1, a place would do us nicely. Smarty Wild is the each way selection.

2025 Sandown & Wincanton Saturday Tip: Smarty Wild e/w @ 14/1

3.35 Sandown – Handicap Hurdle (Class 3)

I didn’t see much of interest in the 3.15 at Wincanton but I do like one here. We were probably a shade unlucky not to get the place with Zambezi Fix when we backed him here last month, a slew of non-runners meaning third was no good to us. He has run moderately at Chepstow since then, but the return to this venue offers hope of a revival.

It was a class 2 he finished third in here in December and that effort came off 124. He is now rated 121 and this is not as tough a race. After that last run here his Sandown form figures read 22063 and those first two second places came in Class 2 and Listed handicap company. He’s racing off his last winning mark and testing ground is ideal so at odds of 20/1, hopefully Zambezi Fix can sneak into the places.

2025 Sandown & Wincanton Saturday Tip: Zambezi Fix e/w @ 20/1

-DaveStevos