2025 Sandown & Beverley Saturday Preview – DS
2025 Sandown & Beverley Saturday Preview
After enjoying the warm hospitality and spectacular beaches in Cork and Kerry for the past two weeks, Dave Stevos is back in action this weekend. Check out his 2025 Sandown & Beverley Saturday preview and tips below.
1.30 Beverley – Silver Cup Handicap (Class 4)
A very nice pot considering this is a class 4 handicap (over £16k to the winner) so you’d imagine most of the field will be trying. William Haggas’ unexposed son of Wootton Bassett, Crown Of Oaks, is a warm favourite and he is probably going to be hard to beat, though it must be said that the form of his handicap debut win at Ayr has since taken a few knocks.
At bigger odds, Time Tells All makes most appeal. The 5yo son of Sea The Stars has been in rare form for the past six weeks and he seems to be improving all the time. An easy class 6 C&D win in July off 62 was supplemented by another C&D win off his revised mark of 68 back here in mid-August and he lost no caste in defeat when a close up third in a class 4 off 72 over C&D six days ago.
He has obviously been a busy horse in recent weeks so there is a chance his efforts may catch up with him but that last run suggested he was still in good fettle and it is well worth going for this given his clear liking for this place. Odds of 16/1 look a shade generous to my eyes so Time Tells All is the each way selection.
2025 Sandown & Beverley Saturday Tip: Time Tells All e/w @ 16/1
1.50 Sandown – BetMGM Handicap (Class 3)
The interesting one here at a nice price is Metabolt. Trained by Dave Loughnane, Rossa Ryan takes the ride on board this son of Night Of Thunder. This 6yo won back to back races last year, over 7f on soft at Leicester and then over 1m on good to firm at Windsor.
The latter win came off a mark of 85 and he pitches up here off just 1lb higher. His form tailed off on his last two starts of 2024 but he didn’t run badly at all on his sole start this year at Haydock three weeks ago where he was beaten just 3.25l off 88.
He is entitled to strip fitter for that run and he should appreciate the bit of cut in the ground at Sandown. Three of his five wins have come on ground with soft in the description and he also handles quicker ground so if the track dries out, he won’t mind that either. At odds of 16/1, Metabolt is worth chancing e/w.
2025 Sandown & Beverley Saturday Tip: Metabolt e/w @ 16/1 (4 places)
2.05 Beverley – Beverley Bullet Stakes (Listed)
Regional, rated 114, is the obvious one here. He’s a consistent, classy sprinter who is capable of mixing it at the top table so this looks an excellent opportunity for him to get back to winning ways.
At bigger odds, Shagraan might be able to sneak into the money. His trainer, Mick Appleby, is in good form and this son of Sioux Nation has already proved more than once that he can be competitive at Listed level.
Yes, he is only rated 99 so he has a fair chunk to find to get close to the fav but he was a good third in a G3 at Sandown in July and his 2l handicap fourth behind American Affair and Jm Jungle at York in May (conceding weight to both) looks like serious form now. In my opinion, this gelding is up to running to a rating of maybe 108 or 109 and if he does that, it might be enough to land the place money at odds of 20/1.
2025 Sandown & Beverley Saturday Tip: Shagraan e/w @ 20/1 NAP
2.25 Sandown – Atalanta Stakes (Group 3)
It’s great to see such a big field for this G3 for the fillies and mares. It is a race that can often throw up a big priced winner and I am hoping that Molten Rock might be able to sneak into the money at a monster price in this year’s renewal.
Trained by Karl Burke, this Fascinating Rock filly has won just one of her eleven starts. That win came on heavy ground at Redcar when she was a 2yo and her best runs in defeat since have come on rain softened ground.
She has managed to earn two pieces of black type so far, in a German G3 last August (1m, gd-sft) and in a listed Newmarket race in November 2023 (1m, heavy). On her last start of 2024 she was a close fourth in a listed heat at Longchamp, so we know she is capable of decent form at stakes level, once there is cut in the ground (career form figures in pattern races on ground softer than good read 3442).
She should get her favoured conditions here and she had a spin over 10.5f at York 36 days ago so she should be spot on fitness wise. A rating of 95 leaves her with a fair bit to find but a fair few of her rivals would prefer quicker ground and in the hope that they get bogged down on the ground, a small e/w interest on Molten Rock is advised at 50/1.
2025 Sandown & Beverley Saturday Tip: Molten Rock e/w @ 50/1 (4 places)
3.00 Sandown – 1m2f Handicap (Class 2)
The one I like at a nice e/w price in this 1m2f handicap is the Harry Eustace trained Mustazeed. This 7yo son of Territories has been a fine servant to connections, winning five times and earning over 100k in prize money. He likes to get his toe in and he should be nearing peak fitness after a couple of runs this season.
After a below par run on his seasonal return at Haydock, he shaped much better at Yarmouth back on his favoured soft ground last time out when catching the eye in fourth. That 3.25l defeat came off 91 and the handicapper dropped him 1lb to 90.
He has never won off a mark this high but that last run proved he can be competitive and he ran well at this venue back in 2021. He is usually slowly away but that doesn’t hinder him too much as he is a hold up horse who likes to come with his challenge late.
Hopefully the usual front runners Dangerman and Grey Cuban ensure they go a good gallop from the outset and if they do, Mustazeed can stay on late and pick up some prize money at odds of 25/1.
2025 Sandown & Beverley Saturday Tip: Mustazeed e/w @ 25/1 (4 places) nb
3.35 Sandown – Solario Stakes (Group 3)
Only seven horses run here but it’s a fascinating contest nonetheless. All seven of the runners have done their racing on either fast ground or on the AW so the soft conditions will be a total unknown for all of them.
With just two places on offer here and no soft ground form to go on, this is a race I am going to swerve. If I was forced to bet one, it would probably be Humidity at 10/1. He has already won at Listed level and he’s out of a Pivotal dam so he might enjoy the ground.
