2025 Sandown & Aintree Saturday Preview – DS
2025 Sandown & Aintree Saturday Preview
We went close to landing another winner with our NAP Blake at Fairyhouse on Sunday. He’s a nice horse but we had to make do with the place money. A mid-race mistake knocked the stuffing out of Clonmeen, the race may have come too soon for Glen Kiln and Ataboycharlie was leading when falling at the last. We have another superb day of racing to get stuck into this weekend, Dave Stevos’ 2025 Sandown & Aintree Saturday preview is below.
1.50 Sandown – Henry VII Novices’ Chase (Grade 1)
Neither of the outsiders make much appeal in the opening live ITV race so we’ll start here. This Grade 1 novices’ chase has attracted a pretty pitiful field of just four runners so there’ll be no each way plays for us.
The market suggests that Lulamba, a Grade 1 winner over hurdles last year, will be tough to beat. He’s unbeaten going right handed, he shaped very nicely on his chasing debut at Exeter 19 days ago and barring mishaps, he’ll probably win.
Lump Sum wasn’t a bad hurdler either and he bolted up on his chasing debut at Uttoxeter. The horse he beat by 16l, Jax Junior, hosed up by 12l in a decent Kempton beginners’ chase eight days later so he should not be taken lightly.
Be Aware ran a creditable race in a Cheltenham Grade 2 behind July Flower three weeks ago so he is no mug and Alnilam, already a two-time winner over fences, completes the field. He’ll need to improve plenty to trouble Lulamba, though.
2025 Sandown & Aintree Saturday Tip: No Bet
2.25 Sandown – Betfair Handicap Hurdle (Class 2)
The Skeltons have been farming these valuable handicaps in the early part of the season and the yard is triple handed here. The bookies make Knickerbocker Glory the 11/4 favourite and he is preferred by Harry. He’s 1lb lower than when beaten less than 2l in the Imperial Cup over C&D last March and he won this race first time out last year off 6lb lower so he has to be taken seriously.
Katiera, who was clearly flattered by her victory over a sick Golden Ace, is 14/1. She is a talented mare but whether she is well treated off 145 is up for debate. That leaves us with Honky Tonk Highway, an 18/1 shot who will be ridden by Brendan Powell.
Least Exposed
Only a 6yo, he is the least exposed of the Skelton contenders and he won a Listed novice over C&D on soft ground at this meeting last year. He followed that up with an excellent run over 3m at Windsor where he went down by a nose to the now 143 rated and subsequent Albert Bartlett third Derryhassen Paddy.
The son of Milan was admittedly disappointing on his seasonal reappearance and handicap debut at Bangor last month, pulling up after two out when well beaten. Surely he’s better than that and on that form with Derryhassen Paddy, his mark of 128 looks more than workable.
It is also notable that Skelton has booked Brendan Powell for the ride and it will be the in-form pilot’s first time riding for the stable so hopefully, he’ll be keen to make a big impression. At odds of 18/1, Honky Tonk Highway is the e/w selection.
2025 Sandown & Aintree Saturday Tip: Honky Tonk Highway e/w @ 18/1 (4 places) nap
2.40 Aintree – Becher Handicap Chase (Premier)
I love this race. Highland Lodge and Vieux Lion Rouge have won it for us in the past and, even though these National fences are a shadow of what they once were, what made me fancy those two horses was their proven ability over these obstacles.
Even though he is 1lb wrong, Gaboriot has to have a massive chance after his fine run in the Grand Sefton on his seasonal return. He stays this far and he handles most ground but unfortunately, he is too short for the blog.
Tremendous Spin
One who isn’t too short for the blog is the Dylan Cunha trained Mahons Glory. He gave Lee Edwards a tremendous spin around here in the Becher to finish fifth, just over 3l behind Gaboriot. He’s 3lb better off with that rival now but the bookmakers don’t give him a chance and have him priced up at 33s.
I suppose that is understandable to a degree as Mahons Glory has yet to win beyond 3m. However, his two previous runs at 3m came in Grade 2s over hurdles and given how he jumps, he looks worth another go at this sort of distance over the bigger obstacles.
He is by Fame And Glory, a big stamina influence. His dam won a 3m point to point and she is a half-sister to Dark Lover and Dawn Commander, both of whom won over 3m.
The chances are that Mahons Glory will probably fade on the long run in after jumping the final fence but if he jumps accurately and gets loose in the lead, he might just build a big enough gap and be able to hang on for the place money at 33/1. At the odds, a small e/w interest is advised.
2025 Sandown & Aintree Saturday Tip: Mahons Glory e/w @ 33/1 (4 places)
3.00 Sandown – Tingle Creek Chase (Grade 1)
The main event. Obviously, having tipped him to win the Irish Arkle at nice odds in February 2024, Il Etait Temps is a horse I really rate. He took the scalp of Jonbon over C&D back in April, his only run last season. He beat Gaelic Warrior at Punchestown in May 2024 and on his first run this season, he hosed up at Clonmel.
Now, the one worry for me would be very soft or heavy ground. That’s not to say he doesn’t handle cut, but his C&D win when he upset Jonbon came on good, his sole run on heavy resulted in defeat and while he has won some big races on soft, I believe good to soft (yielding) ground suits him best.
Big Scalp
L’Eau du Sud took the biggest scalp of his career to date when beating Jonbon easily at Cheltenham last month. It was a visually impressive performance. The son of Lord Du Sud travelled powerfully, jumped accurately and basically won doing handstands. However, the question has to be asked…what version of Jonbon did he beat?
Nicky Henderson’s charge has now been beaten in three of his last four races. He underwent wind surgery in the off season and connections are now trying cheekpieces for the first time on a 9yo that has won 13 of his 18 chase starts and never finished out of the first two. Hardly a positive sign.
It looks like Jonbon’s best days may be behind him so maybe, it might make sense not to get overly carried away by L’Eau du Sud’s win at Cheltenham. This race will tell us a whole lot more about how much ability he actually has.
Outsider
Given the question marks surrounding Jonbon (and to a lesser extent L’Eau du Sud) I’m going to have a risky bet on Libberty Hunter. I have always rated this horse highly and it was hugely disappointing when he fell in the Champion Chase at Cheltenham. I think he was going to make a proper race of it vs Marine Nationale but as Golden Ace has proved recently, jumping is the name of the game.
Libberty Hunter unseated on his seasonal reappearance in the race won by L’Eau du Sud at Cheltenham. As a result, he’s been priced up at 28/1 here and my hope is that going right handed might inspire him to jump better and hopefully put in a clear round. If he does that, he has the engine to run a huge race and as an added bonus, he handles all sorts of ground.
As I said earlier, it’s a risky one but if he gets around, hopefully Libberty Hunter can give the market leaders something to think about.
