The Mandarin’s Sandown Park Racecard for Saturday 26th April 2025

The Mandarin’s Sandown Park Racecard for Saturday 26th April

bet365 Novices’ Championship Final Handicap Hurdle 1.20
Wolf Moon
There’s plenty of likely types here, but Ben Pauling’s Wolf Moon looks a super each-way angle. With just the three starts over timber, he showed plenty of tenacity last time out at Huntingdon when joined at the last, hanging on by just a short head, and although he went off a very short odds-on for that Class 4 race, he could be the one with more improvement to come. Preferred to Nicky Henderson’s Kientzheim, whose jumping needs to pass the test at this level, Paul Nicholls Sorceleur could rate the biggest danger, now getting a 10lb pull from Fergal O’Brien’s Serious Challenge from their last clash, with the same trainer’s John Barbour completing the shortlist. Wolf Moon to step up to this grade and get right into the mix.

bet365 Josh Gifford Novices’ Handicap Chase 1.50
Riskintheground
A third run in just over two weeks does ask a question, but Dan Skelton’s Riskintheground is in a rich vein of form, so is given the nod. He did go on a similar winning spree last summer, so it may just be that he wins in snatches, and that would be a most welcome bonus to his title-chasing trainer for this valuable pot. Carrying a couple more pounds is Paul Nicholls’ Insurrection, who is less exposed over fences so has to be considered, while Hughie Morrison’s Eyed and Ben Pauling’s Bad both have claims. Riskintheground to nail the quickfire hat-trick and put a smile on Dan Skelton’s face.

bet365 Oaksey Chase (Grade 2) 2.25
Gaelic Warrior (nap)
The first of the Graded races can go to Willie Mullins with Gaelic Warrior, who despite the sound going can take to the demands of this track on his first visit here. After a couple of underwhelming runs this season, Gaelic Warrior was right back to his best in the Aintree Bowl earlier this month, showing too much class for favourite, Dan Skelton’s Grey Dawning, with a superb ride from Patrick Mullins taking that Grade One back to Ireland. Paul Nicholls Pic D’orhy is classy enough, but does seem to save his best for Ascot, and is more exposed than Gaelic Warrior who has been typically lightly raced by Willie Mullins. If anything is going to beat Gaelic Warrior, then it’s likely to be one of his stablemates, with Appreciate It heading the challengers.

bet365 Select Hurdle (Grade 2) 3.00
Lucky Place
This Grade 2 can go to Nicky Henderson’s Lucky Place. He didn’t see out the trip in the Stayers’ Hurdle at the Cheltenham Festival, but is better judged on his previous efforts at around this trip, as before that Lucky Place had been progressing well enough for the Seven Barrows handler, and can get back to winning ways here with conditions in his favour. Willie Mullins sends out Kitzbuhel who was stepped up markedly in trip for the Liverpool Hurdle last time out, so dropping back here must give him a chance, while Dan Skelton’s Take No Chances completes the list of possibles, with her weight for sex allowance adding to the appeal. Lucky Place to scoop the Select Hurdle.

bet365 Celebration Chase (Grade 1) 3.35
Jonbon
All the stars look aligned for Jonbon to make it a hat-trick of wins in the Celebration Chase. For some reason, racing at Cheltenham in the Spring Festival just doesn’t work for Jonbon, although he is a dual winner of the Shloer Chase at Prestbury Park in the Autumn, but it’s Sandown Park where he holds an unbeaten record. Willie Mullins puts the classy Energumene, though softer ground would be preferred for this six-time Grade One winner. Horses for courses here, and Jonbon is all but impossible to oppose for the Celebration Chase.

bet365 Gold Cup Handicap Chase (Premier Handicap) 4.10
Hoe Joly Smoke (nb)
This is the one race on Sandown’s card that Willie Mullins is targeting for the championship title, so there’s a whole squadron going in for one good reason, and that’s Dan Skelton’s Hoe Joly Smoke. Horses for courses once more, as this Black Sam Bellamy gelding goes for the Sandown hat-trick. He’s well out of the weights, and Willie Mullins’s pair of High Class Hero and Dancing City do look top-class opponents, but there’s a sneaking suspicion that we haven’t seen the best of Dan Skelton’s progressive one yet, so he gets the nudge. Hoe Joly Smoke is the super each way value for your Lucky 15’s.

bet365 Handicap Hurdle 4.45
Bunting
It’s a close one for the closer, especially if Dan Skelton has survived the Willie Mullins onslaught thus far, but if it is still in the balance, the title could be going back to Ireland with Bunting. Although there is sure to be plenty of support for home hope, Dan Skelton’s Mostly Sunny, it was only Easter Monday when he scored at Plumpton, so top weight Bunting can take advantage ahead of stablemate Jump Allen to land the last race under Harry Cobden. These are the three to note, with a perm looking a tempting choice, but Bunting can fly the flag for Willie Mullins at the last.

The Mandarin