The Mandarin’s Saturday Selections for January 3rd 2025
The Mandarin’s Saturday Selections from Sandown Park
Watch The Unibet Racing Postcast Maiden Hurdle 12.15
Sinnatra
This Maiden should be going to Dan Skelton’s Sinnatra, who has hit the bar at Newbury Park on his last two starts. One from Two in Bumpers last season, and with a couple of decent runs in defeat at the Berkshire track this term, this look a good opportunity to lose the maiden tag over hurdles, with the Alcester yard of Dan Skelton in tip-top form. Lucy Wadham’s Contacto rates the danger, after finishing a 13 length fourth to another Dan Skelton inmate after the change in base from Andrew Balding, so looks to have a future in National Hunt. But, it’s Sinnatra they all have to aim at in a pretty ordinary race for the grade.
Try Unibet’s Smartview Racecards Handicap Chase 12.45
Vanderpoel (nap)
Course winner Keep Running is sure to get plenty of backers to double up for Warren Greatrex, but I’ll chance my arm on Vanderpoel. Since the move to a bigger yard at Naunton Downs in 2022, Ben Pauling hasn’t looked back, and those state of the art facilities are now paying handsome dividends, with The Jukebox Man making a major breakthrough when landing the King George VI at Kempton Park on Boxing Day. Enthusiastic owner Harry Redknapp was over the moon, obviously, as Ben Pauling’s stable star gave 110% to win the big Christmas feature, and mark down his trainer as a real force in National Hunt. Just the five, and the prolific and well-weighted Siam Park can’t be discounted, but Vanderpoel gets the nudge.
Try Unibet’s Acca Boosts Seniors’ Handicap Hurdle 1.15
Bourbali
In a tricky race to pull apart, I quite like the appeal of Joe Tizzard’s Bourbali. Joe Tizzard’s Sinndar gelding has been chasing since April 2024, but reverting to timber at the start of last December at Plumpton, seemed to have more to offer in this spere, so that’s where I’m sticking my pin, as our lovely Caroline likes to say! Now, Alan King’s North Lodge hasn’t been seen on a course since December 2023, but can go well fresh, so is second choice, but Bourbali gets the vote.
Unibet Mares’ Hurdle (Listed) 2.25
Nurse Susan
Nurse Susan
I have to say that this must be a race between Paul Nicholls’ Jubilee Alpha and Dan Skelton’s Nurse Susan. Of course, regular followers will hold me to account here, having got it all wrong on New Year’s Day, with 3 seconds and a third at Cheltenham’s meeting, to add to Jasmin De Grugy’s fall when hampered and Twinjets unseat when looking in control in the Premier Handicap. Apologies to all for not our luckiest rub of the rub of the green, but keep faith, we’ll soon turn that around. Nurse Susan to tend her way to the front, leaving Jubilee Alpha to pick up the pieces.
Unibet Veterans’ Handicap Chase (2025 Stayers’ Veterans’ Chase Final) 3.05
Gustavian (nb)
Fresh from winning the Badger Beers Handicap Chase at Wincanton, Gustavian can go on to take the Veterans’ Chase Final here at Sandown Park. It should be a close race between the principals, with Dan Skelton’s Le Milos and Tom Lacey’s Nocte Volatus both on the shortlist, while Joe Tizzard’s Copperhead can come on for his run at Cheltenham last month and is my each way angle. Gustavian for the win, Copperhead the gamble, take it any way you like!
The Mandarin
