{"id":11390,"date":"2025-01-02T13:11:15","date_gmt":"2025-01-02T13:11:15","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/bettingsitesreviewed.co.uk\/?p=11390"},"modified":"2025-01-02T13:19:21","modified_gmt":"2025-01-02T13:19:21","slug":"sandown-racing-preview-veterans-chase-series-final-4-january","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/bettingsitesreviewed.co.uk\/blog\/2025\/01\/02\/sandown-racing-preview-veterans-chase-series-final-4-january\/","title":{"rendered":"Sandown Racing Preview – Veterans’ Chase Series Final Headlines 4 January Card"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"Sandown<\/p>\n

A New Year means Sandown racing action early on in January, and the first Saturday of the month means the Esher track hosting action. This card contains the Veterans’ Chase Series Final and a Listed hurdle for mares.<\/strong><\/p>\n

While there perhaps isn’t the lustre to this meeting it once had when the Tolworth Hurdle took centre stage, it is still a key part of ITV Racing coverage. That means you can watch the best of the action from Sandown Park on terrestrial television.<\/p>\n

Even though traders on horse racing betting sites<\/a> have been kept busy over the festive period, there’s no letting up for them. Or, come to think of it, for our experts who found readers plenty of winners during Christmas and New Year. Check out their race by race analysis of everything at the Esher venue in Greater London below…<\/p>\n

Sandown Racing Preview for Saturday, 4 January<\/h2>\n

12:05 – 2m Class 3 Maiden Hurdle<\/h3>\n

\"RuckerThose with previous hurdling experience set no real standard at all. This consequentially won’t take much winning and Nicky Henderson’s French bumper recruit Khrisma <\/strong>will be popular. Purchased by JP McManus, the mare receives weight from all but one rival.\u00a0JUBY BALL <\/strong>is a credible alternative on his course second from last February, however.<\/p>\n

Evan Williams’ charge chased home a subsequent hurdle winner rated 123 when runner-up in a bumper here. The third, fourth and fifth behind Juby Ball have all come out and scored over the obstacles too, so that Sandown form looks good. Quite how the assessor comes to a mark of 120 for Lud’or<\/strong>, meanwhile, after three placed efforts in hurdle races is a headscratcher.<\/p>\n

Trained by Tom Symonds, he looks the best of those with experience of this discipline. Tom Lacey’s\u00a0Walden <\/strong>could also still have further improvement in him following his third at Leicester last time.\u00a0Mr Barrowclough\u00a0<\/strong>won a bumper on racecourse debut, but has an almost 700-day absence to overcome here.<\/p>\n

12:40 – 1m 7f 99y Class 3 Handicap Chase (0-140)<\/h3>\n

\"MinellaA trappy Sandown racing event where the forecast soft ground brings concerns for many with it. Beat Box\u00a0<\/strong>bolted up in a race that fell apart at Kelso last weekend, but it’s not so much the 5lb penalty as different conditions that are a worry. Pam Sly veteran\u00a0Xcitations\u00a0<\/strong>is 9lb below his last winning mark over course and distance, but he would also prefer a sounder surface.<\/p>\n

DR T J ECKLEBURG <\/strong>didn’t reward punters who backed him at Chepstow on the Welsh Grand National card but, off an unchanged mark, will handle conditions. Stable jockey Adam Wedge replaces Conor Ring in the saddle here. Venetia Williams saddles the hat-trick seeking mare\u00a0Ostrava Du Berlais<\/strong>, but everything about her profile says she wants good ground.<\/p>\n

She’s also effectively a whole stone higher in the weights now with Charlie Deutsch taking over from Ned Fox. With the stable conditional no longer riding Ostrava Du Berlais and taking 5lb off, coupled with a 9lb rise from the assessor, it’s hard to see her landing the hat-trick. Dulhallow Tommy <\/strong>could go well dropped back in trip for Toby Lawes, though.<\/p>\n

1:15 – 2m 3f 173y Class 3 Seniors’ Handicap Hurdle (0-135)<\/h3>\n

It’s not just the Veterans’ Chase Series Final open exclusively to older horses on this Sandown racing card. The Seniors’ Handicap Hurdle could go to\u00a0FINE CASTING<\/strong>, who has twice shaped like two-and-a-half miles around the Esher venue may suit. Ben Pauling had a terrific festive period with winners at Kempton, Newbury and Cheltenham.<\/p>\n

In Fine Casting, he has a nine-year-old placed in both the Imperial Cup and over fences here. This son of Shantou took a big step forward for his reappearance at Haydock when only beaten a length by an in-form Henderson runner he conceded 4lb to. Topweight\u00a0West To The Bridge\u00a0<\/strong>is also the oldest in the line-up, but his recent course fourth isn’t too shabby.<\/p>\n

Dan Skelton’s 12-year-old finished just a neck behind a subsequent winner the last day. West To The Bridge is also 2lb lower than when successful over course and distance. At the other end of the handicap,\u00a0Cast’s Tasha\u00a0<\/strong>finished second around this track and trip against fellow mares off 1lb lower in December and stays further. She’s only an eight-year-old, so Ben Clarke might eke out a bit more from her.<\/p>\n

1:50 – 2m 4f Class 2 Handicap Chase (0-145)<\/h3>\n
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WHAT A FINISH \ud83e\udd2f the lead is held by HARPER\u2019S BROOK everywhere except the finish as TRIPLE TRADE gets up right on the line for victory in the Howden Handicap Chase at #Ascot<\/a> \ud83c\udfc6 well done to @TizzardRacing<\/a> @brendanp1995<\/a> and owners SJS Racing pic.twitter.com\/bCKGN2brYS<\/a><\/p>\n

\u2014 Ascot Racecourse (@Ascot) December 23, 2023<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n