Sandown tips: Best value bets for ITV action on Saturday December 7

Horse Racing

Sat January 07, 2023 · 3y ago

The veterans take centre stage in the big betting race at Sandown this weekend and our man has a tip, plus an outsider to consider on the same card.

The Value Bet column enjoyed a fantastic year in 2022, registering over 140pts of profit to recommended stakes
Matt tipped Saturday's Newbury winners Grumpy Charley and Blenkinsop at 12/1 and 9/1 last week, as well as Challow runner-up You Wear It Well each-way at 25/1
The Antepost Value Bet also produced super profits last year, featuring Desert Crown at 25/1 for the Derby

Value Bet tips: Saturday, January 7

1pt e.w. Ballyandy in 3.00 Sandown at 11/1 (William Hill, Paddy Power, Betfair 1/5 1,2,3,4,5,6)

1pt win Tiger Voice in 3.35 Sandown at 66/1 (General)

Sky Bet odds | Paddy Power | Betfair Sportsbook

Our racing team produced bumper profits in 2022

Loads to consider in fitting Final

I’ve been a huge fan of Sandown’s Unibet Veterans’ Handicap Chase (Series Final) since its inception as I love staying chasers who are able to maintain their form as 11-year-olds and into their early teens.

On top of that and the overall spectacle of a big-field handicap around this demanding course, you’re also guaranteed a seriously competitive betting heat every year, with 2020 winner Jepeck the shortest-priced favourite having been punted into 3/1.

You’re typically looking at 5/1 or 6/1 the field and, despite Friday support for 2022 winner Prime Venture, I’d be surprised if that isn’t the case again this weekend, though it’s not hard to envisage the popular mare and mother-of-one Snow Leopardess also gaining some traction in the Saturday morning markets.

She actually ran a fair bit better than I was expecting in the Becher Chase back at Aintree last month, having been pulled-up very early on in the Warwick race won by Ramses De Teillee on her seasonal reappearance.

Snow Leopardess is down 4lb to a mark just 2lb higher than when edging out Hill Sixteen in the 2021 Becher so she certainly can’t be ruled out, but others still look even better treated right now.

David Pipe’s aforementioned Ramses De Teillee is one of them, as he looked like a spring chicken all over again when romping to victory from the front on his seasonal reappearance. The handicapper gave him just a 6lb rise back up to 143 which looks fair enough given he was rated 10lb higher just two years ago.

I’ve a lot of time for bold-jumping, prominent racers around Sandown and it’s slightly surprising that Ramses De Teillee has never been asked to jump these fences before now.

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Equally surprising is that BALLYANDY hasn’t been to this track more often as he was just denied by Messire Des Obeaux in a Grade 2 here on his only previous visit as a novice hurdler.

While that feels like a lifetime ago now, Nigel Twiston-Davies’ horse – the Champion Bumper winner as a five-year-old – has won a race of some description every season in training, apart from 2020/21 when placed in the Welsh Champion Hurdle, the Greatwood and the International, before finishing third (of five) in the Christmas Hurdle at Kempton.

In short, he’s been one of the yard’s most dependable horses in recent years and was back winning handicap hurdles at Fakenham and Chepstow (from marks of 137 and 145) just last season.

With a record of 1-5 over fences prior to the current campaign, connections are obviously now looking to capitalise on his lower mark in this sphere and while it hasn’t happened quite yet, Saturday looks the ideal opportunity.

He seemed in need of the run when reappearing at Perth in September and duly stepped up on that when qualifying for this race with a creditable third over an inadequate two and a half miles behind Magic Dancer at Cheltenham’s November meeting, where the reopposing Saint Xavier (winner since), Kauto Riko and Elegant Escape were all in behind.

A step back up in distance looks guaranteed to increase his chance here and given the way he nearly always attacks the final climb to the line at his beloved Cheltenham, the configuration of this course should suit him down to the ground.

Eased 1lb to 141, the still in-form Ballyandy should be bang there when it matters most, and he rates a rock-solid each-way bet at double-figure odds.

Voice could make himself heard

Elsewhere on the card, it’s no surprise to see L’Astroboy has attracted support from the midweek quotes of 25/1 for the Unibet Tolworth Novices’ Hurdle, especially as one of the unbeaten six-year-old’s two wins saw him get the better of Tahmuras in a Ffos Las maiden bumper last February.

Unfortunately for L’Astroboy, it looks like Paul Nicholls has improved Tahmuras to the tune of around two stone since that Rules debut and the manner in which he won the novice hurdle at Haydock when last seen in November had the champion trainer purring. The market is favouring Authorised Speed at the time of writing but his jumping will come under pressure and I won’t be taking Tahmuras on.

Later on, I can’t resist a small win-only dart on complete outsider TIGER VOICE on his first run for trainer Bernard Llewellyn in the Unibet New And Improved Bet Builder Handicap Hurdle.

Granted, he’d lost his way over fences for Henry De Bromhead, having registered some pretty useful hurdles form earlier in his career, including a second to Janidil and a ready maiden success in a 22-runner event at Cork.

When most recently sighted he was running on the Flat last summer, finishing sixth at Roscommon before putting in an eyecatching effort (denied a clear run) when ninth of 23 in a premier handicap (1m5f) at Leopardstown over Irish Champions Weekend.

The third from that race, Jesse Evans, has won a Grade 3 hurdle since then, while the likes of Grade 1-placed jumper My Mate Mozzie and Joseph O’Brien’s decent juvenile Nusret were also among the beaten horses, so it was a warm enough heat.

Tiger Voice has subsequently gone through the sales quite cheaply in the autumn but I won’t hold that against him and he wouldn’t be the first horse to perk right back up for a switch in stables, despite the fact Llewellyn hasn’t had a winner since October (0-12 over obstacles through November, December and January).

In fairness, one of the trainer’s better horses – Zambezi Fix – did run creditably when second at Ffos Las on Thursday so perhaps they’re about to turn a corner, while it’s worth recalling that same horse was runner-up in this Sandown race 12 months ago, having joined from Gordon Elliott the previous summer.

Around 66/1 (anything north of 33s), I’ll roll the dice as last year’s winner Hydroplane was a largely unconsidered 25/1 chance too and this year’s favourite Djelo runs off 8lb higher than when beaten at Haydock last time.

Published at 1500 on 06/01/23

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