The horse racing ambassador kicks off the year with four bets from Sandown and Wincanton and picks out some statistical angles in a new blog feature for 2025.
Happy New Year! The first few weeks of 2025 are going to have to go some to match the last knockings of 2024. The resurgence of Nicky Henderson with superb performances from Constitution Hill and Sir Gino and three Grade 1’s from a reduced jumps string for Joseph O’Brien were the highlights, while yards like Willie Mullins and Paul Nicholls had a few decent pressies but also plenty of socks and dodgy pullovers. There was a terrific atmosphere on track as well, with bumper crowds and a much younger demographic than usual, which was also encouraging to see.
There will be a new look to the blog this year, as well, with a wider stats approach that will still include a few Jockeys For Courses and no stable tracker, as the majority of runners were occurring during the week so harder to highlight – although as it was the weak point statistically last year that may have been just as well!
Weather permitting, the Veterans hold centre stage at Sandown and I really hope that this remains the case as the Final would get lost if moved to the Festival, which some have mooted. Cheltenham dominates more than enough during the regular season and this card has already lost the Tolworth to Aintree, where it is now run as the Formby and also gets overshadowed by other Boxing Day events.
As well as the pension-boosting Chase final, there is also one for hurdlers where DODDIETHEGREAT
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(13:15 Sandown) bids to get his career back on track after not looking a natural over fences. He was then so badly impeded at the start at Kempton over Christmas that he was pulled up after just a few hundred yards. Last season he had some decent form over hurdles, including a staying-on fourth in the Betfair at Newbury off 132 (129 here) before he, like many from the yard, ran below par at the back end. He also has very few miles on the clock for a nine-year-old, this being just his 11th career start.
Earlier on in the card, the Henderson yard unveil French Bumper winner Khrisma, but the application of a hood, coupled with an absence of over a year, means she could be a little fresh and so the less glitzy but very promising JUBY BALL
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(12:05 Sandown) gets the vote. He impressed with the way he made his ground here in a bumper in February and was a non-runner in a Sandown Listed hurdle race on his intended jumps debut last month. Evan Williams is not one to overface his young horses, so it is a sign of the regard in which Juby Ball is held.
In the last race on the card, and one of the seven scheduled ITV races, SPIRIT’S BAY
17/2
(15:35 Sandown) can show the benefit of his seasonal debut at Cheltenham, where the winner slipped the field and he paid for being one of the first to try and close the gap. He is a likeable horse who relishes deep ground, so the likely gluepot by the last may be right up his street and thwart some of the less experienced younger horses.
Gina Andrews achieved a notable landmark with 500 career winners in Points and under Rules last week, and she partners SOLDIER’S LEAP
9/2
(14:05 Wincanton). He ran second on his handicap debut to Motazzen, who has followed up twice over the Christmas period. A tongue tie is applied, which should help him settle better and there looks nothing of Motazzen’s calibre in this field apart from dark horse Bredon Hill Dart, who should be respected if supported in the market. There is more to come from him at some stage but probably when raised in trip.
STATS ALL FOLKS!
This section will include some of the jockeys’ stats from the old Jockeys For Courses but will spread the net a bit wider to include a few other topical angles.
With the turf tracks fighting the weather on Saturday, a few pointers towards some of the All-Weather action:
CALLUM HUTCHINSON at Southwell has a career record of 10/61 for an Actual/Expected Ratio of 1.78. He has three rides, including Old Harrovian (17:05 Southwell) who he finished third on last time in a race that has thrown up two next-time-out winners.
GEMMA TUTTY has, as of Friday morning, won with five of her last seven runners. She saddles former Stable Tracker horse Ormolulu (18:35 Southwell) on Saturday as well as Bantz (18:00) and Commander Crouch (20:00) on Friday night at the same venue.
JACK MORLAND is making a fine start to his training career and could well be a name to watch during 2025. He has won with five of his first 14 runners since taking out a licence in November and has Gaassee (17:05 Southwell) and hat-trick-seeking Angel Of Antrim (18:50 Wolverhampton) in action on Saturday.
COLUMN PERFORMANCE 2024
(Actual winner / Expected Winners) A/E Ratio Par = 1.00
Selections: 68/65.6, A/E 1.04
Jockeys For Courses: 64/66.67, A/E 0.96
Stable Tracker: 31/32.87, A/E 0.94
Overall: 163/165.15, A/E 0.99
Visit Betway’s horse racing betting page.
