GG tipster Matty Sutcliffe gives his four best bets for the big-race meetings at Aintree & Sandown this weekend.
His selections include a bet in the Becher Chase at the former venue, which is run over the Grand National fences.
Sandown Racing Tips (Saturday 6 December 2025)
1:20 Sandown – Pertemps Network Handicap Hurdle (Pertemps Hurdle Series Qualifier) (GBB Race) (Class 2) (4yo+) – Absolutely Doyen 11/2 1pt WIN
As ever with these Pertemps Qualifier’s the trick is to decipher whom of the ten runners will be ‘trying’ to win as opposed to protecting their mark and/or finishing in the top four to qualify, but bar Supremely West and Chasing Fire, that mightn’t apply to the majority of this field who will need a win to raise their mark should the ultimate aim be to reach the final.
The other angle into these races is to look toward ones who are unlikely to have their mark raised enough for the final, but see it as a race to exploit off their mark by taking the cynical view that despite the prize money, half the field might not be putting their best hoof forward here and while that would apply to Turndlightsdownlow, I’m not sure he’s a definite stayer at this trip on potentially soft enough ground thus it may pay to chance the other in form candidate in Absolutely Doyen.
Paul Nicholls’ charge would have to win this to be high enough in the weights to contend the Final in March and the way he’s moved through his races since switched to Ditcheat this season suggest a mark of 123 can still underestimate him. He was 0-3 for Fergal O’Brien last season, but having stepped up to 2m6f in October he gained a first success with a comfortable win in a four runner maiden hurdle.
He didn’t have to improve much to take a Sedgefield Novice Hurdle under a penalty, but he once again did it with consummate ease despite jumping to his right, and it was that trait that perhaps saw him comfortably win on his handicap debut last time out at Ascot when barely coming off the bridle under top-weight on rain softened ground. That was his first try at this trip and a subsequent 8lbs rise could’ve been harsher, thus he looks set to continue his upward curve for last year’s winning yard.
2:25 Sandown – Bet At Your Best With Betfair Handicap Hurdle (GBB Race) (Class 2) (3yo+ 0-150) – Honky Tonk Highway 22/1 0.5pt EW 4 places
Last year’s winner Knickerbockerglory looks the obvious favourite in here but he’s still 6lbs higher than that last success and despite his rock solid record when fresh, he’s come up short off only a pound lower the last three outings and I wonder whether they’ll be treating this as a prep run for the Ascot Handicap Hurdle he’s entered in two weeks later, which is worth nearly 50k more than this.
I also wonder whether he’ll play the hare for stablemate Honky Tonk Highway who has enough pace to drop back to this trip despite possessing stamina for further. The daughter of Milan was one of four horses to pull up at Bangor behind 27-length winner Ludor, including another two Skelton trained runners and given she was ridden in rear there, it’s plausible to suggest we can merely draw a line through that run.
Having beaten smart mare Diva Luna on her sole point start, she was well backed on rules debut to win a Listed bumper here despite looking incredibly raw. That greenness perhaps found her out in the Aintree Mares Grade Two bumper next time out, but she returned last season with a length second to the well backed That’s Nice on their hurdles debut, pulling twenty lengths clear of the second.
She then backed that up when making all over course and distance in listed company here to fend off Hartington, who’s franked that form this season to be beaten a neck in the G3 Betfair Stayers Hurdle by Electric Mason now rated 128. Honky Tonk Highway lost little in defeat when beaten a nose by the subsequent Albert Bartlett third Derryhassen Paddy, now rated 143, and she did herself few favours by hanging right there.
A revised mark of 129 can still underestimate this mare despite her effort last time out, and she’ll be suited by the return to this right handed track where she’s 2-2 at.
Aintree Racing Tips (Saturday 6 December 2025)
2:40 Aintree – William Hill Half A Mill Becher Handicap Chase (Premier Handicap) (GBB Race) (Class 1) (6yo+) – Bill Baxter 8/1 1pt EW 4 places
Bill Baxter looked unfortunate not to fend off Haiti Couleurs in a Pertemps Qualifier at Newbury on seasonal debut when making a terrible mistake at the last, enabling the winner to collar him late on.
That was a career best effort in the hurdling sphere and it would only have been a pipe opener on his return to chasing, so he has to be feared back over his preferred larger obstacles. He ended the season with a facile twelve length win at Punchestown in the Pat Taaffe Handicap Chase and while he is 13lbs higher than that, he’s still below his peak mark and only 6lbs higher than when he won the Topham over these fences two years ago.
That course form brings him seriously into contention as does the return of Sam Twiston Davies who rode him that day. Warren Greatrex has his string in fine fettle with five wins from his twelve runners, so it’ll be no shock should Bill Baxter give another gallant front running performance particularly after that pleasing reappearance.
3:15 Aintree – New William Hill Racing Bet Builder Handicap Hurdle (GBB Race) (Class 2) (4yo+) – Rambo T 4/1 1.5pt WIN
Olly Murphy has won this twice since 2019 and Rambo T appears as the likelier of his pair in here to cross the line under James Bowen. After a poor run over fences at Uttoxeter, he returned to hurdling with a neck success at Perth in April to beat the 10/11F Hidden History, who was a smart winner on chase here last month. The third Chasing Fire has also franked that form this season having beat The Real Whacker before finishing second to Long Walk winner Impose Toi, as has the fourth Florida Dreams with subsequent form figures of 223, including a second to the subsequent G3 Betfair Stayer’s runner up Hartington.
Rambo T returned this season with a career best effort at Chepstow when winning the Silver Trophy Handicap by a neck from gutsy mare Pagganne, who’s since bolted up in two listed mares chases. The third ran creditably at Cheltenham next time out, the fourth won a class two at Kempton next time out, and the sixth was beaten a neck in G2 company prior to her third in the Long Walk behind Impose Toi.
A 6lb rise looks fair enough, and with natural progression it’ll be tough to see him not bang there for the in-form Olly Murphy.
Matty Sutcliffe’s Best Bets
- 1:20 Sandown – Pertemps Network Handicap Hurdle (Pertemps Hurdle Series Qualifier) (GBB Race) (Class 2) (4yo+) – Absolutely Doyen 11/2 1pt WIN
- 2:25 Sandown – Bet At Your Best With Betfair Handicap Hurdle (GBB Race) (Class 2) (3yo+ 0-150) – Honky Tonk Highway 22/1 0.5pt EW 4 places
- 2:40 Aintree – William Hill Half A Mill Becher Handicap Chase (Premier Handicap) (GBB Race) (Class 1) (6yo+) – Bill Baxter 8/1 1pt EW 4 places
- 3:15 Aintree – New William Hill Racing Bet Builder Handicap Hurdle (GBB Race) (Class 2) (4yo+) – Rambo T 4/1 1.5pt WIN
FAQs
What are today’s racing tips?
Matthew Sutcliffe provides his best bets at Aintree & Sandown across Saturday 6 December’s cards.
When were Matthew Sutcliffe’s tips published?
Matty Sutcliffe’s Aintree & Sandown tips were published at 4.35pm on Thursday 4 December
Who is Matthew Sutcliffe?
Matthew Sutcliffe is GGs newest contributor, often providing a value angle for his tips. He writes weekly columns for the weekend’s racing, as well as taking aim at ante-post markets at the Cheltenham Festival.