Andrew takes a detailed look at the stats and trends that may help us to identify the winner of the bet365 Gold Cup and other races at Sandown on Saturday, April 25th, the final day of the 2025/26 jumps season…
2.20 – bet365 Oaksey Chase (Grade 2)
Market position
Favourites (including joint favourites) are six from nine in this extended 2m6f contest since it was elevated to Grade 2 status in 2016. Backing all ten qualifiers returned a profit of £2.51 to a £1 level stake at SP. Second favourites also showed a profit…
2.55 – bet365 Celebration Chase (Grade 1)
Finishing position last time out
Seven of the last ten winners won their prep race and backing all 14 qualifiers returned a profit at SP…
3.30 – bet365 Gold Cup Handicap Chase (Premier Handicap)
Age
Horses aged ten and older are 0-46 across the past ten renewals…
Nine-year-olds were just one from 47 (-£6.00), beating only 41.7% of their rivals.
Weight rank
Top weights have recorded form figures of P33PP6P905 (0-10) in recent renewals.
Running style
Four winners were ridden patiently, though backing all 111 runners retuned a loss of £74.75 to a £1 level stake at SP. Front-runners (one from ten, +£31.00) and prominent racers (five from 51, +£1.50) showed a profit…
Race type last time out
Those who prepped over hurdles were 0-9.
Race Distance last time out
Those who prepped over 2m7.5f or shorter had a poor record…
Previous chase wins
Maiden chasers were 0-6, while those with just one previous chase victory to their names in Britain/’Ireland were five from 23 for a profit of £23.00…
…those aged eight or younger were five from 17 (+£29.00). Runners with two previous chase wins were just two from 41 though did show a profit (+£17.00).
Previous form at this time of year
Eight of the last ten winners, including the last eight, had won at least once between April and June…
Year / winner / previous wins under Rules in late spring/early summer (April to June)
2025 / Resplendent Grey / 3
2024 / Minella Cocooner / 1
2023 / Kitty’s Light / 1
2022 / Hewick / 1
2021 / Potterman / 5
2020 / COVID
2019 / Talkischeap / 2
2018 / Step Back / 1
2017 / Henllan Harri / 3
2016 / The Young Master / 0
2015 / Just A Par / 0
This year, ROCKY MY WAY, OUR POWER, IN D’OR, CERTAINLY RED, GABBY’S CROSS and LIVIN ON LUCO fall down on this stat
Summary
Most of the 14 runners entered up at the four-day stage have won more than twice over fences. Both MONTREGARD and ASK BREWSTER, withdrawn from last week’s Scottish National because of the heavy ground, are of interest, especially the last-named whose record from March to October reads 111111 (6-6).
4.02 – bet365 Select Hurdle (Grade 2)
Market position
Another good race for favourites…
…with six jollies (including joint favs) scoring in the past ten renewals for a profit of £6.05.
Race classification last time out
Five of the ten winners prepped in a Grade 1, though backing the 29 qualifiers blind returned a loss of £12.50. Those who prepped in another Grade 2 were four from seven for a profit of £17.75…
…two of the beaten horses finished second (11-2 and 7-2) with the other running a 22-1 eighth. Sadly, there are no qualifiers this year.
4.40 – bet365 Josh Gifford Novices’ Handicap Chase (Class 2)
Running style
Eight of the last ten winners led or raced prominently…
5.15 – bet365 Handicap Hurdle (Class 2)
Age
Those aged eight and older have a poor record…
Race class last time out
Those who ran in another Class 2 contest last time out were 0-31. Five of the ten winners were stepping up from Class 3 level and backing them blind returned a profit of £14.00 to a £1 level stake at SP. Those aged seven or younger were five from 33 for a profit of £26.00…
