Andrew Mount heads into the first Saturday of 2026 looking to kick the year off with a bang and he has three tips for the action at Sandown and Lingfield on Saturday 3 January.
We take a look at both meetings with the jumping action at Sandown Park and the all-weather Flat racing at Lingfield Park, and look through his selections meeting by meeting.
Sandown Racing Tips (Saturday 3 January 2026)
It’s veterans day at Sandown racecourse with two fascinating encounters with the old brigade bidding for victory. Andrew Mount’s best bets line up in the 12.45pm and 1.50pm contests.
12.45 Sandown – Vanderpoel (1pt win – 2/1 William Hill)
Vanderpoel landed his second of two point-to-point starts in November 2024 and was successful in his first two starts under Rules – a Huntingdon maiden hurdle and a Ludlow novice. His next three runs were not so successful – he pulled up at Kelso, albeit in Grade 2 hurdle company, before defeats by 25 lengths and 24 lengths over fences. However, those three defeats all came on left-handed tracks, and he returned to winning ways at right-handed Ascot last time, scoring by seven lengths from Stencil. His record this way around now reads 111 (3-3) and he could prove hard to beat despite the 8lb rise.
1.50 Sandown – Jet Plane (1pt win – 11/4 William Hill)
Jet Plane defied a market drift when comfortably making all from mostly younger rivals in a 2m4f handicap chase at Leicester last month, appreciating the drop back down from Class 2 level and the return to a right-handed venue after his modest seventh of 17 when 4-1 favourite at left-handed Aintree. Dan Skelton’s ten-year-old is just two from 19 on left-handed tracks (-£11.50 to a £1 level stake at SP) but is six from 14 right-handed for a profit of £37.25. He’s run his last three right-handed starts over 2m5f or shorter (22-1, 5-1 and 9-2) and will appreciate the switch to veterans’ company for the first time.
Lingfield Racing Tips (Saturday 3 January 2026)
It’s an early start at Lingfield with their eight-race card getting under way at 11.40am and going right through until 3.29pm. Andrew’s sole selection lines up in the 2.20pm event.
2.20 Lingfield – Charlie’s Choice (1pt win – 13/2 William Hill)
Charlie’s Choice is 0-6 so far this autumn/winter but the six-year-old looks to have been campaigned with ARC’s All-Weather Bonus Scheme in mind and the financial rewards are highest from January onwards (January’s horse of the month gets £40,000, double the December total). The son of Lightning Spear has won just one of his 28 starts in the March to December period (-£25.13 to a £1 level stake at SP), with the win coming on December 19th, but has form figures in January of 1141 (3-4) and in February of 5613 (1-4). Backing him blind in the first two months of the year returned profit of £14.63 to a £1 level stake at SP and this race should be run to suit his patient style.
Andrew Mount’s Best Bets Today
12.45 Sandown – Vanderpoel (1pt win – 2/1 William Hill)
1.50 Sandown – Jet Plane (1pt win – 11/4 William Hill)
2.20 Lingfield – Charlie’s Choice (1pt win – 13/2 William Hill)
Jet PlaneAndrew Mount’s Horse Racing Tips – Saturday 3 January
Today’s Meetings & Start Times
- Sandown – first race 12:15
- Lingfield – first race 11:43
FAQs: Today’s Racing Tips
What are today’s racing tips?
Andrew Mount provides his best bets at Sandown & Lingfield.
Which racecourses run on Saturday 3 January 2026?
Sandown, Wincanton, Newcastle, Lingfield, Southwell & Cork
Who is Andrew Mount?
Andrew Mount is a leading horse racing adviser, expert pundit and journalist, contributing regularly to the Racing Post, Racing & Football Outlook, Racing Post Weekender and William Hill radio as well as providing a daily tipping column for the GG.co.uk website for more than 20 years.
When were today’s Sandown and Lingfield tips published?
Today’s tips were published at 3.20pm on Friday 2 January 2026.
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