A six-race card will take place at Sandown on Friday 5 December, as day one of the Tingle Creek meeting will come from the Esher track.
There’s a brace of Grade 2 contests featuring on the National Hunt card, whilst there’s some competitive-looking handicaps as well for punters to get stuck into. Our tipster Steve Chambers provides his best Sandown tips for Friday’s card here.
Sandown Tingle Creek Meeting Day One Tips
1.10 Sandown – Northern Air (1pt win – 15/8)
Dan and Harry Skelton have made a stunning start to the season and sit pretty at the top of the Trainers’ Championship standings after some big-race wins. The pair can strike early on the card at Sandown, as Northern Air can prevail victorious in the 1.10pm contest. Sent off favourite on her chasing debut at Carlisle, she could only finish fourth over two-and-a-half miles, but a drop back to two miles for this event should see her bounce back to form with aplomb. The six-year-old has been dropped 1lb by the handicapper for that run, so off bottom weight in Friday’s five-runner affair she can capitalise on carrying a featherweight.
2.20 Sandown – Laurens Bay (1pt win – 4/1)
Only four go to post for the Grade 2 Esher Novices’ Chase and all eyes will be on Doyen Quest to see if he can build on an impressive win at Exeter, but Laurens Bay also left a lasting impression last time out and could be the value play here. Jamie Snowden’s yard have been in red-hot form this season and this six-year-old won a match at Uttoxeter by seven lengths to kick off his chasing career with a win. He will need to step up on that effort, but he jumped fairly well on the whole that day and he could shape up into a really smart chaser in time, and with no star taking his chance in this field he could be capable of landing the money.
2.55 Sandown – Champagne Twist (1pt win -11/2)
Ben Pauling’s Champagne Twist finished a couple of lengths behind Hidden History when the pair clashed at Aintree last month, but the former can turn that form around in the 2.55pm at Sandown Park on Friday and taste victory in a cracking betting race. He gave 4lbs to the Dan Skelton-trained runner that day, but will only give 2lbs away on Friday, which could make all the difference. That was his first start for 10 months, so Champagne Twist is sure to strip fitter for those exertions, and having won on his one previous visit to Sandown, he can maintain his 100% record with a win here.
Sandown Tips For Friday 5th December
- 1.10 Sandown – Northern Air (1pt win – 15/8)