See Andy Newton’s ITV Racing tips and 1-2-3 best bets for Sandown Park on Saturday 25th April 2026.
With these four races being shown on the weekend ITV Racing schedule and including the bet365 Gold Cup at 3:30pm.
Which is a race champion jump jockey Sean Bowen has won three times – and needs only one more success to be the winning-most rider outright.
He’ll partner last year’s winner Resplendent Grey as he looks to be the first ‘back-to-back’ winner since Topsham Bay in the 1990’s.
Andy Newton’s ITV Racing Tips: Saturday 25th April 2026
- 1:45 Sandown: COSMIC CONNECTION (e/w)
- 2:20 Sandown: MATTERHORN
- 2:55 Sandown: THISTLE ASK
- 3:30 Sandown: MONTREGARD (NAP)
Sandown ITV Racing Tips: Montregard Can Give JP McManus First bet365 Gold Cup
1:45 Sandown: bet365 Novices’ Championship Final Handicap Hurdle (Gbb Race) Cl2 (4yo+) 2m ITV
Many chances here, including the Dan Skelton runner Kadastral, who should enjoy the better ground after getting bogged down in his last two runs.
The 4yold Minella Yoga will be popular for the Paul Nicholls yard, who have won two of the last seven – while we’ve seen three winning 4yolds since 2021.
Wilstar has caught my eye with wins at Southwell and Warwick but is up in grade here.
So, I think the Chris Gordon camp could hold the key here – with both Kocktail Bleu and COSMIC CONNECTION players.
The former was a nice winner at Newbury last time and has hit the top two in 5 of his 6 hurdles starts.
While Cosmic Connection seemed to have a bit more in the tank after his win at Chepstow last time.
Before that he ran the useful Hurricane Pat to 7 lengths, again at the Welsh track, and with only three career starts it will be disappointing if he’s not got more improvement to come.
I’ll take Cosmic to beat Star.
🥇COSMIC CONNECTION (e/w)
🥈WILSTAR
🥉KADASTRAL
Key Stats 📈
- Paul Nicholls has won 2 of the last 7
- 3 of the last 7 favourites have won
- 5 of the last 7 carried 11st 5lbs or more
2:20 Sandown: bet365 Oaksey Chase (Grade 2)(For The Menorah Challenge Trophy) (Gbb Race) Cl1 (5yo+) 2m6½f ITV
Blow Your Wad is the top-rated (151) and so off level-weights he’s got a big chance here – and I thought he was impressive last time when winning at Chepstow.
While before that was a fine 4th in the Ultima and that form has been franked with Johnnywho running a blinder in the Grand National.
Doyen Quest (Skelton) was second to Salver here at Sandown over Christmas and could make a bold bid from the front.
The better ground will also suit but needs to bounce back from a poor run at Aintree.
The other Skelton runner Etalon will be fresher than most after having two months off and is a course winner.
But a chance is taken on the Paul Nicholls runner MATTERHORN.
Yes, the step up in trip is an unknown – but has won over 2m4f, so there is hope he’ll stay this little bit further (2m 6 1/2f).
He acts well on good ground and is only 3lbs higher than his last win. Plus has a good wins-to-runs ratio – landing 5 of his 11 starts over fences.
🥇MATTERHORN
🥈BLOW YOUR WAD
🥉ETALON
Key Stats 📈
- Paul Nicholls has won 3 of the last 6
- 6/7 – Winning favourites
- 10/11 – Returned 5/1 or shorter
- 10/11 – Didn’t win last time out
2:55 Sandown: bet365 Celebration Chase (Grade 1) (Gbb Race) Cl1 (5yo+) 1m7½f ITV
The heart says Jonbon, but the head is ringing some alarms around the Nicky Henderson star chaser.
Jonbon is a two-time winner of this race and we all know he loves Sandown – with five wins at the Esher track.
Hendo is reporting him in fine order too and having missed Aintree has been freshened up.
But the niggle for me is that at the age of 10 now there are signs of a slight decline.
He’s also lost his last two now at his beloved Sandown and over 2m recently has been 2-2-2-2.
Thistle Ask To Be Thorn In Jonbon’s Side
Jonbon will also have to take on two proven front-runners in Solness and THISTLE ASK.
So this will either set things up for Jonbon, or he’ll be too far back to get a blow in.
I’m going for the later.
Solness ran a blinder at Aintree in the Melling last time (2m 4f) and will love the ground.
But was just 4th on his only his first run at Sandown (2024 Tingle Creek).
So, the fresher Thistle Ask gets the nod, who hasn’t been seen since getting run down late in the Clarence House by Jonbon in January.
But the slightly shorter trip and better ground will make him harder to peg back.
This will also be his first run here at Sandown, but he looks the sort that could take to the quick fences and like Jonbon is also yet to finish out of the top two over fences.
Having raced 7 times (5 wins, 2 seconds) – so being the fresher of the trio, I think Thistle can be too sharp here.
🥇THISTLE ASK
🥈JONBON
🥉SOLNESS
Key Stats 📈
- Jonbon has won 2 of the last 3
- Last 8 winners aged 9 or younger
- Nicky Henderson has won 6 of the last 9
3:30 Sandown: bet365 Gold Cup Handicap Chase (Premier Handicap) (Gbb Race) Cl1 (5yo+) 3m4½f ITV
The big handicap race on the day is a very tricky one to call – many of the bet365 Gold Cup runners having big chances.
Last year’s winner Resplendent Grey is back rated 10lbs higher and looking to become the first ‘back-to-back’ winner since Topsham Bay in the 90’s.
The bet365 Gold Cup trends also tell us the race hasn’t been kind for favourite backers. With the only winning outright jolly since 1991 being Kitty’s Light in 2023.
But at this stage we’ve got about four horses vying for the market top spot – the hat-trick-seeking Havaila, In d’Or, Cheltenham Festival winner Ask Brewster and Montregard.
Plus, there’s a Willie Mullins runner – Road To Home – lurking just behind that quartet.
Montregard Can Give JP A First bet365 Gold Cup Win
Of the bunch, the last-named is the one of interest to me – as MONTREGARD bids to give owner JP McManus his first bet365 Gold Cup win.
This 7yold bypassed last weekend’s Scottish National due to the heavy ground and will now head to Sandown with his preferred surface.
I was impressed with his Ascot win last time back in February and has been kept fresh for one of these big end-of-season handicaps in mind.
The Tom Lacey stable are also in good order, while the main plus for me is the form of his recent runs.
Kap Vert, who was behind the pick at Ascot in January won last week’s Scottish National.
While several horses that ran behind Montregard in his win – again at Ascot – last time have won since – including Your Darling and Joyeux Machin.
Yes, the step up in in trip is the unknown, with that last win over 3m. But he kept on well that day and the better ground will certainly help him get home.
🥇MONTREGARD
🥈RESPLENDENT GREY
🥉ROAD TO HOME
Key Stats 📈
- Just 1 winning outright favourite since 1991
- Jockey Sean Bowen have won the race 3 times
- 6/9 – Carried 10-12 or less in weight
- 8/9 – Aged 7 or 8 years-old
Other Sandown ITV Racing Tips On Saturday 25th April
Away from the ITV Races at Sandown on Saturday, the opener at 1:13 can see the Dan Skelton runner MADE U BLUSH go well.
This unexposed 4yold filly had won her last two in good fashion and looks ready to go again after 84 days off.
Stayers’ Hurdle 4th KABRAL DU MATHAN can get back to winning ways in the 4:02 too.
He just didn’t seem to see out the 3m trip at Cheltenham, so back to 2m 5 1/2f will be right up his street.
Then in the 4:40 the in-form Calimystic was a good winner at this track last month and a 6lb rise might not be enough to see him land the three-timer.
WATCH: Kabral Du Mathan Running Out Of Petrol In The Stayers’ Hurdle at the Cheltenham Festival
