It’s here, the final day of the UK jumps season proper, so it’s only right to put forward my Sandown Jumps Finale Day 2025 selections.
I have to hold my hands up for the recent form. It’s not great, and I’m not happy with some of the selections.
So, I have to adapt and alter to change this fortune, so let’s hope that comes into effect quickly.
Sandown Jumps Season Finale Day 2025
1:20 Sandown – Marche d’Aligre @ 33/1 with William Hill (4 places) – 0.5pt EW
Jamie Snowden gave me Marche d’Aligre as a horse to follow earlier this season, and on his handicap debut, he’s worth following.
Four-year-olds have a good record in this race (two winners since 2018) because they get 8lbs from their elders, and Snowden’s son of Seahenge is lightly raced coming into this.
He’s had just four runs over hurdles, starting with a facile win at Wetherby before his run in a Grade 2 at Chepstow.
He finished behind the well-fancied French raider Nietzsche Has that day, with Hot Fuss (Fred Winter fourth) nearly four lengths behind.
He showed enough promise during that Grade 2 effort to suggest he could be better than his handicap mark of 119 suggests, even if he was beaten at short odds last month when qualifying for this race.
1:50 Sandown – Classic Anthem @ 7/2 with William Hill (1pt Win) & Mark Of Gold @ 16/1 with William Hill (3 places, 0.5 EW)
I don’t think there are many well-handicapped horses in the Josh Gifford Novices’ Chase, which is why Classic Anthem and Mark Of Gold appeal.
Let’s start with Classic Anthem. He has some nice bits of form over fences this season, notably his second to Brookie off 118 on his chasing debut.
The winner has improved 20lbs thanks to a Class 2 Doncaster handicap chase success and his second to Kalif Du Berlais in the Grade 1 Maghull Novices’ Chase.
I think Anthony Honeyball believes Brookie is a genuine Graded chaser, so to run into him that day at Sandown was unlucky.
Classic Anthem arrives here on the back of an impressive success over this course and distance, and he’s only 5lbs higher. He could still have wiggle room in his mark.
As for Mark Of Gold, his Graded form looks really good in this company, and a mark of 144 is just 2lbs higher than his last winning rating.
He tried to give weight away to Rubaud when third in the Grade 2 Pendil Novices’ Chase, and the second, Boombawn, ran a fine race in the Grade 1 Manifesto Novices’ Chase on his next start.
He can win this race with his classy edge around a right-handed track on nice ground.
2:25 Sandown – Appreciate It @ 20/1 with William Hill (3 places) – 0.5pt EW
I like Gaelic Warrior as a horse, but with his price, I’ll let him go off at that price without my money.
Instead, for a bit of value, I’ll chance Appreciate It at a wild price. It’s easy to forget that this horse split Fastorslow and Galopin Des Champs once upon a time in the 2023 John Durkan.
That form speaks for itself, and his record in races on nicer ground is better than expected. He won on good ground at Thurles two starts ago and he finished a very respectable fifth in last season’s Punchestown Gold Cup on good to yielding ground.
He’s had eight runs in races between 2m3f and 2m5f, producing a win, a second in the John Durkan, a fourth in the 2023 Turners Novices’ Chase, a third in the 2023 WillowWarm Gold Cup, and a third in his point-to-point behind Envoi Allen.
That’s not a bad record, and having run in the Grand National earlier this month, he should appreciate coming back to a more reasonable assignment.
He’s very interesting if he’s on his A-game.
3:00 Sandown – Lucky Place @ 11/4 with William Hill – 1pt Win
It would be remiss of me to ditch Lucky Place after his run in the Stayers’ Hurdle, for the simple reason that he just didn’t enjoy his experience.
On his first start at three miles, he sat prominently at a strong pace, and what would you know, he didn’t see out the trip.
Still, he can be forgiven for that, and three miles around a flatter track might suit him further down the line, but for now, dropping back in trip is a positive.
He has looked good this season, winning the Grade 2 Ascot Hurdle and the Grade 2 Relkeel Hurdle, the latter under penalty.
He has the beating of Blueking d’Oroux based on Ascot, and he has Salver beaten based on Cheltenham.
With the trip, ground, and track likely to suit, I’m sticking with him.
4:10 Sandown – Dancing City @ 6/1 with William Hill (5 places) – 1pt Win
Yes, I am worried that Paul Townend has chosen High Class Hero, but Dancing City was my early shout for this race, and I’m sticking with him.
The case is there. It’s his handicap debut, he’s ground versatile, and he’s a very classy horse who gets to run off 10-11 in this company.
That class started over hurdles when beating the likes of The Jukebox Man, High Class Hero, Better Days Ahead, Stellar Story, and Lecky Watson.
Over fences, he looked good on his chasing debut before beating Bioluminescence. The form of that race can be questioned, but on heavy ground around Naas, a bit of leniency can be applied.
He seemed to be lobbing around Aintree in the Grade 1 Mildmay Novices’ Chase before taking a chance at the 14th, but hopefully he is none the worse for the fall.
The Joe Donnelly-owned eight-year-old has the ability to win this, and with Grangeclare West holding the weights up, he is my pick.
