Free racing betting tips: Ben Linfoot's preview of Sandown Saturday January 2 2021

Racing betting tips: Saturday, January 2

1pt e.w Ballydine in 3.00 Sandown at 33/1 (1/5 1,2,3,4,5)

1pt win The Pink’n in 3.35 Sandown at 13/2

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The New Year’s Day racing took a hit with Cheltenham and Exeter being abandoned but fingers crossed Sandown’s Grade One Unibet Tolworth Hurdle card survives on Saturday.

If it does Metier is the one to beat in the feature after his impressive win at Ascot last time out and I’m in no rush to take him on, while Ibleo is also difficult to oppose in the two-mile handicap chase at 1.50.

The best betting race by far on the card is the Unibet Veterans’ Handicap Chase at 3.00 and Crosspark looks a worthy favourite here judging by his last two runs at this track.

A combination of soft ground and three miles at Sandown could be perfect for him, but enthusiasm is tempered by his rising mark which has gone up 6lb after three good runs in defeat this season.

On balance I’d rather back something that is better treated at the weights and, while cases can be made for plenty of in-form horses, the one I want to take a chance on at the prices is BALLYDINE at 33/1 (General - Hills are paying 1/5 six places at those odds).

His jumping is his Achilles Heel, but the best he ever leaped over fences was around this track in the February of 2018 when he won the Betfred Mobile Masters Handicap Chase in soft ground off a mark of 131.

Things went well for him that day after he was left in a good position early on following a bit of a melee at the first fence, but there was still lots to like about the way he handled Sandown’s test and it’s surprising this is the first time he's returned to the track since.

He’s also winless since then, but he is just the sort of horse that Charlie Longsdon does so well with in the veterans’ series as his work with Pete The Feat, who won this race four years ago, and Loose Chips both help to confirm.

Both of those horses thrived in this sphere and Ballydine enters the veterans’ arena a very well-handicapped horse off 129 after dropping 8lb in just two runs this season.

There is a chance he’s regressing very quickly, but I don’t think 3m4f in Haydock heavy is his bag, so I’m happy to forgive his latest run, while there was more encouragement in his Aintree performance before that than his finishing position suggests.

He jumped well on the first circuit and was just moving into contention when a mistake at the first fence down the back straight second time around completely knocked the stuffing out of him.

There was promise, though, and he’s 8lb lower now, while Longsdon opts for a change of headgear with the first-time blinkers replacing cheekpieces and the blinds could well spark him back into life.

He ran a very good race in third at Haydock off 140 the first time he wore cheekpieces, while his full brother Clondaw Flicka won in first-time cheekpieces, as well, so it looks well worth trying the new headgear.

Hopefully they have a positive effect, as it would be nice to see him race more prominently than he has been doing, and if he gets into a rhythm around a track he likes he’s handicapped to strike at huge odds.

Finally, things could work out very well for Seamus Mullins’ THE PINK’N at 13/2 (Hills, 6/1 General) in the closing Unibet Casino Deposit £10 Get £40 Handicap Hurdle at 3.35.

This perennial hold-up merchant is in good form and he should get the race run to suit here on ground he likes with Totterdown, Highway One O Two and perhaps even Guard Your Dreams likely to take them along at a relatively good clip.

That would suit The Pink’n, who likes to work his way into things, with the heavy ground – conditions he won on at Stratford in March – and the stiff finish also to his advantage.

He’s also nudging up the weights without winning, but he only went up 1lb for his latest second and the hope is that the return to more testing conditions in a race run to suit can bring about the necessary improvement.

Published at 1530 GMT on 01/01/21

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