Sandown Racing Tips for Saturday December 24th

Racing continues at Sandown on Christmas Eve with an 8 race program on before we return to Caulfield on Boxing Day for the Christmas Stakes and Lord Stakes.

The Sandown track is currently a Good 4 with the rail out 4m, so hopefully we can find a few more winners than what we did on Wednesday!

We have betting tips for all 8 races below.

Sandown Racing Tips - December 24th 2016

Race 1

FILLE CHAMPAGNE looks incredibly hard to beat here back in grade from a BM78 to a BM70. The 2kg claim brings her down to a very winnable weight and her form is consistently good. Her only disappointing run in recent times was in Group 3 company, but since then she's posted a 3.25L win at Pakenham before going down by a nose in a tougher race last start. Invictum Domina looks the obvious danger but Fille Champagne dropping in grade looks the winning formula.

Tip: Fille Champagne (best bet)

Race 2

Very tough race. Mr Sneaky has been heavily backed early and currently sits at $2.30 which is way too short to be backing in a race with this depth. INVINCIBLE AL has run consistently well this prep behind some good horses such as Speedeor and Khaki. His win came over Wise Hero who looks to be a very promising horse going forward. Drops back to 1000m here but he did win over this trip two starts ago and the claim brings him down to 57kg which he can win with. $4.00 seems a reasonable price. Capanello and Pearl Congenial can both win, while there's a big watch on the first starter Shot At The Reward with Oliver on board.

Tip: Invincible Al

Race 3

Found it very hard to split CRYSTAL DREAMER and AMADEUS here. Crystal Dreamer beat Amadeus first up by a length but Amadeus gets a 4kg weight swing here so can definitely turn the tables. They were both first up last start; Amadeus was resuming from a 225 day break so probably has more improvement than Crystal Dreamer, but I just think Crystal Dreamer has the better turn of foot and is a bit sharper, so despite the weight swing he can win again with a good run from barrier 4. Rich Charm is the interesting runner. He ran 3rd to Spieth last time we saw him (beaten 1.5L) which is the best form in the race, but he might just need the run first up.

Tip: Crystal Dreamer

Race 4

DOMINO VITALE goes on top here. She won comfortably two starts back and then ran 2nd by a nose to Hell Or Highwater (who has won 4 of her last 5) last start. We can tie a few form lines in between a few runners here as Domino Vitale beat Sweet Melody two starts back, and both Vandancer and Ashlee Marie lost to Sweet Melody last start. My Sanctuary is set to run a big race at his third run back from a break, and I think we have to include Lopartega who finished 2nd to Hell Or Highwater two starts ago and drops to 51kg here. Mount Omei for Waller will be somewhere in the finish. 

I think Domino Vitale is the standout, but no surprise to see Lopartega and Ashlee Marie go close.

Tip: Domino Vitale

Race 5

There is a clear top three here with Burning Front, Sovereign Nation and Airalign. I'll be backing AIRALIGN each way at the $6 odds after a good first up win over 1200m. The key with this horse is coming into this 2nd up. He has won 4 of his 5 starts when 2nd up so that suggests he can go on from his first up win at Kilmore, especially with just 52kg on his back. I have no idea how Basset is ahead of him in the market given he beat Basset first up and is 3kg better off at the weights here. Sovereign Nation ran well during the Carnival behind horses like Demonstrate and Shillelagh which is good form for this. He failed last start but pulled up with mucus. Burning Front has started the hit form again and with the claim and barrier 1 he will be hard to beat. 

Tip: Airalign EW

Race 6

If REWARDING EFFORT reproduces his run at Mornington last start he will more than likely win again here. Every run this prep has been very good and last start he put it all together to win by over 4 lengths. From barrier 7 he will drift back but he gets his chance with the long straight here. Dubai King will have to work over from out wide but is flying and can give a good sight at big odds.

Tip: Rewarding Effort

Race 7

I've got this between SHIKARPOUR and GRANDDUKEOFTUSCANY. Shikarpour continues to race well and has finished in the top 2 in his last 5 starts. If he reproduces his run to beat Charlevoix two starts ago then he will once again be in the finish. Granddukeoftuscany is the interesting runner, first up for 437 days. We've seen the stable produce these European stayers first up from long spells and they've either won or run well, and before this horse's injury he was shaping up to be very good. Zourkhan comes down from Sydney for Waller and if he sends them down here they typically run well, while Yogi was well backed last start but pulled up with a heart issue.

Backing Granddukeoftuscany with a saver on Shikarpour.

Tip: Granddukeoftuscany E/W

Race 8

The four I'm interested in here are Ma Jones, Pure Addiction, Labuan Star and Tango Rock. TANGO ROCK put the writing on the wall first up when charging home over 1300m at the Saturday Pakenham meeting so the step up to 1300m here looks ideal. I think PURE ADDICTION is the value in the race. He backed up a good trial with a solid first up win in similar grade at Sale and the stable is flying so at $13 he is a good each way bet. Labuan Star is a horse on the up for Weir and we've seen time and time again him bring horses from country meetings to the city and they win. His other horse Ma Jones is another at good value. She won her first two starts last prep over 1200m and 1400m so she can run a big race here and I wouldn't be surprised to see her win.

Tip: Tango Rock / Pure Addiction E/W (best value)