Betfair columnist Paul Nicholls talks through his chances this weekend.
Saturday runners at Sandown
12:43 – Just A Rose
“I think she’s nicely handicapped off a mark of 122, but if we get any more rain on Friday night – it’s already good to soft, heavy in places – she’ll be a very unlikely runner.”
13:20 – Absolutely Doyen
“He’s off a mark of 123, which is fair enough, but the same applies with the rain, if the ground turns testing he won’t run. He’s been winning on decent ground and I think he wants decent ground.
“When we declared it was good to soft, soft, so we were just about getting away with it, but Sandown had 4ml of rain on Thursday and it’s already turned soft, heavy in places, so that worries me. If he does run, he’s a progressive horse, but the ground would worry me.”
14:25 – Afadil
“He ran well in the Imperial Cup last year, that was on soft ground, and if he’s back to form off his mark of 120 he’s definitely got a chance.”
Saturday runner at Aintree
14:05 – Treasure Planet
“He’s a progressive young horse, he won well the last day at Ludlow, he won it nicely although I don’t think it was much of a race. He’s progressing, but soft ground is a bit of an unknown but hopefully he’ll go very well.”
Saturday runners at Chepstow
13:04 – Jena D’oudairies
“She probably just needed the run at Wincanton last time, she had a wind op so she’s a little bit behind, but yes, she was disappointing at Wincanton.
“Again, she’s one of a number of mine on Saturday that wouldn’t want too much rain, if the ground got testing she won’t run. If the ground stays good to soft, as it is now, she’ll run and I’d like to think off a lightweight, Ben Bromley taking 5lb off, she’ll run much better.”
13:36 – Stay Away Fay
“He’s got to carry top weight in this Welsh Grand National trial but he’s showed us nothing in all his runs last season so this is a bit of a retrieval mission. I’d love to see him show us something here.
“He’s been working nicely, he’s had an away day and he’s schooled well, so I’d like to see a good solid run from him.”
13:36 – Makin’yourmindup
“Jay Tidball takes 5lbs off so that helps him but he’s been off for a long time, he got a little jarred up after he ran well at Plumpton last time. I’d say this is a bit of a prep race for the Welsh National so he will need the run.
“At the moment, the plan is to go to the Welsh National with Makin’yourmindup but as I say he will need this run, but as for Stay Away Fay I just want to see him show us a bit of sparkle.”
14:11 – Ivaldi
“He was pulled up last time at Newbury but he’s now 4lbs lower. He’s had a few little issues and came in late, so whatever he does here he’ll improve for the run.”
14:46 – Grand Vendetta
“He’s a half brother to a very good mare I had called Sabrina. We’ve always liked him but he’s big and backward. He’ll run well, but he’ll come on for the experience.”
Sunday runner at Huntingdon
15:00 – Hitman
“It looks a hot race as you would expect the Peterborough Chase to be, with the likes of Djelo and Willie’s horse, Saint Sam, coming over from Ireland.
“He’s good and well and won very nicely last time so the owners have asked for Freddie Gingell to stay on him just because he went so well under him the last day.
“He’ll always run well in these sort of races, it’s a bit tougher than the Old Roan as that was a handicap but hopefully he’ll run well.”
Betfair Tingle Creek a fantastic race
I’ve won the Betfair Tingle Creek 12 times with horses like Flagship Uberalles, Kauto Star, Master Minded, Dodging Bullets and Politologue, to name a few, but I suppose my best memory is Kauto Star winning it twice before going on to win a King George.
Some great horses have won the race, and Politologue winning it for John Hales was another great memory. The Betfair Tingle Creek has been a fantastic race, it’s just a shame not to have a runner in it this year, but we’ll have one another year as it’s a fantastic race.
The race comes early in the season so it’s a great starting point for all the good two mile chasers. All the Champion Chase winners I’ve had, and all my good winners at Ascot in the spring have won a Tingle Creek. It has good prize money so you want to win it but it also points you in the right direction for the remainder of the season.
Clear standout in this year’s feature
If I had the chance to train any of the runners in this year’s race it would be Willie Mullins’ horse, Il Etait Temps, without a shadow of a doubt.
I saw him win at Sandown in the spring and I thought to myself, there’s your Tingle Creek winner next season, so I think Willie’s horse will be hard to beat.
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