TINGLE CREEK
Saturday 3rd December, 2:55pm
Shishkin @ Evs
Greaneteen @ 6/1
Edwardstone @ 11/2
Gentleman De Mee @ 17/2
Funambule Sivola @ 22/1
Dunvegan @ 66/1
view odds
*prices correct at time of writing.
Henry Beesley: Cornelius, what a weekend that we have in store but first, just give us a quick word on L’Homme Press and that freakish performance from Constitution Hill last Saturday.
Cornelius Lysaght: In a way I think that the impact might have been greater at Newcastle than the intended respective targets at Ascot. After the ground intervened and changed plans for both horses the sense of anticipation grew even greater than it had been.
Everything about Constitution Hill’s performance was fabulous, particularly the manner in which he jumped those hurdles and swept aside Epatante, a brilliant mare herself, and the time he posted in doing it was sensational. But I loved L’Homme Presse’s performance as well, considering the amount of weight he was carrying and first time out.
HB: Moving on to the Tingle Creek and it looks an absolute hum-dinger of a clash. Paul Nicholls has been particularly bullish about Greaneteen’s chances, describing him as the one to beat… are you in agreement there?
CL: Paul is one of the great advocates for racing and of course for his horses in particular, and Greaneteen goes for a repeat Tingle Creek success on a course he relishes and off the back of an authoritative win with a big weight in the Haldon Gold Cup, though one that perhaps rather lacked depth, and this is an entirely different proposition. While he’s in good order – as are all of the Nicholls horses – Shishkin can be forgiven his PU at Cheltenham and the vibes from Hendo HQ about a horse that, remember, has never been beaten under Rules when completing are very positive, weather permitting.
Edwardstone is very able but this is much tougher test and Funambule Sivola is highly regarded by the Venetia Williams team and another productive season is anticipated. On the face of it he is up against it, but the stable is now hitting the target.
HB: Jonbon is long odds-on to make it 2 out of 2 over fences… is he your Arkle winner in waiting and what did you make of his debut at Warwick?
CL: He was superb at Warwick, dismissing a rival for which the Nicholls team has a lot of time for in great style. In terms of the Arkle, he looks like the successor in waiting to Henderson horses like Remittance Man, Sprinter Sacre, Altior and Shishkin in the Arkle. He ought to win this hands down but, as Ruby Walsh always says “it is a horse-race”, and Boothill has plenty of class on what looks like a big day for his trainer, Harry Fry.
‘He looks like the successor in waiting to Henderson horses like Remittance Man, Sprinter Sacre, Altior and Shishkin…’
HB: How about Becher Chase day at Aintree? Does anything really capture your eye there?
CL: The top class National Hunt action is coming thick and fast now – and what a couple of days are in store from both sides of the Irish Sea.
At Aintree, Ahoy Senor needs to put behind him a very disappointing run at Wetherby when lining up in the Many Clouds Chase, but remember he bounced back from unseating his rider on debut last season with that striking success at Newbury. Just because of big-name runners elsewhere, we shouldn’t disregard Ahoy versus Chantry House and the Grand National winner Noble Yeats there.
This is almost always a good day at Aintree, and not packed out with people like the big Spring festival so I always recommend it for attending, and the Becher provides a great spectacle over about two-thirds of the Grand National course. Several of last year’s principals are back including the winner Snow Leopardess – we can ignore the very early PU at Warwick – and runner-up Hill Sixteen hails from a stable in form, though he’s up in the weights. At a price, I’m quite liking the look of Dr Kananga who ran extremely well over hurdles at Bangor last time out.
HB: A final word on the Fitzdares Peterborough Chase on Sunday. What do you make of the entries and is there anything else that is interesting on the card at Huntingdon?
CL: Some brilliant names for the races – congratulations to the world’s finest bookmaker – and I’m intrigued to see how First Flow gets on after a long break 12 months on from giving weight and a beating to Funambule Sivola.
He’s top-rated but at rising eleven not getting any younger, and here’s another one whose team is keeping an eye on the ground. Everyone seems to fancy Pic D’Orhy whose breathing looks much better based on the demolition job he handed out at Newton Abbot.
Presumably Ben Pauling has a live one for ‘his race’… Good luck whatever you fancy this weekend and I hope to see some of you on track!
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