A full and intriguing field have been declared for the Tingle Creek on Saturday. A race with a storied history, GG’s Joe Napier previews the 2024 renewal and provides his verdict.
In heavy conditions, Jonbon ground out a gutsy success to justify odds of 30/100 in the 2023 running.
JONBON
(Nicky Henderson/Nico De Boinville)
Given the stick dished out to the Henderson yard for the repeated absence of Constitution Hill, credit should be sincerely given to the consistency of Jonbon. He has undertaken 12 races over fences since making his chase debut in November 2022, eight of which have been Grade 1s, of which he has won six.
But for a cataclysmic jumping error in last year’s Clarence House Chase at Cheltenham, he would have gone through the 2023/24 National Hunt season unbeaten. That included two wins over course and distance, the latter with a dominant four-length defeat of previous 2m top dog El Fabiolo, which also made him four unbeaten at Sandown. His reappearance win in the Shloer Chase was workmanlike, but he had to make his own running and if he strips fitter, he is very much the one to beat.
QUILIXIOS
(Henry De Bromhead/Darragh O’Keeffe)
A new rival for Jonbon, Quilixios will at least provide something different for Nicky Henderson’s charge to contend with. The seven-year-old was a top juvenile hurdler, winning the 2021 Triumph Hurdle, but missed the entirety of the 2022/23 National Hunt season before making his debut over fences.
He was not always consistent as a novice chaser, winning twice, but throwing in some shockers too, including when left at the start in the Arkle. However, he remains close to top class at his best, and his reappearance win at Naas, where he defeated former Supreme Novices’ Hurdle winner Marine Nationale conceding 4lb, was probably a career best, and if he can set a gallop and put the field’s jumping under pressure, he may well cause a surprise.
EDWARDSTONE
(Alan King/Tom Cannon)
A stalwart of the division at this stage of his career, Edwardstone is a three-time Grade 1 scorer in his own right, and remains a relatively underrated horse. He won this race by nine lengths in 2022, and continues to be capable of top class efforts, including when winning the Grade 2 Game Spirit Chase at Newbury earlier this year by 40 lengths.
Unfortunately for him, Jonbon has proven a serious nemesis. Four races against him have resulted in four defeats, including on return in the Shloer Chase. There were fewer than three lengths between the pair in this a year ago, so although it seems unlikely that he will finally get the better of his old rival, he may well fill the runner-up spot once again.
BOOTHILL
(Harry Fry/Bryan Carver)
He may be nine, rising ten, but Boothill has probably run his two best races in his previous two starts, recovering from back-to-back falls around the turn of the year. He was a close enough fourth in the Celebration Chase to Jonbon over course and distance in April and beat Edwardstone for the first time on return when second in the Shloer Chase, unsurprisingly to Jonbon.
He received 2lb from the pair in that contest, so has to step forward once again, which is probably unlikely even taking into account recent improvement. Nevertheless an each-way chance is his if Quilixios in particular underperforms.
THE FIELD
Two British-trained second season chasers also bring something different to proceedings. Master Chewy outperformed JPR One (and Quilixios) in top novice chases at the end of last season, falling when holding a place chance in the Arkle and then finishing a neck second at Aintree to Found A Fifty. That form, coupled with a respectable reappearance off 12st at Ascot, means he is preferred for an each-way shout to Colin Tizzard’s runner, who did win the Haldon Gold Cup in good style, but still needs to find more on most evidence.
Solness will have to prove that his close second to Found A Fifty at Navan was no fluke last time out. Even then, Joseph O’Brien’s six-year-old was in receipt of 7lb and looks short of what is required, while Unexpected Party is exposed at this point and is surely in search of a more competitive handicap mark.
Tingle Creek Trends – Fast Fencing Grade 1 Analysed
The Tingle Creek has been a Grade 1 race since 1994 and it’s attracted some of the top chasers from both sides of the Irish Sea in many renewals, given its audience some incredible races. Here is Dave Young’s study of the trends to guide you towards the winner. There has been no Irish winner…
Tue 03 Dec 2024
VERDICT
Quilixios will at least provide something different to a lot of recent 2m Grade 1 chases in Britain, and his front-running, slick-jumping style could put the field under pressure if he is at his best. However, you would be gambling on JONBON making a mistake the like of which he made when defeated in the Clarence House Chase at Cheltenham last season, and he still nearly won that race anyway. Nicky Henderson’s star is unbeaten in four starts over course and distance, handles any ground and is admirably consistent, so should take this again. Edwardstone continues to display a good level of form despite his advancing years and may well be second once more, while Master Chewy looks best of the rest.
- Jonbon
- Edwardstone
- Master Chewy