Sandown Saturday

Betfair Tingle Creek Chase (Grade 1)

CHELTENHAM’s Arkle Challenge Trophy has a tremendous record at producing champions, and although the latest renewal was criticised at the time for a lack of quality, winner Edwardstone did his best to disprove that notion with an impressive win in the Grade 1 Tingle Creek, Alan King’s gelding pouncing between the final two fences and powering clear up the hill under Tom Cannon to score by nine lengths at an SP of 5/1.

Greaneteen (Paul Nicholls/Harry Cobden) was an honourable second, but although he finished third, favourite Shishkin (Nicky Henderson/Nico de Boinville) was beaten 15 lengths in total and did not impress in any way, prompting his trainer to consider stepping him up in trip.

Edwardstone has been a late withdrawal twice this season due to the ground, but this was just the right kind of good-to-soft ground for him, and he took his form to a new level with an impressive performance.

Held up in last early as Gentleman De Mee made the early running, he made his one error of the race at the first of the railway fences, and when Shishkin ruined his chance by jumping badly left at the pond fence, Cannon slipped through on the inside to track new leader Greaneteen.

Fine leap

Joining that rival at the penultimate fence, Edwardstone produced a fine leap to come away the better, and he stretched his advantage all the way to the line.

Edwardstone’s only disappointment since sent chasing was when beaten by Gentleman de Mee in the Maghull at Aintree in April, but he showed that wasn’t his running with this lifetime-best display, and he looks a real contender for the Champion Chase after this.

On the other hand, Shishkin has gone from looking unbeatable to a conundrum in just two runs.

He had excuses for his flop in the Champion Chase, but the vibes were strong for him ahead of this contest, and he failed to impress with either his demeanour or his jumping. Henderson says he’s more likely to end up in the Gold Cup than the Champion this season, but the trip did not beat him, and he needs to look a lot sharper next time he’s seen.

“I owe Nicky a huge thank you for letting me take Edwardstone to Seven Barrows last week as we got a proper bit of work into him,” said the winning trainer.

“It was just to get him away and get a proper blow into him. Whatever he did today he was going to come on for it.

“He is a big heavy horse and that is why we couldn’t risk him earlier in the season. I know there has been a lot said about it but we do know what we are doing with these horses.

“I had in the back of my mind that we would go to Kempton Park for the Desert Orchid but I will see.

“We are working back from the Queen Mother now. Whether we go one or two runs I don’t know. The Game Spirit will come into it but it is a nice problem to have. I really wanted to get today out of the way.”

Jonbon turns on the style

Close Brothers Henry VIII Novices’ Chase (Grade 1)

NICKY Henderson may have looked a little glum after the Tingle Creek, but Jonbon had him beaming from ear to ear after a faultless performance to win the Grade 1 Henry VIII Novices’ Chase over the same trip earlier in the afternoon.

The Supreme Novices’ runner-up was very impressive in making a winning debut over fences at Warwick, and he was again backed as if defeat was out of the question upped in grade, and despite meeting recent Ascot winner Boothill (Harry Fry/Johnny Burke), who has a BHA rating of 147.

Aidan Coleman’s mount came in for relentless support and was sent off at 2/11 in the end.

No distress

In truth, there was never any moments of distress for those piling into the favourite, even though Boothill did his best to serve it up to Jonbon, with the winner jumping well in front, and able to produce a finishing burst which bettered that of Edwardstone in the Tingle Creek.

Boothill still appeared to have some chance when losing out in the jumping department at the penultimate fence, and could offer no more resistance after that, with Jonbon pulling eight lengths ahead at the jam-stick.

Jonbon ran his race just over half a second slower than Edwardstone, but his closing sectional from the second-last was more than two seconds faster than the Tingle Creek and suggests his already lofty rating can be upgraded due to the manner of this success.

Of course, the acid test for him will be when he’s not able to control races like this from the outset, and he’s unlikely to be left alone in front in an Arkle, but he’s done everything right so far, and does look an exceptional prospect over fences.

“He was enjoying himself and can go both ways” said a happy Henderson in the aftermath. “When you’re under no pressure you can afford to be careful and if you want to be showy and have a yahoo, he can do. “He’s a genuine two-miler at the moment but I’d love to find out how far he can stay.”