NO Shishkin in today’s Grade 1 Betfair Tingle Creek Chase, and just five runners, but it’s still box office: Chacun Pour Soi’s seasonal return, just his second run in Britain, beaten in last season’s Champion Chase but almost invincible in Ireland and awesome at Punchestown in April the last time we saw him.

It should be some spectacle to see Willie Mullins’ horse zinging down over Sandown’s Railway Fences under Patrick Mullins, set to ride him in public for the first time.

Ratings

Captain Guinness has 22lb to find with Chacun Pour Soi on official ratings, but Henry de Bromhead’s horse looked good in beating Andy Dufresne and Felix Desjy in the Poplar Square Chase at Naas four weeks ago, he settled as well as he has ever settled before, but he still retained his two-mile aggression.

That is a combination that could see him progress significantly this season. He is only six and he has raced just seven times over fences.

Greaneteen won the Grade 1 Celebration Chase over today’s course and distance last April, and he should come forward nicely from his fourth-place finish on his seasonal debut in the Haldon Gold Cup, a race in which his stable companion Hitman finished second.

Nube Negra, second in the Champion Chase in March, a length in front of Chacun Pour Soi, looked good in winning the Shloer Chase on his debut this season. It’s fascinating.

Aintree spectacle

The Becher Chase at Aintree should also be a great spectacle. It’s not the Grand National, but any race over the big spruce obstacles is a spectacle.

Kimberlite Candy has jumped the fences before, and that is a significant asset to take into this race. Second in this race in 2019 off a handicap rating of 137, he finished second in it again last year off a mark of 153.

This year, he races off 150, 3lb lower than last year.

Tom Lacey’s horse couldn’t quite get to Vieux Lion Rouge last year, but he came home without one of his shoes that day, he is 8lb better with that rival today, and he should be better equipped for the test that the Becher Chase presents now as a nine-year-old.

This is a race in which age is an asset. The median age of the last 10 winners is nine, and three of those winners were aged 11 or older. (Hello Bud was 14!)

J.P. McManus’ horse goes well fresh. His record after a break of 200 days or more reads 115122, so the fact that this is his seasonal debut is a positive. He was well beaten in the Grand National last April, but that was over four and a quarter miles on good-to-soft ground. He was beaten in the Eider Chase too in February 2019 over an extreme trip.

His best performances have been at distances between three miles and two furlongs and three miles and five furlongs, and he goes well on soft ground. The forecast rain is a positive, and three and a quarter miles on soft ground is probably close to optimal for him.

Progressive Leopardess

Snow Leopardess is progressive, and she has a lovely racing weight of 10st 4lb, and it will be good to see Chris’s Dream back over these fences again, after he ran so well for so long in the Grand National last April.

This should be more his trip too, and he goes well fresh, but it would be a mammoth performance to win the Becher Chase under 11st 12lb.

Kimberlite Candy is the bet.

Sandown selection

Back at Sandown, Edwardstone should probably be closer in the betting to Third Time Lucki than he is in the Close Brothers Henry VIII Chase. Third Time Lucki was impressive in winning on his chasing debut at Cheltenham’s October meeting.

He won again at Cheltenham’s November meeting, although not quite as impressively. He could well make up into an Arkle contender, but he is fashionable and he is short.

Edwardstone is a higher-rated hurdler than Third Time Lucki, and he jumps his fences well too. He was unlucky to be brought down on his seasonal bow at Warwick when he was travelling well, but he made no mistake back at Warwick last time, when he jumped well and was impressive in beating Stepney Causeway by seven lengths.

Third in the Betfair Hurdle at Newbury last February and fifth in the County Hurdle in March, he is rated 150 over hurdles, but he has the potential to go even higher over fences.

This is not a two-horse race, Il Ridoto was impressive in winning a handicap chase at Newbury last Saturday, for all that the race was run to suit him, and there is nothing between War Lord and Minella Drama on their running at Carlisle last time, the former may do even better when he steps up in trip.

It is another really interesting race, but Edwardstone could be the value.

Recommended

Edwardstone, 1 point win, 1.50 Sandown, 7/2 (generally)

Kimberlite Candy, 1 point each-way, 2.40 Aintree, 9/1 (generally)