Greaneteen heads the market at 7-4 with sponsor Betfair to repeat his victory of 2021 in the Grade One Betfair Tingle Creek Chase at Sandown Park on Saturday 3rd December.
Trained by Paul Nicholls, who has already saddled a record 12 winners of the prestigious two-mile contest, Greaneteen confirmed his wellbeing with an impressive victory under top-weight in the Grade Two Haldon Gold Cup at Exeter earlier this month.
Four-time Grade One winner Shishkin (Nicky Henderson) is next in the market at 2-1, having not been seen out since pulling up in the Queen Mother Champion Chase at The Festival™ at Cheltenham in March. He is closely followed by 2022 Arkle Novices’ Chase hero Edwardstone (Alan King) on 5-2.
Since it became a Grade One contest in 1994 the Tingle Creek Chase has gone to Ireland on six occasions, most recently the Willie Mullins-trained Un de Sceaux in 2016. Mullins supplies two of the four Irish-trained entries in 2022 – Ferny Hollow, last seen when scoring in a Grade One novice chase at Leopardstown on Boxing Day last year and Gentleman De Mee, who got the better of Edwardstone in the Grade One Maghull Novices' Chase at Aintree in April.
The remaining two Irish-trained are recent Navan Grade Two scorer Captain Guinness (Henry de Bromhead) and Dunvegan (Pat Fahy), runner-up in the Grade One Dublin Chase at Leopardstown in February.
Betfair Spokesman, Barry Orr, commented today: “Paul Nicholls is a 12-time winner of the Tingle Creek and last year’s hero, Greaneteen, is 7-4 to repeat his victory and become the first horse since Kauto Star to win back-to-back runnings of the race. He’s just ahead of Shishkin who is a 2-1 chance.
“In early skirmishes, Fortria Chase winner, Captain Guinness, has proved popular, and is 10-1 from 14-1.”
The Betfair Tingle Creek – Betfair Betting: 7-4 Greaneteen; 2-1 Shishkin, 5-2 Edwardstone, 9-2 Ferny Hollow, 10-1 Captain Guinness, 14-1 Gentleman De Mee, 16-1 Dunvegan, First Flow, 25-1 Funambule Sivola, Sizing Pottsie; 33-1 Third Time Lucki, Thyme White
Betfair Tingle Creek Chase (Grade 1) 1m 7f 119y
Sandown Park – Saturday 3rd December
Captain Guinness (IRE) 7 11 10 Declan Landy Henry de Bromhead Ireland
Dunvegan (FR) 9 11 10 G. Turner/Clipper Logistics Group Ltd P. A. Fahy Ireland
Edwardstone 8 11 10 Robert Abrey & Ian Thurtle Alan King
Ferny Hollow (IRE) 7 11 10 Cheveley Park Stud W. P. Mullins Ireland
First Flow (IRE) 10 11 10 Mr A. N. Solomons Kim Bailey
Funambule Sivola (FR) 7 11 10 My Racing Manager Friends Venetia Williams
Gentleman de Mee (FR) 6 11 10 Mr John P. McManus W. P. Mullins Ireland
Greaneteen (FR) 8 11 10 Chris Giles Paul Nicholls
Shishkin (IRE) 8 11 10 Mrs J Donnelly Nicky Henderson
Sizing Pottsie (FR) 8 11 10 Tracey, Alexander, Apiafi, Kuyt, Harman David Pipe
Third Time Lucki (IRE) 7 11 10 Mike and Eileen Newbould Dan Skelton
Thyme White (FR) 6 11 10 The Stewart Family & Michael Blencowe Paul Nicholls
12 entries
4 Irish-trained