Greaneteen ready for Tingle Creek defence against Shishkin and company

Last year’s winner ‘much improved’ from 12 months ago, as Nicholls seeks to make it lucky 13.

Greaneteen will try to make it a 13th win for trainer Paul Nicholls as he defends his Betfair Tingle Creek Chase title at Sandown on Saturday.

The eight-year-old was a surprise 12-1 victor in the two-mile highlight last term as odds-on favourite Chacun Pour Soi flopped, but the Nicholls runner is set to go off at much skinnier odds this time, as he seeks a fourth Grade One success at his favourite track.

Greaneteen, who has also won the Celebration Chase for the last two years, boasts his highest career rating of 171 coming into this contest after a perfect reappearance at Exeter last month, where he defied top-weight in the Haldon Gold Cup to dish out a seven-length beating to stablemate Dolos.

Nicholls saddled Kauto Star, Twist Magic, Master Minded and Politologue to win two Tingle Creeks and has every confidence Greaneteen can give his owner Chris Giles another thrill by adding his name to that illustrious list.

Greaneteen won the Tingle Creek under Bryony Frost in 2021
Greaneteen won the Tingle Creek under Bryony Frost in 2021 (Steven Paston/PA)

He said: “His whole work has been much improved from what it was a year ago. He’s a much-improved horse and he ran like it (at Exeter). To win off 168 beating decent horses in the manner he did, it confirmed what we thought – that he was much better this year.

“It’s a great race to win, we’ve had some lovely horses win it over the years and it’s a race we target and do well in. Sandown is a fantastic jumping track, horses have got to jump and stay around there so you need the right horse and have him right on the day.

“Touch wood ours seems to be in great form this year, they seem to have improved physically and the way they have been running – I just hope Greaneteen can carry that forward and make it 13.

“It was a lifetime ambition of Chris’ to win the Tingle Creek and last year was a day he’ll never forget. No one else fancied him, but I did.

“He needed the run badly in the Haldon Gold Cup last year as he’d had a few little issues, but I had a month to get some proper work into him and he won the race nicely. We’ve definitely had a much easier run into the race this year.”

Shishkin looks to bounce back from Cheltenham disappointment
Shishkin looks to bounce back from Cheltenham disappointment (Adam Davy/PA)

In what looks a fascinating renewal, Shishkin returns to action for the first time since pulling up in the Champion Chase at Cheltenham in March.

Having got the better of Energumene in a pulsating Clarence House Chase at Ascot in January, a second instalment was anticipated at the Festival – but jockey Nico de Boinville called time after the eighth fence and it later transpired the gelding was suffering from a rare bone condition.

Nicky Henderson reports him to be sparkling at home, and hopefully ready to show his brilliant best again.

He said: “I think he looks fantastic, his schooling has been as brilliant as ever, he jumped 10 fences on Wednesday, Nico has been really pleased with him, he rides him in most of his work and Jayden, who rides him day-to-day, thinks he feels great.

“There seems to be a lot of confidence coming out of Ditcheat (about Greaneteen) – which I respect – but you’ve got to go back and hope we’ve got the Shishkin that ran at Ascot in that epic battle with Energumene last year which was the race of the season. If he’s back to that then he’ll be very competitive.

“I can’t guarantee that, he obviously had a major problem after Cheltenham, but I am confident it is behind us as everything has gone very well.

“There’s no doubt there’s improvement to come, it’s his first run since March. Most of ours have come on a bit for a run, but they have started to win first time out now so I’m hopeful. But it will be a big test.”

Edwardstone is due to return to action at Sandown
Edwardstone is due to return to action at Sandown (Davies Davies/PA)

Alan King’s Edwardstone, winner of the Arkle in March, is another leading player along with his Aintree conqueror Gentleman De Mee, who represents Willie Mullins.

King, however, has been left frustrated in recent weeks in his efforts to get Edwardstone back on the track.

He told his website: “Edwardstone schooled on Monday and he has also had a trip to Lambourn, where Nicky (Henderson) kindly allowed us to work him on the Faringdon Road gallop.

“Obviously, it is not ideal going into such a big race without a prep run, but we have no other option as the ground was too quick at both Cheltenham and Ascot.”

Pat Fahy fields a second Irish-trained contender in outsider Dunvegan, with the Venetia Williams-trained Funambule Sivola completing a select sextet.

He chased home Energumene in the Champion Chase and much like Edwardstone has been waiting for favourable conditions.

Funambule Sivola will have his first of the campaign
Funambule Sivola will have his first of the campaign (Mike Egerton/PA)

Elli Morgan of the My Racing Manager Friends partnership said: “We had hoped to have a prep run, but he wasn’t quite ready for the Shloer Chase and in the Ascot handicap he would have had to carry top-weight and there would have been just two weeks between that and Saturday. So we had to make the call to say the Tingle Creek would be the one we’d choose.

“It cut up at Ascot, but in any case, the ground was too quick.

“He is still only seven and there’s no reason why he won’t step up in trip at some point, but Charlie (Deutsch, jockey) always says to me that if he holds him up, he runs out of steam a little bit and he can happily cruise at his top speed for two miles.”

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