Defi Du Seuil tops eight in Tingle Creek test

PA Sport Reporters
December 5, 2019 4:06 pm

Politologue and Un De Sceaux also line up in Sandown feature.

Defi Du Seuil, Politologue and Un De Sceaux are among eight runners declared for the Betfair Tingle Creek at Sandown.

The Philip Hobbs-trained Defi Du Seuil is the marginal favourite for Saturday’s Grade One feature, having beaten Politologue by a shade over a length in last month’s Shloer Chase at Cheltenham.

However, Politologue – winner of the Tingle Creek in 2017 – is 3lb better off at the weights as he bids to provide his trainer Paul Nicholls with a record 11th Tingle Creek success.

Un De Sceaux claimed the prize in 2016 – and gave Altior a real run for his money when filling the runner-up spot 12 months ago.

Connections of the remarkable veteran will be praying for rain as the Willie Mullins-trained gelding bids to become the first 11-year-old winner of the race.

Owners Simon Munir and Isaac Souede have a strong hand, with their retained rider Daryl Jacob preferring Alan King’s Sceau Royal to Nicky Henderson’s recent Haldon Gold Cup hero Janika, the mount of James Bowen.

The quality field is completed by Ruth Jefferson’s stable star Waiting Patiently, Nicholls’ second string Dolos and Henry de Bromhead’s outsider Ornua.