Saturday 3rd December 2022

Author: Jordan Yates (EvRacing_)

Welcome aboard and should I say welcome back to the first blog on the site for a couple of weeks, and it’s Tingle Creek Day at Sandown, as well as Becher Chase Day at Aintree. I’ve got a few punts to share with you on this action packed Saturday from both Sandown & Aintree.

The first of my selections comes in the 1.10 at Sandown which is a Handicap Hurdle over two miles and seven and half of a furlong. I like the chances of Bridge North here at 9/2 for the team of Henry Daly and Richard Patrick. He developed into a useful hurdler last term, and signed off his season with a fine effort within Grade 1 company at Aintree back in April, finishing fifth of fourteen behind Gelino Bello. It was also at that track where he made his seasonal reappearance back in October, also finishing fifth, but this time within a competitive handicap. That was a solid return run, and it’s very likely that he’ll build on that here, if that’s the case I think he’s got a great chance. 

It’s over to Aintree now for me their 2:05 which is the Becher Chase that’s a Premier Handicap that’s ridden over three miles and two furlongs. This race is always an extremely competitive contest and this year’s renewal is no different, with twenty-three runners currently set to go to post. I’m siding with Ashtown Lad here though at 6/1 who represents the hugely successful duo of Harry & Dan Skelton. He had a solid campaign last term and signed off his season with a fine effort in the Scottish Grand National when finishing fifth of twenty-three, running well before his stamina just about ran out at the business end of things. He made his return to the track over hurdles at Aintree at the beginning of last month, which should have blown away the cobwebs, Dan Skelton was also on record stating that most of his runners will come on for their second outing also. It’s likely that this race has been the aim for him, and I think if getting some luck in the run he’s every chance of posting a big effort.

The big race of the day comes from Sandown at 2:55 and it’s the Grade 1 Tingle Creek Chase that’s ridden over a mile and seven and half of a furlong. Shishkin will set the standard here on his seasonal return to the track, an outstanding chaser who hasn’t been seen since uncharacteristically flopping in the Champion Chase at Cheltenham back in March, which was said to be down the ground. If he’s anywhere near his best, he’ll be extremely tough to beat, however, I’ve taken him on, and I’ve done that with Greaneteen at 2/1 for Harry Cobden and Paul Nicholls. He won this race last year and is a course specialist around here, boasting form figures of 2111. He signed off last season with a dominant twelve-length victory in the Grade 1 Celebration Chase here and opened his account this term with another impressive display when winning the Haldon Gold Cup off top-weight at Exeter by seven-lengths. If the Henderson hotpot isn’t on his a-game at a tricky course that he’s yet to face, Paul Nicholls’ eight-year-old should be the one to capitalise.