Tingle Creek Chase: Somersby can win due recognition at last

The last three winners of the race have gone on to land the Champion Chase at the Cheltenham Festival

Label Des Obeaux (centre), ridden by Wayne Hutchinson and trained by Alan King, wins the Winter Novices’ Hurdle at Sandown yesterday (Getty )

The Tingle Creek Chase, already minus its original star name when Un De Sceaux was withdrawn on Wednesday, lost still more lustre when Simonsig, the dazzling grey expected by many to be the chief beneficiary of the favourite’s absence, was himself pulled out when found to be lame last night.

This dramatic late development is bad luck on Sandown, used to attracting the very best for this Grade One two-mile showpiece; the last three winners of the race have gone on to land the Champion Chase at the Cheltenham Festival.

And it is harder still on connections of Simonsig, who waited patiently for the best part of three years for the 2013 Arkle Trophy winner to return from two significant injuries and who were so excited at the prospect of him laying his claim this afternoon to line up alongside stablemate Sprinter Sacre at the Festival next March.

This injury, to his off fore, is a new one, but Nicky Henderson was quick to rule him out of today’s contest. “It’s not going to mend overnight,” said the trainer before lamenting: “His work last Saturday was brilliant. It had been three years since he’d worked like that. I was desperate to run him. It’s so cruel.”

Those who took the early 20-1 about Special Tiara, who beat Sprinter Sacre at Sandown last spring, will be feeling pretty smug – the Irish-trained front-runner is now around 3-1 – while Paul Nicholls seems confident that Vibrato Valtat is capable of providing him with a 10th Tingle Creek victory today.

But Special Tiara is now at short enough, given his poor effort on his Navan return, while Vibrato Valtat, a good but by no means outstanding novice last season, owes his position at the head of the market more to anticipated improvement rather than any form in the book.

It may be circumstances have conspired for one of the old guard to enjoy a last hurrah. Sire De Grugy, the 2013 winner, did not offer much encouragement on his seasonal return, but the admirable Somersby, second in the last two runnings of the Tingle Creek and winner of the two-mile novice chase on this card six years ago, seems as good as ever and, with Nina Carberry, riding for the first time, may be set for a famous and hugely popular triumph.

One of the most curious facts concerning the Grand National, that no winner has subsequently won another race under rules since the 2002 Aintree hero Bindaree landed the Welsh National the following year, has two chances of becoming redundant today when Many Clouds and Pineau De Re return to the scene of their great triumphs.

Many Clouds takes on three in the Listed Chase: Don Poli and Southfield Theatre, first and second in last season’s RSA Chase, and the talented, if unpredictable Menorah.

Don Poli, among the leading fancies for the Cheltenham Gold Cup, is favoured by the weights and is the logical choice, but it is probably wise to take a watching brief. It would be no surprise if Southfield Theatre came out on top this time.

Pineau De Re is one of 17 lining up for a spectacular Becher Handicap Chase over the National fences, along with Saint Are, who finished runner-up to Many Clouds last April.

Both seem in good heart still, but one who appeals more is Dolatulo and not just because his trainer, Warren Greatrex, and jockey, Gavin Sheehan, are on such hot streaks.

Dolatulo, best at around three miles these days, finished in midfield twice at Aintree last season, once over a distance too short and once (in the Grand National) over a distance too far. Today’s trip is just right.