Horse Racing Betting Tips: King’s Sceau to give Royal performance in Tingle Creek
WATCHING top-class chasers speed around Sandown is one of the greatest sights in Jump racing.
With the cream of the current two-mile crop out in force for the Betfair Tingle Creek Chase (3.00pm), this year’s race promises to be a scintillating spectacle.
Defi Du Seuil heads the betting after defeating Politologue in the Shloer Chase at Cheltenham three weeks ago.
Philip Hobbs’ star looked in a spot of bother turning for home before his stamina kicked in up the climb to the finishing line.
To pick up Paul Nicholls’ smart grey in the closing stages was a decent start to the season and his novice form suggests he will be a force in the top races this term.
He saw off Gold Cup favourite Lostintranslation in the Grade One Scilly Isles Chase at Sandown in February before beating the same rival in the JLT at the Cheltenham Festival.
That’s top-class form but both races were over 2m4f and he would prefer the ground to be more testing than it’s likely to be for tomorrow’s race.
The drying conditions are likely to suit SCEAU ROYAL much better at 6/1 with Coral.
He won the Henry VIII Novices’ Chase on this day a couple of years ago and the soft going was all against him when he was last of the four runners in the this race 12 months ago.
He was much better than that in the spring when third behind Altior and Politologue in the Champion Chase at Cheltenham, while his second to Altior over this course and distance on the final day of last season proved his liking for the track.
He looks to have a cracking chance for the in-form Alan King who has a superb record with horses returning from a summer break.
Politologue came out on top in the thrilling finish to the 2017 Tingle Creek. He failed to stay the three-mile trip when fourth in the King George last season and a fast-run race over this distance seems to suit him best.
He’ll need to pull something out of the hat to turn to the tables on Defi Du Seuil on last month’s Cheltenham form, but Paul Nicholls’ horses all seemed to be needing the run at that time.
Last year’s runner-up Un De Sceaux, winner of the 2016 Tingle Creek, is another regular in this race.
His presence, along with Waiting Patiently, Dolos, Janika and Ornua, makes this a fascinating contest.
POINTERS SATURDAY
Sceau Royal 3.00pm Sandown