Blast from the Past: 2008 Tingle Creek

Paul Nicholls has masterminded nine Tingle Creek victories, beginning with Flagship Uberalles in 1999. Flagship Uberalles is still the only horse to win the race on three occasions, obliging in 2000 for Noel Chance and in 2001 for Philip Hobbs, however Nicholls has since made the race his own thanks to the exploits of three dual winners.

Kauto Star announced himself on the British chasing scene when beating Ashley Brook in the 2005 renewal, and it was another French import in the colours of Clive Smith who confirmed his place at the head of the two-mile chase division three years later. Master Minded had produced an awesome performance when winning the previous season's Queen Mother Champion Chase, however he signed off that season with a shock defeat in the Melling Chase at Aintree the following month. Chasers & Hurdlers takes up the story…

“Master Minded reappeared in the Seasons Holidays Tingle Creek Chase at Sandown at the beginning of December, a race that attracted considerable extra publicity - which may have played a part in swelling the crowd to 12,000, up by 3,000 on the previous year - because the stable's second jockey Sam Thomas, set to stand in for injured Ruby Walsh, was replaced by Tony McCoy after discussions between trainer Paul Nicholls and Master Minded's owner Clive Smith. The focus had been on Thomas since he ended up on the deck when riding 5/2-on Kauto Star, also owned by Smith, in the Betfair Chase at Haydock two weeks earlier.

“The Tingle Creek (won by Kauto Star in 2005 and 2006) ranks traditionally behind only the Queen Mother Champion Chase among the top two-mile chases, though, provided Master Minded was at or near his best, the latest renewal represented a relatively straightforward task. Master Minded's chief rival was the previous year's Arkle winner Tidal Bay - 4/7 Master Minded, 11/4 Tidal Bay, 10/1 bar - who had been warmed up in an intermediate chase at Carlisle (in which the Royal & SunAlliance winner Albertas Run finished last of four).

“In the end, Tidal Bay's jumping let him down over the shorter trip at Sandown, the prospect of a strongly-run race, which would have suited him better, disappearing when German-trained trailblazer Fiepes Shuffle came down at the first. Master Minded did well to avoid the stricken Fiepes Shuffle whom McCoy said afterwards had given him his only anxious moments. `I spent the race worrying more about the loose horses than about the rest of the opposition or the fences,' he said. `Master Minded is a machine and has incredible acceleration . . . sitting on horses like him is what you live for as a jump jockey.' Master Minded beat Tidal Bay by ten lengths with plenty in hand, always travelling comfortably and quickening after passing the Pond fence (usually the third last), which had to be omitted because of the low trajectory of the sun.”

(video courtesy of Channel 4 Racing)

Master Minded went on to win the Clarence House Chase at Ascot (by 16 lengths from Petit Robin) before retaining his Champion Chase crown at Cheltenham. Despite winning a further seven races – including four at Grade 1 level – Master Minded was unable to add a third Champion Chase title to his ledger and he was retired after pulling up injured in the 2011 King George VI Chase at Kempton. “He’s the best I’ve trained, and probably the best I’ll ever train,” eulogised Nicholls.

There may be no Douvan among the seven horses declared for Saturday's renewal (click here for FREE race pass), but Nicholls has a leading contender in Politologue. Could the Haldon Gold Cup winner follow in the footsteps of illustrious former stablemates, or could his own stable companion San Benedeto take his form up a notch to challenge favourite Fox Norton?