Ratings Update: Tingle Creek lives up to star billing

With Altior being campaigned over further, the 2019 renewal of the Tingle Creek Chase at Sandown had an open look to it – six of the eight runners came into the race within 5 lb of one another on Timeform ratings – and it took a top-class performance to land the spoils, one that breathed fresh life into a division that has been dominated by Nicky Henderson’s charge for so long. 

A high-class novice last season, Defi du Seuil (170p from 168p) produced his best effort yet in denying 2016 winner and 2018 runner-up Un de Sceaux (169) in a thrilling finish, keeping going well after the last to hold off Willie Mullins’ rallying veteran by a neck, with the fast-finishing Waiting Patiently (168 from 164+) only three quarters of a length further back in third.

Defi Du Seuil beats Un De Sceaux to win the Betfair Tingle Creek 🙌 pic.twitter.com/fQEgV1GDcQ

— ITV Racing (@itvracing) December 7, 2019

On this evidence, Defi du Seuil is already a leading candidate for the Champion Chase and he probably still has even more to offer, with the Clarence House Chase at Ascot likely to feature on his agenda in the interim.

As for the placed horses, Un de Sceaux defied his advancing years (rising 12) to show he retains all his ability and is clearly still good enough to win races at the top level this winter, while Waiting Patiently bounced back from a disappointing 2018/19 campaign with an effort every bit as good as when winning the 2018 Ascot Chase. He will probably be back up in trip on his next start and should continue to give account when encountering his favoured soft ground.

Another notable performance in this division came at Cork on Sunday, with Cilaos Emery (166p from 158p) confirming himself one of the brightest chasing prospects around with a ready defeat of Ballyoisin (165 from 168) in the Hilly Way Chase, posting a top-class effort to extend his unbeaten record over fences to three. Still unexposed, he rates a serious contender for top honours this season, representing the Willie Mullins yard that has an embarrassment of riches at around this trip.

Chacun Pour Soi (171p), who beat Defi du Seuil so impressively at the Punchestown Festival, is another with pretensions of making it to the top of the tree in this division, but the one who remains at the head of the Closutton pecking order for the time being is the 174-rated Min, who didn’t need to be at his very best to win his second successive John Durkan Memorial Chase over an intermediate trip at Punchestown on Sunday.

The Grade 1 prize attracted its biggest field since 2007, four of the nine trained by Mullins, and it was hard to fault Min’s battling qualities as he fought back from being headed between the last two by Hardline (161 from 156), ultimately well on top at the finish after some erratic jumping on the way round. This his was his fifth Grade 1 success (also runner-up on a further three occasions) and his adaptability regarding trip gives his connections plenty of options.

🥇 Five-time G1 winner
🥈 Five-time G1 runner-up
✅ Winning return

Min is back and denies the gallant Hardline for successive victories in the John Durkan Memorial Punchestown Chase for @PTownend and Willie Mullins 👏 @punchestownrace pic.twitter.com/xRkvkfGKY1

— Racing TV (@RacingTV) December 8, 2019

Hardline produced a career best in second and may even have won had he been held onto a bit longer, while Presenting Percy (167+) also shaped well back in third in a race where his stamina wasn't fully tested, very much catching the eye by the end. It’s worth bearing in mind after last season's problems that this was just his seventh race over fences, and there's every chance we've yet to see the very best of him.

Whether we’d already seen the best of Native River (170 from 165+) was a hot topic of debate after last season, with the 2018 Gold Cup hero failing to scale the same heights in three starts during the 2018/19 campaign, notably finishing a well-held fourth in the defence of his Cheltenham crown.

However, there could yet be more big days in him if the evidence of his success in Saturday’s Many Clouds Chase at Aintree is anything to go by, with the gallop he set – and maintained – in first-time blinkers (replacing cheekpieces) quickly proving too much for the other pair (including the high-class Black Corton) after Might Bite’s early departure.

Native River prevails in the Virgin Bet Price Boosts Many Clouds Chase as Might Bite unseats Nico de Boinville early on at @AintreeRaces! pic.twitter.com/LovTfpcIaB

— ITV Racing (@itvracing) December 7, 2019

Even better horses probably would have failed to go with him, too, such was the form he appeared to be in, and a tilt at another Welsh National would make for compelling viewing – a mark of 167 doesn’t look insurmountable now that he's shown he could be capable of something close to his very best again.

The Grand National back at Aintree could also feature on his agenda further down the line, a race in which he would likely meet last year’s fourth Walk In The Mill (148 from 145), who again showed his liking for the fences when winning the Becher Chase on Saturday. He took his form up a notch in first-time cheekpieces to repeat his 2018 success in the race, but the main event in April will clearly demand more again from what will be a career-high mark.

In the other race over the National fences on Saturday, Hogan’s Height (142 from 136) resumed his progress to win the Grand Sefton by 16 lengths, proving a natural faced with a far more demanding test (biggest field he's faced) on his first chase run in over a year. It remains to be seen how well this transfers back to conventional courses, though, and a cautious view on that score is advised for now.

Running over the Grand National fences for the first time Hogan's Height wins the Virgin Bet Grand Sefton Handicap Chase at @AintreeRaces! pic.twitter.com/NVt7ez7kIS

— ITV Racing (@itvracing) December 7, 2019

Back at Sandown on the same afternoon and Esprit du Large (146p from 137p) confirmed the promise of his Exeter win with a smart performance (backed up by a good timefigure) to land the Henry VIII Novices’ Chase in comfortable fashion. He remains open to more improvement and a return to Sandown for the Scilly Isles appeals as a good option with all three of his races so far over fences coming at right-handed tracks (though he did win left handed over hurdles).

Visitors to the Esher track also witnessed a couple of notable performances on Friday, with Goshen (142p from 137p) looking something out of the ordinary in winning the opening juvenile hurdle by 34 lengths. He's already at a high level for a juvenile and could go higher still against sterner opposition, the Finale Hurdle at Chepstow a possible next race for him given he handles testing ground so well, though his jumping back left-handed would be a slight concern.

Enrilo (132p from 115p) also looked a smart prospect in winning the Grade 2 Winter Novices’ Hurdle later on the card, for all that he was better placed than most given how the race developed. That represented a big step forward from his previous start at Ludlow, and, still unexposed, he appeals as a likely candidate for the Challow Hurdle on the back of this performance.

Running over the Grand National fences for the first time Hogan's Height wins the Virgin Bet Grand Sefton Handicap Chase at @AintreeRaces! pic.twitter.com/NVt7ez7kIS

— ITV Racing (@itvracing) December 7, 2019

Finally, the Peterborough Chase at Huntingdon on Sunday attracted an up-to-scratch field on paper, though it ultimately failed to live up to expectations, and, with 100/1-shot Kauto Riko (151 from 143) finishing a close second, it's difficult to rate the form as anything better than smart.

However, that shouldn’t detract from the performance of the likeable Top Notch (162), who underlined that he's a formidable and versatile force just below the top level by following up his reappearance win over hurdles. He was always in control after taking it up two out and should continue to take some stopping at this sort of level.