Betfair Tingle Creek Chase report; Edwardstone brilliant winner

Last season's Sporting Life Arkle hero was always travelling sweetly under Tom Cannon and was hard on the bridle as he chased his only serious rival going to the second last. He settled it in a matter of strides too, going clear to score by nine lengths.

Shishkin was well-held in third after a mistake at the Pond Fence.

"I couldn't believe how well I was going when we came to the Pond Fence. I winged that and I was away then. The horse does the talking for me and it's an unbelievable training performance to come here first time out and win," said the winning rider.

Trainer Alan King was winning his first Tingle Creek and said: “I have to thank Nicky Henderson for letting me work him there (Seven Barrows) last week. But in reality mine usually need a run back, and if he’d finished third or fourth I would have been happy enough. But to win, I’m ecstatic.

“The ground was too firm at Cheltenham and Ascot was too quick. There’s been a lot written about it, but without doubt this is the nicest ground and streets ahead of Ascot and even Newbury.

“He’s blown me away a little bit. I have it in the back of my head to go for the Desert Orchid and I would like to run him in the Game Spirit at Newbury. He was a bit fresh and I lost a heartbeat when he pitched at that Railway Fence, but he pinged the next two.

“The Tingle Creek has always been on of my favourite races and the horse it is named after helped me get interested in the sport. I’ve finished second in it three times before today, and it’s one of the most emotional wins I’ve had in my career.”

Betfair and Paddy Power responded by going 11/4 from 8/1 for Edwardstone to record further Cheltenham Festival success in the Queen Mother Champion Chase in March.

Sky Bet are 4/1 from 10s and Michael Shinners said: "That was a throughly professional performance from last year’s Sporting Life Arkle winner. With that performance, he’s clearly the number one British contender for the Queen Mother Champion Chase."

Paul Nicholls, trainer of runner-up Greaneteen, said: “He was beaten by a better horse on the day but he has run a blinder. The winner is the young lad that has come from the novice ranks and he has obviously progressed again. Harry (Cobden) said there was no excuses and I couldn’t see any excuses. He jumped well and travelled well. The race went well he was just not good enough it was as simple as that.

“That is obviously a very smart horse that has improved. Our number one aim for the rest of the season will be the Celebration Chase and we might go for the Champion Chase on the way if there is a bit of good ground in the spring. I wouldn’t want to run him on deep ground in the winter.”

Gold Cup plan for Shishkin?

Nicky Henderson, trainer of the third Shishkin, said: “I think it was fairly obvious from halfway down the back straight he was going as fast as his legs could carry him. He jumped really well and he carried himself well. He kept at it but you always felt they were going a stride too quick for him and it looked that way.

“He came into the race at the third last and he made a mess of that then he was in the car park and it was game over. I’m not going to say he was unlucky three out because he went left as he wasn’t going to win from there. The winner was great and well done Alan.

“We probably underestimate those two-mile chasers from last season a little bit. I hope they don’t this season! He wants to go up in trip and we won’t mess about either.

“His next run will be over a lot further than that. I’m not going to rule anything in or out. I’d like to see him in a race where he likes going the pace they are going. This doesn’t surprise me in a funny way if you watch him at home.

“He was flat out all the way in the Clarence House and stamina was the only reason why he won that. That would be alright (Ascot Chase) over two miles five or there is the Denman Chase which is a serious option.

“If the entries of the three big races at Cheltenham close in January the one race he would not be in is the Champion Chase. He would more likely be in the Gold Cup than the Champion Chase.”

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