Who remains in contention for Saturday's Tingle Creek Chase and Becher Chase at Sandown and Aintree?

Ante-post favourite Jonbon will take on a maximum of five rivals in Saturday’s Betfair Tingle Creek Chase. The Nicky Henderson-trained seven-year-old returned in fine style to land the Shloer Chase at Cheltenham’s November meeting and is 1-3 to record a fifth Grade 1 success in Sandown’s £175,000 feature event.

Edwardstone trailed Jonbon by nine and a half lengths on his comeback in last month’s Cheltenham Grade 2 but could potentially be given the opportunity to reverse the form with the JP McManus-owned market leader by Alan King.

The trainer has also entered Edwardstone in Sunday’s Peterborough Chase and that Huntingdon Grade 2 over an intermediate trip could be the preferred option with a tilt at the King George VI Chase on Boxing Day in mind.

None of the five rivals Edwardstone beat when making a successful seasonal debut in last year’s Tingle Creek will feature on Saturday with Venetia Williams taking out Funambule Sivola along with L’Homme Presse, who has not been seen since unseating Charlie Deutsch at the final fence of last year’s King George.

Elixir De Nutz, who followed up his Haldon Gold Cup victory when successfully shouldering topweight at Newbury on Saturday, and the Gary Moore-trained Editeur Du Gite were also scratched. Moore instead relies solely on Haddex Des Obeaux, who could tackle his first Grade 1 after falling at the last in a handicap at Cheltenham’s October meeting.

Boothill also could make the step up in class from handicap company after landing Ascot’s Hurst Park for the second successive season, but he has eight lengths to find with Jonbon on their meeting in the Henry VIII Novices’ Chase on this card last year.

Captain Guinness, the principal market rival to Jonbon according to the race’s sponsor at 7-2, was also second to Jonbon over this track and trip in the Celebration Chase in April. Henry de Bromhead’s eight-year-old would be the first Irish-trained winner of the Tingle Creek since Un De Sceaux in 2016 if going one better than at Sandown’s season finale.

Nube Negra is yet to strike in Grade 1 company and completes the six runners left in.

Tingle Creek confirmations

Boothill
Captain Guinness
Edwardstone
Haddex Des Obeaux
Jonbon
Nube Negra

Betfair Tingle Creek Chase (Saturday, 3.00 Sandown)

Betfair: 1-3 Jonbon, 4 Captain Guinness, 15-2 Edwardstone, 16 Boothill, Haddex Des Obeaux, 25 Nube Negra 

Ashtown Lad to face smaller field in Becher defence

Ashtown Lad beat 21 rivals to land last year’s BoyleSports Becher Handicap Chase and the Dan Skelton-trained nine-year-old will take on a smaller field as he attempts to defend his crown after he was one of 17 left in the Aintree contest at Monday’s confirmation stage.

The nine-year-old has been winless in four starts since landing the £150,000 contest off 2lb lower last season and was pulled up on his reappearance in the Badger Beer Chase at Wincanton last month.

Ashtown Lad: won last year's BecherCredit: John Grossick (racingpost.com/photos)

Percussion is 2lb better off with Ashtown Lad than when third in this last year and Laura Morgan’s eight-year-old took his form figures around the Grand National course to 332 when second to Gesskille in last month’s Grand Sefton.

Fantastic Lady was fifth in that race on her return but demonstrated her aptitude for the Grand National fences when second in last season’s Topham. The Nicky Henderson-trained mare could be joined by stablemate Mister Coffey, who jumped the last upsides winner Corach Rambler in the Grand National before fading into eighth and will be more suited by the 3m2f trip.

Coko Beach could become the first Irish-trained winner since Dessie Hughes landed back-to-back runnings in 2008 and 2009 with Black Apalachi and Vic Venturi, if Gordon Elliott’s topweight can follow up his Troytown success.

Welsh Grand National runner-up The Big Breakaway, Grimthorpe Chase winner Moroder and last year’s Kim Muir hero Chambard are still in contention along with Celebre D’Allen, who romped home by 16 lengths in a Veterans’ Chase on the Mildmay course when last seen.

Royale Pagaille and Corach Rambler, first and third in the Betfair Chase, along with Coral Gold Cup participants Complete Unknown, Threeunderthrufive and Monbeg Genius were all scratched.

Aintree: the going on the Grand National course was good to soft, soft in places on MondayCredit: GROSSICK RACING 07710461723

The going on the Grand National course and Mildmay course is good to soft, soft in places and clerk of the course Sulekha Varma said on Monday: “The frost is pretty much out of the ground. We might have another slightly chilly night on Tuesday, but it’s nothing like we've had. It’s a 0C minimum rather than into negative figures. 

“By the end of the week, we’re up to 10C during the day and it’s probably going to be quite windy, but it doesn’t appear to be problematic. We’ve been quite wet today and there’s a bit more rain due Wednesday night into Thursday, and then showers around on Friday and Saturday.

The usual seven-race card will be preceded by the Listed Houghton Mares' Chase, rearranged from Carlisle's all hurdles fixture on Sunday, in which Zambella could bid to complete a hat-trick.

Varma said: “It’s the third time we’ve staged this race on the back of Carlisle having bad luck with the weather. It’s invariably a quality race and it’s a good one to keep in the programme, so we’re very happy to do it when we need to."

Becher Chase confirmations

Coko Beach  
The Big Breakaway
Highland Hunter
Minella Trump
Fantastic Lady
Celebre D'Allen
Moroder
Ashtown Lad
Chambard
Mister Coffey
Now Where Or When
Sidi Ismael
Undersupervision
Percussion
Lounge Lizard
Dorking Cock
Houston Texas

BoyleSports Becher Handicap Chase (Saturday, 2.05 Aintree)

Coral: 11-2 Ashtown Lad, 6 Percussion, 7 Fantastic Lady, 9 Celebre D'Allen, 10 Houston Texas, Mister Coffey, 11 The Big Breakaway, 12 Coko Beach, Highland Hunter, Now Where Or When, Undersupervision, 14 bar. 

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