Tingle Creek, Welsh National and Becher Chase: potential runners and verdicts

December and the accompanying festive period is crammed full of top-class jumping action, and fans can get even more excited after entries for two more of the season's most prestigious races were revealed on Tuesday.

The Betfair Tingle Creek Chase is a pre-Christmas cracker that often brings together some of the top two-mile chasers around, while the Coral Welsh Grand National is a notoriously difficult handicap chase to get stuck into on Chepstow's biggest raceday of the season on December 27.

The weights have also been revealed for the Unibet Becher Chase – which takes place on the same day as the Tingle Creek on December 4 – and is the last time the Grand National fences will be in action before the big one at Aintree in April.

Upcoming races: weights and entries

Betfair Tingle Creek Chase (Sandown, December 4)

Total entries: 14
The key horses: Shishkin starred as a novice and carries huge hopes for trainer Nicky Henderson. Last season's impressive Arkle winner is on course for the Sandown spectacular according to his trainer, who said in his Racing Post Stable tour that he has "all the attributes" to emulate Altior and Sprinter Sacre and is "the most spectacular horse".

Shishkin could face a formidable battalion from Willie Mullins however, with the Closutton trainer having entered the high-class trio of Chacun Pour Soi, Energumene and Allaho – all impressive top-level winners last season. Captain Guinness could also join the team from Ireland.

Paul Nicholls has entered four, headlined by last year's winner Politologue, with Celebration Chase hero Greaneteen and Hitman also engaged, while 2019 Tingle Creek winner Defi Du Seuil and Nube Negra have also been given entries.
Ante-post favourite: Shishkin (4-5)

Verdict

Paul Nicholls has saddled 11 of the last 22 winners of the Tingle Creek but appears short of star quality in this division with last season's runner-up Greaneteen, who jumped poorly in the Haldon Gold Cup on his return, looking like the yard's number one.

If you can forget about Chacun Pour Soi's Champion Chase third at the 2021 Cheltenham Festival then he has a great chance for trainer Willie Mullins. A career-high RPR of 179 is better than any horse has achieved in winning the Tingle Creek.

But the market has it right with Arkle winner currently offered at skinny odds. You can usually find a chink in a favourite's armour, but Shishkin has no faults. I expect him to prove too strong as he moves out of novice company.
Tom Collins

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Unibet Becher Chase (Aintree, December 4)

Total entries: 43
The key horses: Irish raider Chris's Dream heads the weights off 11st 12lb and could bid to provide Henry de Bromhead's with further riches in England, the trainer having famously landed the Grand National with Minella Times last season.

Scottish Grand National winner Mighty Thunder could get his first taste of the National fences and has been handed 11st in his quest for another big-race win, while the Gordon Elliott-trained Escaria Ten was allotted 11st 2lb. Mac Tottie, winner of the Grand Sefton over the spruce fences earlier this month, shoulders 10st 6lb.

Vieux Lion Rouge could bid to become the outright record holder of most wins in the race following his victories in 2016 and last year, but the 12-year-old will need to defy 10st 9lb and his veteran status to do so.
Current topweight: Chris's Dream (11st 12lb)
Ante-post favourite: Mighty Thunder (10-1)

Verdict

The Becher often lends itself to course specialists with Vieux Lion Rouge, Walk In The Mill and Kimberlite Candy running creditably in the race on multiple occasions in the last few years.

The last-named is of interest once again for trainer Tom Lacey, who has done brilliantly with chasers since he began training in 2017. Kimberlite Candy has proved on multiple occasions he can negotiate the National fences and deserves a first victory in this race after two runner-up finishes.

However, we could have a changing of the guard this year and Cap Du Nord stands out at this early stage. This eight-year-old is slowly coming down the handicap and shrewd trainer Christian Williams may have had this race in mind as his early-season target.
Tom Collins

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Coral Welsh National (Chepstow, December 27)

Total entries: 63
The key horses: Secret Reprieve became the second Welsh-trained winner in a row in last season's rescheduled running and could become the first horse to win back-to-back Welsh National's since Bonanza Boy completed the feat in 1989.

He is one of four previous winners of the marathon contest who have been entered, including 2019 hero Potters Corner, as well as 2016 winner and Cheltenham Gold Cup victor Native River and Elegant Escape, who scored in 2018.

That duo head a team of five from the Colin Tizzard yard as they aim to win the race run in memory of the trainer's late daughter Kim Gingell, while British champion trainer Paul Nicholls has also entered five, including recent Cheltenham winner Yala Enki, Next Destination and promising novice Threeunderthrufive.

Three Irish-trained horses have been entered: The Big Dog for Peter Fahey, the William Durkan-trained Screaming Colours and Discordantly for Jessica Harrington.
Ante-post favourite: Secret Reprieve (8-1)

Verdict

Recent Exeter scorer Ask Me Early has the running style and unexposed profile that tends to draw attention for the Welsh National. Providing his jumping holds up, he must have strong claims off a lenient mark of 140.

The similarly lightly raced Time To Get Up, who looked a handicap blot when hacking up in last season's Midlands National, can't be dismissed. While the hopes of recent winner Secret Reprieve may depend on how his prep race goes this weekend.

Irish runners dominated in Britain last season and The Big Dog demands respect at around 20-1. This lightly raced eight-year-old justified strong market support to win the Punchestown Grand National trial in February and has been geared towards the big staying chases this term.
Tom Collins

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