As in the case of Champion Chase at the Cheltenham Festival, the late absence of the tiltier has paved the way for Politol for Gun to win the Batfair Tingle Creek, title act in Sandtown today.
Today was supposed to be the day Tiltier re-established him as the king of the two-mile chase department, but Nicky Henderson dropped the bombshell last night when the son of the upper chapel announced it would not run this afternoon due to ground conditions checks.
“It simply came to our notice then. We don’t want to take it down again, given what happened last year, “said Henderson.
“Everyone has seen how the field was testing today and we won’t ask him to do it again.
“We are very sorry for everyone who was looking forward to seeing it and it was a very tough decision for the Puffs, but we got to do the best work by horse.
“It’s tough, and if there is a rain forecast we may have left the decision by morning, but it will be very holding ground and very hard work.
“We’ve been talking all night, we started at -0-50, but now we don’t even have -10-10 – it won’t work.”
Which left a clear path for Politol ue ji to regain the crown he won in 2017.
Paul Nichols’s biggest success came when he won the Champion Chase last March, but it is doubtful that he was lucky in a race that was ruled out due to injury to Altier and Chacon Pour Soin and the day Daffy du Seville failed to fire.
However, on that occasion he jumped and made superb journeys and as Nichols ’team flew this season, he could add another Grade One success to his CV today.
The Planter at Chapel Stud Henry VIII Novices Chase is the second grade one of today’s Sandtown cards and can hold its own unbeaten record over Eldorado Allen Wade.
It could be argued that Cheltenham were out of Grade Two for the last time, as the front-running Gumble had a still healthy lead before reaching second place.
However, Eldorado Allen was slowly approaching at the time and the fall of Gumble would rob him of a race that could turn into an exciting duel.
Eldorado Allen has had to accept the weight of four promising four-year-olds today, but he is a superb jumper with high cruising speed, powers that should serve him well in this procedure.
Gold Cup runner-up Santini is facing a test to return to action in the industry today while Native River and Froden Grade to William Hill are waiting in several cloud chases.
It promises to be a superb race, but, rising to nine, is two years younger than the original River of Peace and could ultimately prove decisive.
It has been a bit of a fit for the weird mite bite since finishing second in the aforementioned original river in the 2018 Gold Cup, but it could turn years back into the William Hill Grand Sefton Handicap.
After a string of desperate attempts, there were signs of life on Ascot for the last time and if it goes to the national fence, it will become a big danger for all. It’s obviously a big one though as it is reflected in the 16-1 draw of all sorts of obstacles.
The entry expert and walker in the mill William Hill Becher can complete a hat trick in the handicap chase.
Robert W. Ford Lawford’s charge was well beaten on his seasonal appearance at Ascot in late October, but he is expected to fitter this afternoon and a big run seems likely.
Walk in miles
Eldorado Allen
Megan
Politics (sleep)
Peace (NB)
Cloudy Glenn
Can bite (every way)
Mr. Coffee
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