WHAT a Saturday of racing coming up with the second day of the Tingle Creek Festival, the Unibet Becher Handicap Chase at Aintree over the National fences and twice Grand National winner Tiger Roll making his seasonal debut in the Unibet Many Clouds Chase, with the cross country at Cheltenham looking his key target. Ground conditions look likely to get much more testing at Aintree and Native River Unibet 17/8 in the Unibet Many Clouds Chase can make this a true stamina test and fend off favourite Protektorat and Imperial Aura.

At Sandown in the Henry VIII Novices Chase, Third Time Lucki, one of my Ten To Follow, has won twice at Cheltenham this season over fences and can make it three on the bounce at Unibet 6/4 to beat easy Newbury winner last weekend Il Ridoto and Edwardstone.

The Tingle Creek is one of my races of the year and I’m looking forward to seeing Chacun Pour Soi, Nube Negra and Greaneteen renew rivalry at one of my favourite racecourses.

Enjoy whether #athome or at the races.

See you at Sandown.

Cheers

The Wine Tipster

2.25 Sandown – Tingle Creek Chase Grade 1 (1m 7½f)

Nube Negra at The Festival finished an unlucky second to Put The Kettle On in the Champion Chase, with Chacun Pour Soi back in third. Admittedly Chacun Pour Soi was then superb in the Champion Chase at Punchestown, with Nube Negra delivering a below par performance back in third. However, on seasonal debut at Cheltenham in the Shloer Chase Nube Negra (tipped in my Unibet blog) he showed he was still improving when beating Politologue by six lengths. Nube Negra can step up again and the ground conditions of good, good to soft in places with little rain forecast look much more in his favour.

Unibet 17/8 win

2.40 Aintree – Unibet Becher Handicap Chase (National Fences) (3m 2f)

Snow Leopardess (nap) has never fallen in her career, is a fine jumper and has a strong chance if adapting to these unique fences, which looks likely. She won well on seasonal debut last month at Bangor on soft going, beating Windsor Avenue over three miles when delivering a career best. Last season this grey won a Class 2 at Haydock half a furlong short of today’s trip, was second in a Roland Meyrick at Wetherby and finished fourth in the National Hunt Chase to Galvin at The Festival over three miles six furlongs. She will handle more testing conditions, with rain currently forecast and Snow Leopardess, who is having her eighth chase start, has more progress to come.

Unibet 11/2 win

Achille is another good jumper and can run a big race on seasonal debut for Venetia Williams, who showed last week with Cloudy Glen, that her string can win competitive races after an absence. This grey has been relatively lightly raced in recent years for the yard and came back after a 427 break to finish second in the Classic Chase at Warwick this year. He was then runner-up to Lord Mesnil in the Grand National Trial at Haydock, when just touched off, ahead of finishing sixth in the Midlands Grand National on his last start in March. Three of his four chase wins have been over three miles and he obviously has the stamina too in what looks likely to be a testing renewal.

Unibet 12/1 each way

3.00 Sandown – London National Handicap Chase (3m 4f)

Christmas In April, for the resurgent Tizzard team, looked in good order last time out when runner-up at Carlisle behind the still-improving Hold That Taught, trying to give him 6lb after racing enthusiastically throughout. Back in May, on his penultimate start, he won in good style at Newton Abbot beating Highest Sun. He faced mission impossible, looking back, when trying to give Cloudy Glen weight in the Southern National last year. Christmas In April come here in good form and will go well.

Unibet 15/2 each way

3.15 Aintree – Unibet 2021 Horserace Betting Operator Of The Year Handicap Hurdle (2m 4f)

Tamar Bridge made it three wins from four starts when easily winning on his seasonal reappearance at Wetherby in a novice hurdle for the inform Olly Murphy team at the end of October. He had previously beaten Bass Rock in a match in the heavy at Ayr, with the runner-up third to Dans Le Vent in the Stayers’ Hurdle on Haydock’s big jumps day last month this is good form. Tamar Bridge runs off a favourable looking mark of 128 and is proven in testing conditions if the forecast rain comes.

Unibet 7/2 win

3.35 Sandown – December Handicap Hurdle Listed (2m)

Heure De Glorie, a four-year-old filly by Kapgarde, is worth an each way wager off bottom weight (three pounds out of the handicap) on Handicap debut. Heure De Glorie won on debut in France and then finished second to Bellatrixsa at Huntingdon in March when travelling well for a long way. She has had a wind op; ground will be fine, and this filly is an interesting contender.

Unibet 16/1 each way