Tingle Creek Chase tips: You’d be Ar Mad not to back Gary Moore horse
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Tingle Creek Chase tips: Back Ar Mad bets at Sandown
Ar Mad is set to make his seasonal reappearance for trainer Gary Moore a winning one in the Grade 1 Tingle Creek Chase at Sandown on Saturday (15:00).
The six-year-old boasts an 80 per cent strike rate over fences from five starts, including impressive back-to-back victories over course and distance last season.
Making all on both occasions, Ar Mad romped home by 10 lengths when landing the Grade 1 Henry VIII Novices’ Chase, which is also run on Tingle Creek day.
Course and distance adds weight to claims
Soon racing clear, he virtually maintained his healthy advantage all the way round Sandown before going on to destroy a small field at Plumpton in February.
That was Ar Mad’s preparatory run ahead of what should’ve been a shot at the Arkle Challenge Trophy at the Cheltenham Festival, but injury denied him the opportunity to battle Douvan – a horse pulled out of the Tingle Creek by Willie Mullins and connections.
In the absence of that French bred, Irish trained raider, Ar Mad’s handler Moore said: “He is as ready as I can get him at home, and he’s a busy horse, so you would think he would get fitter quicker than some of the others.”
Un De Sceaux not as solid as absent stablemate
If able to replicate his form from 2015/16 and overcome a racecourse absence of 292 days, Ar Mad easily has the profile and career success to take on Un De Sceaux, another Mullins entrant made favourite when Douvan withdrew.
As 2016 Queen Mother Champion Chase runner-up behind the now-retired Sprinter Sacre, Un De Sceaux does command respect, but high-profile blunders at the third and second last at Sandown in the Celebration Chase that closed last season count against him.
Again Mullins’ charge had to settle for second place behind Nicky Henderson’s hero, and a run in sixth at Auteuil over a big step up in trip that clearly didn’t suit last time out during the summer is another negative.
George and Nicholls horses making up the numbers
God’s Own is one of two runners for Tom George, though this horse fell and finished seventh on his two career runs at Sandown, suggesting this course isn’t one for him.
Other stable entrant Sir Valentino scored the Haldon Gold Cup at Exeter when last seen in action, but the form of that race looks weak, leaving him with a lot to find stepping up in Grade 1 company here.
Vibrato Valtat is champion trainer Paul Nicholls’ sole representative in the Tingle Creek, but he was a near eight-length third in last year’s renewal when sent off favourite. Little has changed since to suggest he could do better.
Sire De Grugy worth a gamble for Gary Moore too
Although a 10-year-old has only won this race once in history, dual Tingle Creek victor and Moore’s other iron in the fire, Sire De Grugy might give stablemate Ar Mad the most to think about.
Winner in both 2013 and 2015, Sire De Grugy made a welcome return to form at Ascot last time out with a 1 1/2 lengths result in a class 2 handicap.
A relative veteran compared to his race rivals here, Sire De Grugy is four from five at Sandown over fences, and that superb record means the Moore family could well scoop most of the prize money.
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Coral’s top tip: Ar Mad bets are the one to back if overcoming that absence, while stablemate Sire De Grugy could well chase him home ahead of Un De Sceaux.
Taking us up on Ar Mad bets? Let us know what you think of our Tingle Creek Chase tips in the comments below.
