Run over two miles at Sandown Park, the Tingle Creek is one of the most prestigious races of its kind in the division.
Speed and accurate jumping are of the essence in a race which has been won by some of Jump racing’s all time greats down the years, including Desert Orchid, Moscow Flyer, Kauto Star, Sprinter Sacre, Sire De Grugy and Altior.
First run in 1979 the Tingle Creek was originally a handicap but in 1994 was upgraded to a Grade 1 race which is open to runners aged four or older.
Flagship Uberalles is the only horse to have won the race three times (1999 – 2001). He amazingly won for three different trainers and jockeys.
In 1999 he was trained by Paul Nicholls and ridden by Joe Tizzard, before following up in 2000 for the Noel Chance stable in the hands of Richard Johnson. His final success in 2001 came courtesy of trainer Philip Hobbs and jockey Robert Widger.
Thirteen fences are jumped in what is one of the key trials of the year for the Queen Mother Champion Chase at the Cheltenham Festival.
The famous railway fences down the back straight at Sandown are some of the toughest around and provide the perfect spectacle for the sport of National Hunt.
Plenty of Tingle Creek winners have also won the Queen Mother Champion Chase – Politologue becoming the most recent to win both races when successful at Cheltenham in 2020.
It’s not an easy feat, but you’ve got every chance if you’re flying high at the top of this racing division. If you can win here your Cheltenham Races betting odds are sure to diminish.
Tingle Creek Winners
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2020 - (3:58.14) Politologue 9-y-o 11-7 11/8F (Harry Skelton/Paul Nicholls)
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2019 - (3:59.00) Defi Du Seuil 6-y-o 11-7 2/1F (Barry Geraghty/Philip Hobbs)
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2018 - (4:03.20) Altior 8-y-o 11-7 8/13F (Nico de Boinville/Nicky Henderson)
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2017 - (3:54.30) Politologue 6-y-o 11-7 7/2 (Harry Cobden/Paul Nicholls)
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2016 - (3:51.35) Un De Sceaux 8-y-o 11-7 5/4F (Ruby Walsh/ Willie Mullins)
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2015 - (3:53.90) Sire De Grugy 9-y-o 11-7 100/30 (Jamie Moore/Gary Moore)
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2014 - (4:00.40) Dodging Bullets 6-y-o 11-7 9/1 (Sam Twiston-Davies/Paul Nicholls)
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2013 - (3:51.40) Sire De Grugy 7-y-o 11-7 7/4F (Jamie Moore/Gary Moore)
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2012 - (3:59.30) Sprinter Sacre 6-y-o 11-7 4/11F (Barry Geraghty/Nicky Henderson)
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2011 - (3:59.80) Sizing Europe 9-y-o 11-7 11/8F (A E Lynch/Henry De Bromhead)
Tingle Creek Statistics
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Age: 7 of the last 10 winners were aged between 6 and 8.
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Price: 7 of the last 10 favourites/joint favourites have won, 9/10 winners came from the top three in the horse racing betting.
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Last Run: 6 of the last 10 winners won on their last run before the Tingle Creek Chase, 8/10 winners ran within the last 32 days.
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3/10 winners ran in the Haldon Gold Cup (Exeter) on their last run, 1 of the 3 won, 1 placed.
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3/12 winners ran in the Shloer Chase (Cheltenham) on their last run, 1 of the 3 won, 1 placed.
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Previous Course Form: 8/10 winners had at least one previous run at Sandown, 7/10 winners had at least one previous win at Sandown.
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Previous Distance Form: 10/10 winners had at least 10 previous runs over 2m-2m 1f, 10/10 had at least 5 previous wins over 2m-2m 1f.
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Previous Chase Form: 10/10 winners had at least 7 previous chase runs, 10/10 winners had at least 3 previous chase wins.
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Rating: 9/10 winners were rated 163 or higher.
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Grade 1 Wins: 10/10 winners had at least one previous win in a Grade 1 race, 10/10 winners had at least one win in a Grade 1-3 race.
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Season Form: 9/10 winners had at least one run that season, 6/10 winners had at least one win that season.
Leading Trainers
Paul Nicholls is the runaway leader with an amazing 11 Tingle Creek wins to his name.
The Ditcheat handler has saddled the following horses to win the Esher feature: Flagship Uberalles (1999), Cenkos (2002), Kauto Star (2005 & 2006), Twist Magic (2007 & 2009), Master Minded (2008 & 2010), Dodging Bullets (2014) and Politologue (2017 & 2020).
Other trainers who have ended up being “bit part players” in this race to some degree include, Nicky Henderson (2 wins), Philip Hobbs (2 wins), Gary Moore (2 wins) and Jessica Harrington (2 wins).
You can find out who the Seven Barrows handler may be sending to Sandown this year in our Nicky Henderson stable tour.
Leading Jockeys
Retired jockey Richard Dunwoody has five wins to his name. Dunwoody won the race on Lefrak City (1985), Waterloo Boy (1991, 1992) and Sound Man (1995, 1996).
The current leading jockey in the Tingle Creek over the last 20 renewals is Jamie Moore who has won the race twice. Those wins came aboard Sire De Grugy in (2013, 2015).
Tingle Creek 'Trial' Races
The Shloer Chase at Cheltenham and the Haldon Gold Cup at Exeter can offer potential Tingle Creek horses a prep run before taking on Sandown, but in reality looking back at the previous season for likely runners is the best course of action for your bets.
Starting Prices
The Tingle Creek is very much a favourite’s race with twelve of them obliging in the last 20 years. If the favourite doesn’t win then another horse from the top three in betting generally does.
The biggest priced winner in recent times was Dodging Bullets in 2014. Paul Nicholls’ charge was victorious at odds of 9/1 under the guidance of Sam Twiston-Davies.
Our 888sport antepost NAP of the day for the 2021 Tingle Creek on December 4th is Shishkin @ 4/5.
*Credit for all of the photos in this article belongs to AP Photo*
FIRST PUBLISHED: 16th November 2021
