The 2018 Tingle Creek Chase betting tips on Horsebetting.com rate the awesome and unbeaten Altior a worthy favourite for victory in the Grade 1 feature at Sandown on Saturday, 8 December. Irish raider Un De Sceaux won the race two years ago and has largely maintained his form since, so is feared most in a stellar renewal for Willie Mullins. Sceau Royal, meanwhile, is the other course and distance winner in the small but very select field of four, so is an alternative to consider ahead of Saint Calvados. Read all about this classy quartet in our 2018 Tingle Creek Chase betting tips preview.Altior impossible to oppose in Tingle Creek tiltChampion trainer Nicky Henderson has his team in red-hot form at present and unbeaten chaser Altior is all the rage for an ultra-classy renewal of the 2m Grade 1 Tingle Creek Chase at Sandown on Saturday (15:00). As this awesome eight-year-old is three out of three over course and distance, despite the presence of a very talented trio in opposition, there is simply no looking past him for a 10th win over fences.
In Altior, Seven Barrows handler Henderson has a son of High Chaparral who is unbeaten in 14 career start overs obstacles. After three very solid outings in bumpers, he went undefeated through his novice hurdle campaign in 2015-16, which culminated in a seven lengths success in the Supreme Novices’ Hurdle at the Cheltenham Festival.
Altior then had his attentions switched to chasing and battered Black Corton by 63 lengths on reappearance at Kempton in 2016-17. It was taking a debut over fences as you’re ever likely to see and the runner-up landed the 3m Grade 1 Kauto Star Novices’ Chase last season.
The first of Altior’s three course and distance victories here at the Esher venue followed. Connections had every right to pitch him straight into Grade 1 company for the Henry VIII Novices’ Chase and he sprinted clear following the last to land the spoils by six lengths.
Awesome in Arkle
It was clear Henderson had a very special talent on his hands. Altior next bolted up by 18 lengths in the Wayward Lad Novices’ Chase back at Kempton over Christmas 2016, and then took the Game Spirit on his first start in open company at Newbury when making most to score by 13 lengths.
He was naturally a red-hot Arkle Challenge Trophy favourite at the 2017 Cheltenham Festival and fully justified his status there. After being left in the lead two out, Altior simply needed riding out following the last and drew clear for a sublime six-length success.
A return to this venue and the Grade 1 Celebration Chase, again over course and distance, followed. It was even more of the same from Altior, bounding clear up the Sandown hill from the last and leaving that season’s Queen Mother Champion Chase hero Special Tiara toiling in his wake.
While Henderson was plotting a return to action in this race 12 months ago, it emerged that Altior needed a wind op and this delayed his reappearance last term. He looked as good ever when belatedly back, however, and comfortably disposing of the 2017 Tingle Creek winner Politologue by four lengths in the Game Spirit back at Newbury in February.
Miraculous Champion Chase success
Altior looked a good thing for the Queen Mother at this year’s Cheltenham Festival, but suffered a scare when found lame just 48 hours before the race. He still took his chances in the line-up and forged clear up the Cheltenham hill to again confirm his superiority over Min by seven lengths.
Given that nightmare build-up to the Champion Chase, this was nothing short of remarkable. Altior then landed the Celebration again here on his final start of last season, drawing clear of a spirited San Benedeto with his customary blend of speed and power in the final 100 yards.
On all known form, he is clearly the best 2m chaser on the planet. Altior’s official rating of 175 gives him 7lb and upwards in hand over his three rivals here, so off level weights he just cannot be opposed. We have absolutely no hesitation in putting Altior up as the one to be on in our 2018 Tingle Creek Chase betting tips.Former winner Un De Sceaux can chase hotshot homeWhile the prospect of Altior had most of the initial entries running scared, 2016 race winner Un De Sceaux is prepared to take him on and makes the journey across the Irish Sea to do so. Trained by Willie Mullins, the 10-year-old looked as good as ever when winning four of his five starts last term.
Un De Sceaux has won 12 of his 18 career outings over fences, finishing second on the four other occasions he has completed. After landing the 2015 Irish Arkle and English equivalent at the Cheltenham Festival, this son of Doctor Dino won the first of his three Clarence House Chase crowns at Ascot when pushed along in the hands of Ruby Walsh and driven readily clear for a five-length victory over Sire De Grugy.
Although Un De Sceaux then bumped into the mighty Sprinter Sacre in the 2016 Champion Chase at Cheltenham, there was no disgrace in going down to another of Henderson’s greater two-milers by 3 1/2 lengths. After finishing runner-up to that one again in the Celebration, he spent the summer hurdling in France before landing the Tingle Creek two years ago.
Tingle Creek and Ryanair hero
This time Un De Sceaux was really made to work to confirm the Clarence House form with Sire De Grugy, but didn’t shirk the issue when engaging in a tussle to the line and prevailed by a length. He then finally scored at Cheltenham when the 2017 Clarence House was moved from an abandoned Ascot and next produced arguably his career best when stepped up to 2m 5f for the Grade 1 Ryanair Chase at the Festival.
Un De Sceaux put in a very bold round of jumping, racing keenly and wide when making most. He held on gamely when fending off a late challenge from Sub Lieutenant and was value for more than the winning margin of 1 1/2 lengths. Although then turned over at the Punchestown Festival by the gutsy Fox Norton, the Ryanair clearly took its toll.
Following a summer break, however, Un De Sceaux showed he still retained plenty of ability when bolting up by 25 lengths on reappearance at Cork in the Grade 2 Hilly Way Chase 12 months ago. He made all and was a very easy winner, and then landed his Clarence House hat-trick back at Ascot in January when scoring by a ready seven lengths.
Last two outings show he’s still got it
While Un De Sceaux was then headed three out when stepped back up in trip to defend his Ryanair Chase crown, he still stuck to the task well and was only beaten 4 1/2 lengths by Balko Des Flos at Cheltenham. As the front two were a further eight lengths clear of the third home, this form has a solid look to it.
It was no surprise to next see Un De Sceaux cash in on an ease in grade when down in distance and making all to sluice up by 18 lengths in the Devenish Chase at the Fairyhouse Easter Festival. Could he still win a Grade 1 aged 10? He proved himself when landing the Punchestown Champion Chase on his final start of last season when again going from the front and beating Douvan by 3 3/4 lengths.
As even at his peak Un De Sceaux was rated 3lb inferior to Altior’s current mark, however, he has to prove himself yet again. With half-a-stone to find on official figures, and the fact he’s clearly not getting any younger, he is at best the obvious forecast choice in our 2018 Tingle Creek Chase betting tips to chase the red-hot favourite home.Sceau Royal preferred to Saint Calvados as alternativeIt is going to take a fall or both Altior and Un De Sceaux to massively under-perform for them not to be the first two home here. The remaining pair are still young, improving chasers rated just 1lb apart, but preference of them is Sceau Royal, who has Grade 1 winning course and distance form under his belt.
Trained by Alan King, the six-year-old has won five of his six chase starts after finishing sixth in the 2017 Champion Hurdle. After landing his debut over fences at Warwick last October, Sceau Royal was then collared close home by North Hill Harvey at Cheltenham and went down fighting by a neck.
Owners Simon Munir and Isaac Souede sent this other son of Doctor Dino back to Warwick where he made all and bolted up by 21 lengths to get him back on track. Connections then took aim at the Henry VIII on this card 12 months ago, and Sceau Royal exacted revenge on North Hill Harvey when he sensationally reversed that Cheltenham form.
More to come after Henry VIII and Shloer successes
After stalking the leaders menacingly from four out, he progressed under regular rider Daryl Jacob to takes thing up before the last. Sceau Royal was already in firm command when jumping the final fence and was left clear to run out an impressive 11 lengths winner.
He then kept on well to land the Grade 2 Lightning Novices’ Chase under a penalty by a cosy couple of lengths, but missed the spring festivals at the end of last season. There’s no doubt Sceau Royal looked a young chaser to follow when making a winning return to action in the Shloer Chase at Cheltenham last month, asserting in the last 100 yards to beat Simply Ned by 2 1/4 lengths.
This obviously demands plenty more, but the form achieved by Sceau Royal is at a higher level than the five-year-old Saint Calvados. Our 2018 Tingle Creek Chase betting tips are complete by the former winning a match bet with the latter at a venue that clearly suits Sceau Royal.Your Next Bet
