Here’s hoping Tingle Creek is a thriller

ON THE first Saturday of December we hold our breath, wish for something wonderful and pray for nothing awful. It’s Tingle Creek time.

A shame that Shishkin won’t be in town as that would have been something else against this lot, but Chacun Pour Soi, Nube Negra and Greaneteen should make it the most exciting spectacle of the season thus far.

Always a race for high drama and won by most of the great two-milers down the years. The 2004 running will forever take some beating when Moscow Flyer repelled Azertyuiop with Well Chief in third. All three were at the top of their game that day in a renewal of mind-blowing quality.

It says everything that Ruby Walsh – and he did it all during his career in the saddle – once confessed that two-mile chases at Sandown was as good as it got on horseback. He was spoilt, mind.

Paul Townend might be singing off the same hymn sheet after riding Chacun Pour Soi, who in full flight is a joy to watch over his fences. He and Sandown could be a match made in heaven. The Christmas shopping can wait, I know that much.

Farewell Sharjah

I DO hope Sharjah enjoys a long and happy retirement. The old stager bowed out last week after another heroic effort in defeat when fourth on his 100th appearance at his beloved Dundalk. He would have run there another 100 times if he had his way but all good things come to an end and those low-grade handicaps won’t be quite the same without him. He clocked up more than 220 miles in those 154 career starts and Andrew Slattery, who had him for 152 of those, must love him to bits. The venue must name a race after him, surely.