Conditions ideal for Greaneteen to take Tingle Creek

I DIDN’T think for a minute the Betfair Tingle Creek Chase would be my sort of betting heat, but I can’t help but think Greaneteen has to be the bet at around 7-2.

There’s no doubt he has a fair bit to find with Chacun Pour Soi who, unlike a few Irish-trained runners in Britain recently, fully deserves his place in the market, but Greaneteen is an improver with rock-solid course form who has been prepared specifically for this race by a trainer with a remarkable record in it.

Second to stablemate Politologue in this last year when only just out of the novice stage, Greaneteen continued to improve last season and there wasn’t much between Nube Negra, Chacun Pour Soi or him when they finished second, third and fourth in the Champion Chase at Cheltenham in March.

Greaneteen wasn’t finished there though, as next time out he won the Celebration Chase, beating Altior, Sceau Royal and Put The Kettle On with seemingly plenty in hand.

You can always get carried away by post-Cheltenham performances of course, but that race was at Sandown and it took place on good ground, and that’s exactly what he is going to get on Saturday.

Greaneteen was, of course, some way below his best on his return when fourth in the Haldon Gold Cup, but he obviously had a massive task off a mark of 168 against some well-handicapped horses, and he travelled as well as anything turning into the straight and wasn’t given a hard time at all once he tired.

This race remains one of the most prestigious races in the calendar as far as Paul Nicholls is concerned, and if he has a top-class two-miler he tends to target it.

He doesn’t do badly either, as he’s won it 11 times.

Chacun Pour Soi is obviously the one to beat but he does have something to prove coming to Britain again as his Champion Chase RPR was his joint worst in Graded company for Willie Mullins.

I don’t buy for a minute the ludicrous notion put forward by some that he didn’t get home up the hill at Cheltenham as the Dublin Chase he won before that at Leopardstown presents a considerably stiffer test, but he does have to prove he can produce his best outside of Ireland.

He might, but he’s not going to be improving at his age while Greaneteen and Nube Negra may well have more in them, and Greaneteen is readily preferred of that pair given he’s a bigger price and has that quality Sandown form.