3 minute read
Tingle Creek hero Edwardstone bids to make it back-to-back wins at Kempton’s Christmas Festival in the Ladbrokes Desert Orchid Chase.
Alan King's stable star won the Wayward Lad Novices' Chase on the corresponding card 12 months ago before going on to claim Arkle glory at the Cheltenham Festival in March.
With intended comeback runs at Cheltenham and Ascot scuppered by unsuitable ground, Edwardstone was thrown in at the deep end on his belated reappearance at Sandown, but could hardly have been more impressive in beating defending champion Greaneteen and Shishkin.
The eight-year-old turns out a little over three weeks later for a race King sees as an ideal stepping-stone with a return to Cheltenham in mind.
"Edwardstone has come out of Sandown great, and this race fits in perfectly time-wise as it will enable him to then have a break through January before returning for his Queen Mother Champion Chase prep in the Game Spirit at Newbury in February," the Barbury Castle handler said on his website.
Reflecting on his Tingle Creek triumph, he added: "It really did blow me away. I knew that Edwardstone would run well, but wasn't expecting a performance like that first time out.
"He travelled and jumped super, but it was the manner in which he shot clear after the second last that took my breath away. It gave me a real buzz."
The clear danger to Edwardstone is Nube Negra, who claimed this Grade Two prize two years ago for Dan and Harry Skelton when he defeated Altior.
The Spanish-bred gelding was due to meet Edwardstone in Cheltenham's Shloer Chase in November, but with King pulling out his charge Nube Negra predictably outclassed his remaining rivals.
"Our horse is really well. We beat Altior over two miles round here, so we're not inconvenienced by the track and the going that day was officially soft. There's not a lot to dislike really," said Dan Skelton.
"It's going to be hard to beat Edwardstone, we know that, but we're happy with our horse."
The Venetia Williams-trained Funambule Sivola finished best of the rest behind Energumene in last season's Champion Chase, but was a long way behind Edwardstone when last of six in the Tingle Creek.
Mister Fisher (Nicky Henderson), Sizing Pottsie (David Pipe), Dolos (Paul Nicholls) and Editeur Du Gite (Gary Moore) complete the line-up.
Just four runners are set to go to post for the Ladbrokes Wayward Lad Novices' Chase, with Harry Fry's Boothill setting the standard on his second placed finish to the exciting Jonbon in the Henry VIII Novices' Chase earlier in the month.
Fry told Sky Sports Racing: "He's had a really good campaign so far and we were pleased to see Jonbon wasn't among the entries for the Wayward Lad!
"We weren't a match for Jonbon in the Henry VIII, but he's an exceptional talent and I don't think we were disgraced in finishing eight lengths behind him in second.
"There's some other good novices in the race on Tuesday, so we've go to turn up and bring our best form to the table for sure, but he's taking his races really well and seems to be on an upward curve again now and running with confidence. We're looking forward to running him."
The Skeltons are represented by Lac De Constance, who was three from three over hurdles and made a smart start to his chasing career at this track last month.
"It's a step up in grade around a track that we're comfortable at and on ground we're happy with," Skelton added.
"I'm very happy with him and happy to have a go. If we were to get beat we would step up to two-and-a-half, but I'm not thinking that way.
"With the way the ground is, I'd like to think he's a very big player."
Chris Gordon's Aucunrisque has a bit to find on ratings, but takes his chance due to a lack of suitable alternative options.
"I've had him in two or three races since his last run and everything kept getting cancelled. I popped him in here because there wasn't really anything else that floated by boat at the moment," said Gordon.
"It's not normally my kind of style, but with races getting cancelled and one thing and another it's pushed me a little bit towards running in a race like this.
"Hopefully we can pick up a bit of prize-money if we're lucky."
Glory And Fortune from Tom Lacey's yard completes the quartet.