Can Anything Stop Chacun Pour Soi at Sandown on Saturday?
The Betfair Tingle Creek Chase is the Saturday showstopper at Sandown Park. Five-time Grade-1 winning chaser Chacun Pour Soi tops the betting. The Irish superstar was last seen in action when winning the William Hill Champion Chase at the Punchestown Festival in April.
Chacun Pour Soi jumped the final fence ahead in the Champion Chase but disappointingly faded into third. ©GettyImages
Placed in all 10 of his chase starts, the French Bred blotted his copybook when finishing only third in the Betway Queen Mother Champion Chase at the Cheltenham Festival.
On face-value of that odds-on defeat, Nube Negra would have the measure of the favorite this weekend. However, normal service was resumed in the Punchestown race where Chacun Pour Soi gave Nube Negra a 25-length hammering.
Consequently, it is difficult to see that rival turning the tables this weekend. Similarly, Greaneteen was just half-a-length behind Chacun Pour Soi at Cheltenham. That form gives him a live chance as does a subsequent victory over Altior at Sandown.
However, that once-mighty horse was clearly well below his best on that occasion. Greaneteen was also beaten a long way on his seasonal debut at Exeter a month ago.
Whatever the reason for Chacun Pour Soi’s defeat in the Champion Chase, that loss is the only piece of form that indicates the Willie Mullins trained horse is anything other than a good thing to score on Saturday.
Tiger Roll and Native River the Stars in Many Clouds Chase
Aintree Racecourse had an exceptional entry for their Grade 3 three-mile-one-furlong Unibet Many Clouds Chase due off at 2.05 pm. Named after the 2014 Hennessey Gold Cup and 2015 Grand National winner, this contest is a race to savor.
Tiger Roll, the two-time Grand National winner with five Cheltenham Festival wins on his CV make his seasonal debut here under a new partner, James Bowen. Sadly, on this occasion things may happen all too quickly for the 11-year-old.
Another popular veteran, Native River, adds further spice to the contest and he might just retain enough speed to be competitive.
The 2018 Cheltenham Gold Cup winner landed this race in 2019 and finished third 12 months ago. A winner of 11 of his 22 chase starts, Native River has also claimed the Welsh Grand National and Hennessey Gold Cup during an amazing career.
But this contest could be a case of the new replacing the old and the six-year-old Protektotrat has considerably fewer miles on his clock than his rivals and a lot of potential.
One of many horses partly owned by Sir Alex Ferguson, trainer Dan Skelton has given the ride on Protektotrat to Bridget Andrews. While this may be a new partnership, the horse knows his way around Aintree’s Mildmay Course, having won here in April.
A New Chapter in the Remarkable Snow Princess Story
35 minutes later the Grand National fences will be in use for the Unibet Becher Handicap Chase. One of only four occasions the famous spruce fences are used during the year, this three-mile-two-furlong contest has been won by National winners Amberleigh House, Silver Birch and Earth Summit.
Having finished runner-up in this contest for the past two years, Kimberlite Candy would be a popular winner for the small Tom Lacey yard. A dour stayer and fine jumper, the JP McManus owned horse will have his supporters.
But carrying just 10-stone four-pounds Snow Leopardess might be a handicap snip. This nine-year-old mare has been a remarkable servant for Charlie Longsdon. She has won races for the Oxfordshire trainer in Ireland, Wales, England and France.
Injured after winning in Paris in late 2017, the grey produced a foal by Derby winner Sir Percy in 2018. Nevertheless, she was back on a racecourse by late 2019. Sent chasing in 2020, Snow Leopardess ran at the Cheltenham and Aintree Festivals at the start of 2021.
With her sights set lower, she beat 13 rivals on her season re-appearance at Bangor three weeks ago. Jumping well, and a comfortable winner on that occasion, there is every reason to think this remarkable nine-year-old can make her presence felt on Saturday.
