A group of racegoers in high pre-Christmas spirits were singing: “We love you, Jonbon, we do,” on the path across the track, but the punters had not one, but two new favourites to celebrate by the end of Saturday afternoon as the odds-on shots Il Etait Temps and Lulamba delivered impressive victories in the card’s two Grade One events.
Both horses are now close to the top of the betting for their respective targets at next year’s Cheltenham festival, and Jonbon’s supporters can at least reflect that his bid to become only the second three-time winner of the Tingle Creek in its 56-year history was derailed by an exceptional rival.
A posse of top-class two-milers attacking the long line of fences on Sandown’s back straight is one of the great spectacles in jumping, and the three market leaders in Saturday’s race – Jonbon, Il Etait Temps and Dan Skelton’s L’Eau Du Sud, who had beaten Jonbon by 18 lengths at Cheltenham last time – were foot-perfect throughout.
As Jonbon led them out of the back and towards the Pond fence, however, Il Etait Temps was clearly travelling best and when Paul Townend sent him to the front after jumping the second-last, the race was in effect over.
Willie Mullins, Il Etait Temps’ trainer, had started the day without a single winner to his name in Britain this season, but the £100,000 first prize here was a reminder that Dan Skelton’s big lead in the title race could yet come under threat when Mullins’s huge team arrives for the spring festivals at Cheltenham and Aintree.
Mullins now has Il Etait Temps and Majborough – who is due to make his seasonal debut in the Hilly Way Chase at Cork on Sunday – among three 4-1 co-favourites for the Queen Mother Champion Chase at Cheltenham on 11 March, while L’Eau Du Sud is out to 16-1 from 10-1 on Saturday morning.
Lingfield 11.07 Davvy 11.37 Oracle Mission 12.07 Thiscouldbefun (nap) 12.37 Fascinating Shadow (nb) 1.07 Coronado King 1.37 Meet Me In Meraki 2.07 Dandy Khan 2.37 Kondratiev Wave 3.07 Beta Reader
Musselburgh 12.45 Red Oak 1.15 Magic Gloves 1.45 Disguisedlimit 2.15 You Did 2.45 Fiveafterfour 3.15 Passing Pleasure
Fontwell 12.55 Turenne 1.25 Easy To Follow 1.55 Mask Of Zorro 2.25 Shotgun Shirley 2.55 Lelant 3.25 Crossbeau
Wolverhampton 4.30 Emma’s Letter 5.00 Sassicaia 5.30 Palace Boy 6.00 Side Deal 6.30 Papa Cocktail 7.00 Buraback 7.30 Twilight Madness 8.00 Sub Thirteen 8.30 Penelope Valentine
“He went through the race really easily,” Townend said. “He’s grown up in the fact you can ask him for a jump early and you’re not setting him alight, he’ll come back to you. He jumps, he stays, he travels and we’ll have to now see what Majborough does tomorrow. He [Il Etait Temps] announced himself here in April [in the Celebration Chase] and has played at the top table now, and has to be one of the leading players.”
Il Etait Temps completed a 6-4 double for odds-on backers after Lulamba’s emphatic success on a tight rein in the Grade One Henry VIII Chase. The four-year-old took a little time to find his rhythm on what was just his second chase start, but then powered into contention down the back and cruised into a decisive lead after the second-last.
“It’s always been a question of how good could he be?” Nicky Henderson, Lulamba’s trainer, said. “We didn’t learn a lot over hurdles. He was a bit unlucky not to win a Triumph Hurdle [in March] but this was always going to be his game whether it was now or we waited another year.
“The feeling across the camp was that he might just want another half a mile but he showed there that is not necessary and having looked very effective at two miles, we can now stay at two.”
Lulamba is now a clear 11-4 second-favourite for the Arkle Trophy on the Cheltenham festival’s opening day on 10 March, behind the 2-1 favourite, Kopek Des Bordes, the winner of the Supreme Novice Hurdle in March.
Henderson also reported that Sir Gino, who has been sidelined since an impressive debut over fences at Kempton’s Christmas festival meeting last season, is on course to return to hurdles in the Christmas Hurdle on Boxing Day.
Kelso 11.50 Great Fleet 12.20 Glen Road 12.55 Biglesisback 1.30 Al Kalila 2.00 Gold Clermont (nap) 2.37 Nells Son (nb) 3.15 Spectacularsunrise
Huntingdon 12.10 Datsalrightcharlie 12.42 Coastal Command 1.15 Don’t Mind If I Do 1.45 Trapista 2.23 Wondering Why 3.00 Djelo 3.30 Lune Brillante
Sir Gino, who was a warm favourite for the Arkle when he was ruled out of Cheltenham by an infection a few weeks beforehand, won the Triumph Hurdle in 2024 and is expected to take the place of his stable companion Constitution Hill at Kempton after the former Champion Hurdle winner’s third fall in four starts at Newcastle last week.
“He’s been chasing but he’s a dual Grade One hurdle winner and we could go either way with him,” Henderson said. “He did school this week and we did jump hurdles and it’s the first obstacle he has jumped since his issue.
“The Christmas Hurdle is probably the right option and we know Constitution Hill is not going to go there. Therefore the race is wide open, and it could be a nicer way to start Sir Gino off on this new expedition. What happens after that, I have no idea.”
