The 2020 Sandown Park Tingle Creek Festival

Start the festive season with a bang this year with the highlight of Sandown’s jump racing – the Tingle Creek Festival. For the first Friday and Saturday of December, Sandown hosts two days of superb jump racing, which this year can be celebrated in person by a limited number of spectators. Don’t worry if you didn’t manage to get tickets, they sold out in 17 minutes! However you’re celebrating this year, read on for The Wine Tipster’s Sandown tips.

Friday 4th December

Tingle Creek Friday opens the festival with a top line up of races.

The Wine Tipster is especially excited to see his My Racing Manager Friends runner Funambule Sivola in the 1.50 Novices’ Limited Handicap Chase! Funambule Sivola won impressively at Wetherby on chasing debut last week and is carrying a seven pound penalty for that success today. This is much more competitive contest and his slick jumping will need to come to the fore this afternoon.

My Racing Manager was created by Elli Morgan, and The Wine Tipster is delighted to be involved. My Racing Manager has had two Cheltenham Festival winners with Coo Star Sivola and Flying Tiger.

The race card for Friday:

12:45 – 3m (3m37y) Sandown Park Amateur Jockeys’ Handicap Chase (Class 3) (4yo+ 0-130)

1:15 – 1m7½f (1m7f119y) Handicap Chase (Class 3) (4yo+ 0-125)

1:50 – 2m4f (2m4f10y) Novices’ Limited Handicap Chase (GBB Race) (Class 3) (4yo+ 0-135)

2:25 – 2m4f (2m3f173y) Ballymore Winter Novices’ Hurdle (Grade 2) (GBB Race) (Class 1) (4yo+)

3:00 – 2m7½f (2m7f98y) Pertemps Network Handicap Hurdle (Pertemps Hurdle Series Qualifier) (GBB Race) (Class 2) (4yo+)

3:35 – 2m4f (2m3f173y) Mares’ Handicap Hurdle (Challenger Mares’ Series Qualifier) (Class 3) (3yo+ 0-130)

Saturday 5th December

Tingle Creek Saturday hosts two top class Grade 1 races – the Henry VIII Novices’ Chase and The Tingle Creek Chase. With a history of over 40 years and named after a Jumps racehorse of the 1970s, The Tingle Creek Chase is one of the key races of the season with a purse of over £68,000. Here’s the line up:

12:05 – 2m (1m7f216y) The 1.50 Introductory Juvenile Hurdle (Gbb Race) (Class 2) (3yo)

12:40 – 2m (1m7f216y) “National Hunt” Novices’ Hurdle (Gbb Race) (Class 3) (4yo+)

1:15 – 2m (1m7f216y) Novices’ Handicap Hurdle (Gbb Race) (Class 4) (3yo+ 0-120)

1:50 – 1m7½f (1m7f119y)  Henry VIII Novices’ Chase (Grade 1) (Gbb Race) (Class 1) (4yo+)

2:25 – 1m7½f (1m7f119y) Tingle Creek Chase (Grade 1) (GBB Race) (Class 1) (4yo+)

3:00 – 3m5f (3m4f166y) National Handicap Chase (Class 2) (5yo+)

3:35 – 2m (1m7f216y) December Handicap Hurdle (Listed Race) (Class 1) (4yo+)

Look out for The Wine Tipster’s Unibet Blog on Saturday.

At Home

• Don’t miss a thing – catch every race live on Racing TV and ITV, and even rewatch highlights from racing history via Racing Replays (available 20 minutes after the winner crosses the line!).
• The Raceday App is a must for the At Home experience. Get your own digital racecard, exclusive content, and access to the Raceday 5 Game with a chance to win a bottle of Coates & Seely Rosé NV and £10,000!
• Get inspiration from others’ At Home Celebration creations here, don’t forget to share yours with The Wine Tipster, Sandown Park and The Jockey Club.
• Need to brush up on your racing knowledge and jargon? Check out Racing Explained for all the confusing terms.
• Keep up to date with all the entertainment events from The Jockey Club with their Content Hub.

Food & Drink

Taking inspiration from The Jockey Club, The Wine Tipster is looking forward to making this week’s featured dish, Braised Shank of Herdwick Lamb with Root Veg, Red Onion Jam and Greens. See the recipe from Senior Sous Chef Lawrie Jeffries here.

For something sweet, why not try a Vegan Lemon Cheesecake from Head Chef Warren O’Connor – a real winner with vegans and non-vegans alike.

To accompany a hearty winter dish this Festival, The Wine Tipster’s Top 5 Red Wines are a must for the cooler months. In particular, Don David Blend of Terroirs Malbec 2019, Calchaqui Valley, Argentina (Co-op £9) has a great autumnal flavours of blackberries and blueberries, with sweet spicy notes and silky tannins.

For another classic red, St. Hallett ‘Faith’ Shiraz 2018, Barossa Valley, Australia (Majestic £16.99 and £14.99 mixed case of six) is a must try, full of bold flavours of pepper and plums – perfect for a roast.

For a true celebration, pop open some bubbly this weekend. Moët & Chandon, official Champagne of The Jockey Club, is always a treat. The Wine Tipster especially loves their Moët Impérial, with its iconic fruitiness and elegant maturity.

Coates and Seely, official sparkling wine sponsors, is also perfect for Jump season. Pop open a bottle of their wonderful English Sparkling Brut Reserve NV for a hit of green apple freshness and a rounded palate.

Lastly, Rosé – a great all-rounder. Château Léoube’s Rosé de Léoube (Daylesford £18.99) is an elegant and dry wine with a perfect combination of minerals and fruit.

The Wine Tipster hopes that whether you are attending The Tingle Creek Festival in person or enjoying it at home, that you have a most wonderful weekend and some wins! Look out for his Unibet Blog on Saturday for tips.