L'Homme Presse has 'good chance' of Tingle Creek comeback as leading chaser builds towards big-race return

The Betfair Tingle Creek Chase at Sandown has emerged as a surprise potential starting point for Gold Cup hope L'Homme Presse, although connections warned it is touch and go if he will be ready to run in the Grade 1 contest on December 9.

Last year's Brown Advisory Novices' Chase winner has not run since unseating Charlie Deutsch at the last fence in the King George VI Chase at Kempton last December when looking likely to finish second, but is building back to a return to action at trainer Venetia Williams' yard in Herefordshire.

With the Betfair Chase at Haydock on November 25 and the Coral Gold Cup at Newbury a week later ruled out, connections are considering dropping L'Homme Presse back to two miles for the first time since he won a novice hurdle over the minimum trip at Chepstow in 2021 in the Tingle Creek.

"There's a good chance [of him running in the Tingle Creek]," said joint-owner Andy Edwards. "We spoke about it last year as a prep run but ended up going for the Rehearsal Chase instead. If he's going to go two miles you'd want it proper soft and last year it didn't look like being that soft.

"Whether he will be quite ready for it or not, I'm not sure. I was on the gallops with him this morning and he looked good but we don't want to rush. Everyone has to remember he did hurt himself in the King George and he got over that injury, but it takes time and that's what we've been giving him."

L'Homme Presse is 10-1 with the sponsor's sportsbook for the Tingle Creek in a market headed by 1-2 favourite Jonbon, who is set for his seasonal return at Cheltenham on Sunday.

Edwards added: "The Tingle Creek wasn't plan A but time means we've got to look down other avenues. It's not a throwaway entry and, if he's ready to go, we'd be very happy to go there and use it as a stepping stone."

Looking beyond the Tingle Creek, Edwards said no targets had been laid out for L'Homme Presse, who is 10-1 with sponsors Ladbrokes to go one better in the King George at Kempton on December 26 and 20-1 with bet365 and William Hill for the Gold Cup in March.

"There's nothing specifically wrong, he's just been a bit slower to come to hand this season," said Edwards. "The Betfair Chase would have been ideal and the Coral Gold Cup was the back-up but we didn't want to over push him. Hopefully that extra week [to the Tingle Creek] is enough. We've got to get a race into him soon and options are becoming limited. If we want to run him and be competitive at Christmas, we need a prep run.

"There's no target, it's getting him back on a racecourse and the moment he's ready for his first run since Boxing Day, that's the race he will go in."

Read more:

French connection works perfectly for Andy Edwards and L'Homme Presse 

Gold Cup dream alive for connections of L'Homme Presse after festival triumph 

L'Homme Presse will not run again this season as attention turns to next campaign 

The jumps season is coming! Pick up your copy of The Big Jump Off, out now and packed with everything you need for the 2023-24 National Hunt season. Our brilliant 72-page supplement, including ante-post tips, guest columnists, top trainer profiles, divisional analysis and much more, is available to order from the Racing Post shop here.