What's on this week: Tingle Creek tops sensational weekend of big-race action

Monday

Ayr is the only jumps meeting of the day with a six-race card including an intriguing novice hurdle (1.40) featuring unbeaten trio, the Warren Greatrex-trained High Stakes, Lucinda Russell's Corrigeen Rock and Irish raider Ballycoose.

All-weather action comes from Kempton in the afternoon and Wolverhampton in the evening.

Tuesday

Southwell is edging closer to their first meeting on their new Tapeta surface on Tuesday December 7, but first the Nottinghamshire track hosts a seven-race jumps card.

Other meetings come at Newcastle and Lingfield.

Wednesday

The Donald McCain-trained Minella Trump could bid for a remarkable eighth successive win this season in a high quality midweek card at Haydock (1.50). McCain will also be hoping that A Different Kind can stretch his own unbeaten run to four in a hot-looking 'Introductory' Hurdle (2.20).

Minella Trump: could bid for an eighth win in a row at Haydock on WednesdayCredit: Mark Cranham (racingpost.com/photos)

However, the Alan King-trained Harbour Lake stayed on powerfully in the colours of the late Trevor Hemmings to win on his racecourse debut at Wetherby and should provide stern opposition.

Graded-winning chasers Lake View Lad and Aso as well as Grand National sixth Blaklion are entered in a high class field for the feature veterans' chase.

The rest of the day's action comes on the all-weather with afternoon meetings at Lingfield and Dundalk followed by Kempton in the evening.

Thursday

Grand National winner Minella Times holds an entry over hurdles at Clonmel. Henry de Bromhead's eight-year-old has not been seen since Aintree and the feature 3m handicap hurdle (1.30), for which Grand National fourth Burrows Saint is also entered, could be the scene of his seasonal reappearance.

Minella Times: Grand National winner holds a hurdle entry at Clonmel on ThursdayCredit: Edward Whitaker

At Wincanton, jockey Charlie Case bids to win the Amateur Jockeys' Handicap Chase (12.45) aboard Kilbrew Boy for his trainer and father Ben for the third year in a row as part of a seven-race card. Other jumps meetings come from Leicester and Market Rasen with Chelmsford completing the day's racing on the all-weather.

Friday

Leading trainers Paul Nicholls, Nicky Henderson and Dan Skelton have plenty of options for the Grade 2 Winter Novices' Hurdle (2.25), the highlight of the opening day of Sandown's Tingle Creek meeting.

Nicholls, who has won the race four times including with subsequent Gold Cup and King George winner See More Business as well as Grand National winner Neptune Collonges, has Chepstow scorer Brave Kingdom and Mr Glass, who battled well to maintain his unbeaten record at Newcastle on Saturday, entered.

Skelton has Viva Lavilla, West Balboa and Get A Tonic entered with the trio all having won on their last starts, while Henderson could run Worcester winner Mot A Mot and the JP McManus-owned Broomfield Burg.

The other jumps meetings come from opposite ends of the country with seven races apiece in the north at Sedgefield and the south at Exeter. Flat action comes on the all-weather at Newcastle.

Saturday

Following Shishkin's absence from the Betfair Tingle Creek Chase (2.25), the Willie Mullins-trained Chacun Pour Soi now heads the market.

A winner in France and dominant in Ireland, the nine-year-old is yet to win in England but looks the likeliest of the Mullins contingent to take his place in the £150,000 championship two-mile race.

Mullins, who won the race in 2016 with Un De Sceaux, has also entered Energumene, who excelled in novice company last season, and runaway Ryanair winner Allaho.

Shloer Chase winner Nube Negra finished ahead of Chacun Pour Soi in the Champion Chase and will be looking to enhance his growing reputation under last year's winning rider Harry Skelton.

Last year's first three home, Politologue, Greaneteen and Rouge Vif, are all entered for Paul Nicholls, with Captain Guinness another interesting Irish challenger for Henry De Bromhead.

Chacun Pour Soi: leads the market for the Betfair Tingle Creek ChaseCredit: Caroline Norris (racingpost.com/photos)

The Henry VII Novices’ Chase (1.50) is the other Grade 1 on the card where the Skeltons could make it back-to-back wins in the race if Third Time Lucki can follow up Allmankind's win. The Listed December Handicap Hurdle caps off a quality card at Sandown.

There is also fantastic action at Aintree to look forward to with the Grade 2 Many Clouds chase followed by the Grade 3 Becher Chase run over the Grand National fences where Mac Tottie could bid to follow up his recent win in the Grand Sefton.

Elsewhere in Britain, there are more jumps meetings at Wetherby and Chepstow with Irish action coming from Navan. An evening all-weather card at Wolverhampton is the only Flat meeting of the day.

Sunday

The brilliant weekend continues with the Grade 1 John Durkan Memorial Chase (2.00) at Punchestown set to feature a host of Ireland's chasing stars. Dual Cheltenham Gold Cup winner Al Boum Photo could make his seasonal reappearance for Willie Mullins.

Mullins has taken the race six times in the last eight years and is responsible for over half of the 22 entries.

In Britain, Huntingdon stages its highlight of the season, the Grade 2 Peterborough Chase (1.52). The race returns to its rightful home having being run at Cheltenham last year due to flooding at the Cambridgeshire track. Other meetings come from Kelso and Cork.

Catch our new in-depth review of the weekend's racing every Monday in the Racing Post. With big-race analysis from Grand National-winning jockey Leighton Aspell, Chris Cook's take on the weekend action, eyecatchers from the Raceform team, weekly awards and more, it is not to be missed.