Betfair Tingle Creek Chase: Jonbon 4/6 favourite to win Saturday's Grade 1

• Field of eight stands its ground for Saturday's Betfair Tingle Creek

• Jonbon favourite to win again for Nicky Henderson at 4/61.67

• Quilixios and Edwardstone next in market at 9/25.50 and 7/18.00

Defending champ 4/6 for Betfair Tingle Creek

Jonbon is 4/61.67 to successfully defend his crown in the Betfair Tingle Creek Chase at Sandown on Saturday after all eight of Monday's declarations stood their ground.

The Grade 1 contest is the highlight of the two-day Betfair-sponsored festival and the field of eight that was declared on Monday indicates we could be in a for an exciting renewal.

Jonbon is bidding to become the first horse since the mighty Kauto Star back in 2005 and 2006 to win successive renewals of the £175,000 Betfair Tingle Creek Chase.

Jonbon's biggest rival in the market is Quilixios 9/25.50 and earlier this week his trainer Henry de Bromhead talked up the Irish horse's chances.

He said : "He has good form on all ground. I was concerned about the good ground at Naas last month but he won very well on that. He won a good race there on testing ground in January. He is pretty adaptable... He answered all our questions at Naas. The Tingle Creek was the obvious race to have a go out."

Edwardstone, who won this race in 2022, is third in the market at 7/18.00 and the Harry Fry-trained Boot Hill isn't far behind at 9/110.00.

Betfair spokesman Barry Orr commented today: ''Our traders feel that Quilixios and Edwardstone both have strong claims and are happy to field against the favourite at that price'.

"It's encouraging to see the 8 going forward, as its 3-places to each-way punters, and hopefully the ground wont play a negative role on numbers before post time on Saturday."

Two days of top jumps racing at Sandown

The Betfair Tingle Creek Festival kicks off on Friday 6 December with a six-race card, headlined by the Grade Two Winter Novices' Hurdle over two-and-a-half miles.

Then it's Betfair Tingle Creek Saturday with two Grade One races on the card - the Henry VIII Novices' Chase and the feature race discussed above.

We will have Betfair Tingle Creek Chase previews and tips for both days at Sandown later this week.

The Betfair Tingle Creek - Sponsor Odds

4/61.67 - Jonbon

9/25.50 - Quilixios

7/18.00 - Edwardstone

9/110.00 - Boothill

11/112.00 - Jpr One

20/121.00 - Master Chewy

25/126.00 - Solness

50/151.00 - Unexpected Party

*EW 3 Places

Now read Betfair Tingle Creek at Sandown: Quilixios and Solness lead Irish challenge in Saturday's Grade 1