PAGES OF FANTASTIC
has “come on enormously” from his comeback defeat by Defi Du Seuil as he seeks revenge in Sandown’s Betfair Tingle Creek Chase on Saturday.
Paul Nicholls’ grey, who won the Grade One two-miler in 2017, went under by a length and a quarter to Defi Du Seuil in the Shloer Chase at Cheltenham last month.
Ladbrokes make Philip Hobbs’ winner the 5-4 favourite to come out on top again, with Politologue available at 9-2. Un De Sceaux, successful in 2016, splits the pair on 100-30.
But Politologue’s owner John Hales said yesterday: “We were giving Defi Du Seuil 3lb at Cheltenham and now we’re off levels.
“Paul says that he’s in good shape and raring to go – he will have come on enormously for that run.
“He tends to get better as you go through the season, so I’m hoping he will put up a good performance.”
A step up to three miles for the King George VI Chase failed to bear fruit when Politologue finished a remote fourth to stablemate Cyrname at Kempton Park last Christmas.
But the eight-year-old returned to two miles to finish a length-andPOLITOLOGUE threequarter second to Altior in the Queen Mother Champion Chase at Cheltenham last March, and Hales added: “He’ll be sharper, he’ll be fitter, he gives you 110% in every race and Sandown suits him, so I’m looking forward to the weekend.”