Tingle next for Naas winner

Henry Whittington says he will target the Tingle Creek next for Saint Calvados following Saturday’s Poplar Square Chase success.

The five-year-old looked serene on his seasonal reappearance, cruising around Naas under Gavin Sheehan before lifting the tempo and coming home four-and-a-half lengths clear of Gordon Elliott’s Tycoon Prince.

Odds-on pre-race favourite Footpad struggled to feature, setting off slowly under Ruby Walsh who tried to make a late dash, only to fall at the final fence still off the pace.

Saint Calvados has immediately been cut by the bookmakers for the Tingle Creek Chase on December 8 and Whittington says a trip to Sandown is top of the agenda.

Whittington said: “He’ll go for the Tingle Creek next and I’m looking forward to him going over the Railway fences there. He was just a bit rusty over the first couple, but it was a good performance.

“I’m delighted for Andrew and Kate Brooks (owners) and for the horse. You can just draw a line through the Arkle now, and he’s probably silenced the doubters. He’s come back and done it well.

“He’s a proper two-miler and Gavin felt he was just hacking round. He’s only going to get better with age as he’s still a big, raw horse and only five. It’s very exciting.”