Il Etait Temps shows its time is now with a stunning display at Tingle Creek

A group of racegoers in high pre-Christmas spirits sang, ‘We love you, Jonbon, we do’, on the path opposite the track, but punters had not one, but two new favorites to celebrate by the end of Saturday afternoon as odds-on shots Il Etait Temps and Lulamba scored impressive wins in the card’s two Grade One events.

Both horses are now close to the top of the betting for their respective targets at next year’s Cheltenham Festival, and Jonbon’s supporters can at least consider that his bid to become only the second three-time Tingle Creek winner in its 56-year history was derailed by an exceptional rival.

A pack of top-class two-milers attacking the long line of fences on the Sandown straight is one of the biggest spectacles in show jumping, and the three market leaders in Saturday’s race – Jonbon, Il Etait Temps and Dan Skelton’s L’Eau Du Sud, who had beaten Jonbon by 18 lengths last time out at Cheltenham – were perfectly on their feet throughout.

However, as Jonbon led them from behind to the pond fence, Il Etait Temps clearly rode best and when Paul Townend sent him to the front after jumping penultimate, the race was effectively over.

Il Etait Temps trainer Willie Mullins had started the day without a single winner to his name in Britain this season, but the £100,000 first prize here was a reminder that Dan Skelton’s big lead in the title race could still be in jeopardy when Mullins’ huge team arrives for the spring festivals at Cheltenham and Aintree.

Mullins now has Il Etait Temps and Majborough – who will make his season debut in the Hilly Way Chase in Cork on Sunday – among three 4-1 co-favourites for the Queen Mother champion Chase at Cheltenham on March 11, while L’Eau Du Sud are out at 16-1 from 10-1 on Saturday morning.

“He came through the race very easily,” Townend said. “He has matured to the fact that you can ask him for a jump early and you don’t set him on fire, he will come back to you. He jumps, he stays, he travels and we will now have to see what Majborough does tomorrow. [Il Etait Temps] announced itself here in April [in the Celebration Chase] and has now played at the top table and must be one of the leading players.’

Il Etait Temps completed a 6-4 double for odds-on backers after Lulamba’s emphatic success with tight lines in the Grade One Henry VIII Chase. The four-year-old took some time to find his rhythm in what was only his second pursuit, but then came into the battle from the back and took a decisive lead after the penultimate.

“The question has always been: how good could he be?” Nicky Henderson, Lulamba’s trainer, said. “We didn’t learn much about hurdles. He was a bit unlucky not to win a Triumph Hurdle [in March] but this would always be his game, whether it was now or whether we waited another year.

“The feeling in camp was that he might have wanted another half mile, but he showed there that that is not necessary and after looking very effective on two miles we can now stay on two.”

Lulamba is now a clear 11-4 second favorite for the Arkle Trophy on the opening day of the Cheltenham festival on March 10, behind the 2-1 favourite, Kopek Des Bordes, winner of the Supreme Novice Hurdle in March.

Henderson also reported that Sir Gino, who has been sidelined since an impressive debut over fences at Kempton’s Christmas Festival meeting last season, is on course to return to hurdles in the Christmas Hurdle on Boxing Day.

Sir Gino, who was a firm favorite for the Arkle when an infection ruled him out of Cheltenham a few weeks earlier, won the Triumph Hurdle in 2024 and is expected to take the place of his stablemate Constitution Hill at Kempton after the former Champion Hurdle winner’s third fall in four starts at Newcastle last week.

“He’s chasing, but he’s a double first hurdle winner and we can go either way with him,” said Henderson. “He has been doing school this week and we have been jumping obstacles and it is the first obstacle he has jumped since his problem.

“The Christmas Hurdle is probably the right option and we know Constitution Hill won’t be going there. Therefore the race is wide open and it could be a nicer way to get Sir Gino starting on this new expedition. What happens next I have no idea.”