I MAY have lost my money backing Haddex Des Obeaux for the Tingle Creek, but I was far from downhearted with his showing in the circumstances, and he emerged with plenty of credit despite losing second on the run-in after going toe-to-toe with Jonbon on his first start in pattern company.

He’s been on my radar for around a year and I think his career best at Sandown will encourage connections to keep him to graded races now; and I’m hopeful my ante-post bet for him in the Queen Mother Champion Chase will see losses lent at Sandown returned with interest, even if that merely means picking up place money. Haddex Des Obeaux unseated on his chase debut at Newton Abbot in October, then jumped to his left when a creditable second at Kempton, and he fell at Cheltenham on his return to action, but the six-year-old’s jumping belies those facts. Although he wasn’t always foot-perfect in the Tingle Creek, he outjumped Jonbon a couple of times, including when briefly getting in the driving seat at the Pond fence, and his ability to jump fast and bold against a horse of Jonbon’s raw ability is a positive pointer to the future.