Il Etait Temps can set up Tingle test with Clonmel outing

Il Etait Temps can book his ticket to the Tingle Creek when setting out on his quest to make up for lost time this term in the Clonmel Oil Chase on Thursday.

Willie Mullins’ seven-year-old, who is part-owned by the family of former England cricketer Craig Kieswetter, was limited to one appearance last season but made an almighty impression when he was sighted, leaving Jonbon trailing in his wake at Sandown in the season-ending Celebration Chase.

That fourth Grade One success over the larger obstacles makes a return to Esher for their pre-Christmas feature the obvious early-target, if successfully blowing away the cobwebs.

“We hope we get a clear run this year, it was a niggling injury last year that kept him out,” said Patrick Wynn Jones of the Kieswetter family’s Barnane Stud, who own Il Etait Temps in partnership with Hollywood Racing.

“Apparently he is in great shape and we’ve seen a video of him popping a jump at home and he looks in great form, so we will see how we get on.

“Hopefully all being well we can kick on to the Tingle Creek in December, which I think is the plan Willie has for him and we’ll probably take on Jonbon again and see how he gets on.

“Willie was surprised by how well he jumped around Sandown in the spring and has thought why not send him back again.”

Successful at all the major festivals barring Cheltenham, Il Etait Temps is the first of the big players from the massed ranks of the Closutton jumps battalion to step out on track this season and could continue a fine week for Mullins following his historic win at the Breeders’ Cup.

However, he will have a few new variables to encounter, as he attempts to go the furthest he has ever been on ground that could prove softer than ideal in the two-mile-five-furlong event.

Wynn Jones added: “Willie brought him in early as he wanted to get him ready for the Tingle Creek, but the only thing I would say is we have had a lot of rain out here so the ground could be fairly testing down in Clonmel.

“Danny (Mullins) always maintained that because he is a small horse, when the going is heavy, he has that much further to go, out of the heavy ground and over the fence. He goes through it, but we’re not sure he is as effective on it and we will see on Thursday.

“We’ll also find out if he can stay the trip as the furthest he’s gone is two and a half miles at Aintree on fairly decent ground. He got that really well though, and we’re not going to second guess Willie, if he thinks this is the right place we will kick on from here.”

Il Etait Temps’ main threat on paper could come from stablemate Gentleman De Mee who won the Topham at Aintree over this trip in the spring and gives Mullins a considerable hand in a race he has won a record nine times with the likes of Kemboy (2018), Douvan (2019) and Allaho (2023).

Frank Berry, racing manager to Gentleman De Mee’s owner JP McManus, said: “He’s in good form and Willie is happy with him so we’ll be looking forward to a good run.

“The distance is good for him and he won the Topham well in the spring. It was a good performance that day and he’s back in good form and hopefully he will give a good account of himself.”

Last year’s Irish Grand National winner Intense Raffles will represent Thomas Gibney, with Vincent Laurence Halley’s Senecia completing the quartet in action.