Racing Chat - Sunday 26th December

[The Brigadier]

Five quality contests on ITV on Boxing Day with the centre piece the King George V Chase. The ground is currently on the slow side of good with a mixed forecast so the ground maybe heading towards soft.

 

Kempton 1.20

A competitive looking 2m 4F 110yds novices’ handicap chase has attracted 8 runners. Nicky Henderson saddles a brace of runners here with slight preference for Bothwell Bridge ahead of Mister Coffey who both should have a future at the game over the bigger obstacles. Bottom weight Killer Kane hails from the Colin Tizzard camp and is not out of this as he is still lightly raced and has been dropped a further coupe of pounds for his Exeter effort but the horse I like here is the Paul Nicholls trained Danny Kirwan who put some disappointing hurdle runs behind him when finally getting his chance to jump a fence at Cheltenham in October. He did a few things wrong then but still finished off his race well to chase down Annual Invictus to be beaten 3L. The form has been boosted since and off of the same handicap mark can take this contest with Harry Cobden riding for his boss on what the stable are hoping will be a memorable day for them.

 

DANNY KIRWAN 2 points win @ 7/2 Ladbrokes/Coral

 

Kempton 1.55

Only 4 go to post for this year’s renewal of the Kauto Star Novices’ Chase and it looks a match to me between Lucinda Russell’s promising Ahoy Senor and Paul Nicholl’s Bravemansgame. Official ratings have the latter 3lb superior to the Somerset challenger with Ahoy Senor having taken his scalp at Aintree in the Spring over hurdles although that maybe mis-leading as Nicholl’s charge looks a much better chaser than hurdler. No novice has impressed me more than Bravemansgame’s two fencing victory’s this season at Newton Abbot and Haydock where he impressed with his fluent jumping in dispatching decent yardsticks in Fusil Raffles and Itchy Feet comfortably. It may well come down to jumping and jockeyship and for those reasons I’m firmly with Bravemansgame against Ahoy Senor.

 

BRAVEMANSGAME 4 points win @ 5/6 William Hill

 

Wetherby 2.10

The Rowland Meyrick Handicap Chase is run over three miles of the Yorkshire track and this year we have a field of 10 runners. Favourite Silver Hallmark was pulled out in the morning of the Racing Post Gold cup due to the ground not being soft enough and conditions should suit a lot better here. He has a massive chance although there are others with coins including 2018 winner Lake View Lad and 2019 winner Top Ville Ben. The biggest danger however to my selection is the Sandy Thomson trained Empire Steel who wasn’t disgraced first time up at Haydock in November when chasing home Strictlyadancer.

 

SILVER HALLMARK 2 points win @ 10/3 Bet365

 

Kempton 2.30

Only 5 go to post for the Christmas Hurdle including 2019 winner Epatante who got turned over in this last year when a 1/5 chance by Silver Streak who unfortunately lost his life last week. Nicky Henderson’s 7 year old mare,who won the Champion Hurdle in 2020, dead heated on her re-appearance at Newcastle with Not So Sleepy in the Fighting Fifth Hurdle and Hughie Morrison’s 9 year old takes her on again today on the same terms. There really shouldn’t be much between them but at the odds the play has to be Not So Sleepy with Jonathan Burke retaining the ride. Tritonic is out quickly following a good victory at Ascot a week ago but does have 13lb to find with the two principals whilst Soaring Glory may not be suited by a small field as proved when beaten last time out at a shade of odds on at Newbury.

 

NOT SO SLEEPY 2 points win @ 3/1 Betfred

 

Kempton 3.05

A stellar renewal of the King George VI Chase run over three miles of the Sunbury course. Somerset trainer Paul Nicholls has a terrific record in the race winning it an amazing 12 times with the great Kauto Star winning five if those. He saddles three this year in last years winner Frodo’s who may have got an easy lead then, outsider and 4th last year Saint Calvados who’s debuting for the Nicholls team and the 2018 and 2019 winner Clan Des Obeaux who ran a bit flat last season. The Cheltenham Gold Cup winner from March Minella Indo trained by Henry De Bromhead is also here and although 5L behind Frodon at Down Royal on his re-appearance can now be expected to turn the tables with that run behind him. Nicky Henderson runs Chantry House a novice winner at the Cheltenham and Aintree Festivals last season to add further spice to an excellent renewal. Willie Mullins sends over Asterion Forlonge who has stamina to prove but I have to stick with King George maestro Paul Nicholls and go with Clan Des Obeaux.

 

CLAN DES OBEAUX 2 points win @ 3/1 Bet365

 

[MCLARKE]

NH selection

Kempton 1.55

BRAVEMANSGAME 10/11