Hear from the trainers themselves

10 Christmas crackers from the top trainers in England over the festive period

By Graham Clark

Horse Racing

Wed December 25, 2024 · 1d ago

Some of the top trainers in Britain help Graham Clark compile ten horses to follow for the festive period.

For horse racing fans across the country Christmas Day simply serves as a starter to what is a tantalising main course that is Boxing Day followed by numerous daily sweet treats up until New Year’s Day.

While some find it hard to fill the days that follow after the turkey and trimmings have been polished off for punters it is a period packed with ample opportunities to replenish the coffers left exhausted in the run up to the festive period.

The Ladbrokes King George VI Chase at Kempton Park on Boxing Day is as much a tradition to racing fans as opening, and receiving, gifts is to the members of the public that don’t follow the sport such is the prominence the race has in the calendar.

Paul Nicholls has been crowned the King Of Kempton more than anyone else having lifted the Grade One prize a record 13 times with his latest victory in the three mile prize coming back in 2022 with Bravemansgame, who will line up in the race for the third year running.

However, odds of 16/1 suggest that the nine year old faces a tall order in regaining his crown, but the Ditcheat handler has high hopes for Fire Flyer getting the meeting off to a winning start in the Ladbrokes Best Odds Guaranteed On Racing Novices’ Limited Handicap Chase.

Nicholls said: “Hopefully Fire Flyer can get Boxing Day at Kempton off to a good start for us.

“He ran very well on his debut over fences when finishing second at Exeter earlier this month, but the flat track will suit him better here.

“The aim was to give him one run over fences, win, lose or draw then go for this race. We have had it ring fenced in the calendar for a while.

“I’ve always thought plenty of him and I think he will be a nice chaser as time goes on.”

Kempton Park has not been the only happy hunting ground for Nicholls on Boxing Day with his local track Wincanton providing him with a steady supply of winners.

And this year Nicholls believes Jena D’Oudairies in the rhino.bet For Boxing Day Price Boosts Mares’ Novices’ Hurdle represents his best chance of a winner at the Somerset track.

Nicholls said: “She won a mares bumper at the end of Taunton last season and that form has worked out okay with a few of those in behind going on to win.

“We will start her off over the extended one mile seven furlongs against her own sex, even though she beat the boys when winning her bumper.

“This looks like a good starting point for her and hopefully she can be quite exciting.”

There was a time when Dan Skelton would have been back in The Manor down in Ditcheat celebrating many of the King George successes enjoyed by Nicholls during his time as assistant trainer at Manor Farm Stables.

This year Skelton will be going all out to bring the trophy back to Lodge Hill Stables with the ultra tough Grey Dawning.

But away from trying to secure a second Grade One of the season Skelton is looking forward to the prospects of Major Fortune in the Coral Racing Club Join For Free Handicap Hurdle at Chepstow on Friday.

Skelton said: “Major Fortune will head to Chepstow for the extended two miles seven furlong handicap hurdle.

“The ground was too fast for him last time at Cheltenham. The step back up to this sort of trip back on soft ground will be very much up to his liking.

“I expect him to go very well. He was a rapid improver last season and hopefully there is still a bit more of that to come from him.”

And for those looking to get next week off to a flyer then look no further than Listentoyourheart, who Skelton expects to prove tough to beat in the Listed Byerley Stud Mares’ Novices’ Hurdle at Taunton.

He added: “Listentoyourheart is on course for the Listed mares’ novices’ hurdle at Taunton. She is tough, hardy and experienced. I think the track will really suit her and she will put her experience to good use.

“I know she has to give away a penalty, but I think she can do that. I think she is a filly that has got a really good attitude.

“I thought she would be good this season and I’m delighted that she is proving to be that way.”

There might be no champion jumps trainer title next to the name of Ben Pauling just yet, but in time he is likely to find his name engraved on the coveted crown given the ever growing strength and depth at his fingertips.

Plenty of horses from his ever expanding base down in Naunton will be seen out over the coming days including Coral Gold Cup fifth Henry’s Friend, who will return to Newbury on Saturday for the Coral Mandarin Handicap Chase.

Pauling said: “I was delighted with Henry’s Friend in the Coral Gold Cup as he tried to take the second down the back with him and he nearly fell.

“From there on in he was a bit careful and deliberate at a few. He lost his rhythm, but he still managed to finish fifth.

“I do honestly feel that with a clean round of jumping he would have been bang there. He has been dropped a pound and he will be very competitive going back to Newbury in the Mandarin.”

As is common at this time of year multiple engagements can be expected to be found next to the name of potential runners.

One such horse that falls into that category is Groovy Blue, however Pauling believes he should be kept on side wherever he turns up next.

He added: “Groovy Blue will either go to Doncaster on the 29th, Taunton on the 30th or Cheltenham on New Year’s Day.

“He is a very good workhorse. He wasn’t fit when he ran at Kempton on his first start over hurdles and he came back a bit snotty.

“I think he is a proper novice for the season ahead over two and a half miles.”

Sam Thomas knows exactly what it is like to win a Grade One as a jockey, but he is still awaiting a victory at the top level on his CV as a trainer.

The Cheltenham Gold Cup winning rider is operating at a 27 percent strike rate this season having saddled nine winners from just 33 runners.

However, that Grade One success Thomas is longing for could come up at Aintree tomorrow with the rapidly improving Celtic Dino in the William Hill Formby Novices’ Hurdle.

Thomas said: “He is a very good horse and a real star of the future. Ma Shantou, of Emma Lavelle’s, who he beat first time out has since won, as has Wade Out, who was second to him at Ascot, so the form is getting boosted everywhere.

“We know he is a nice horse and hopefully he can take us to some of the spring festivals at the end of the season.

“He is a big raw horse that covers the ground like you wouldn’t believe and any horse that can do that has a bright future.”

Lump Sum runs at Kempton

Although the task facing Lump Sum in toppling either Constitution Hill or Lossiemouth in a high quality renewal of the Ladbrokes Christmas Hurdle looks a tough one, Thomas is optimistic he could expose any potential chinks in either of their armour.

He added: “We would love to run in a Betfair Hurdle, but that is not until February as we all know anything can happen between now and then.

“While he is in a good place, and is fit and well, we will roll the dice in the Christmas Hurdle and see how we go.

“He is a cracking horse. He is not overly big, but he has got a big heart and he jumps well. He has got to step up here, but it is nice to contest a race like this.

“I’m realistic, and I’m very aware of the situation, but it is horse racing and anything can happen.”

The sound of wrapping paper being ripped apart will have been loud and clear in the ears of trainer Jamie Snowden, however the father-of-three hopes Marche d’Aligre can supply him with a late present at Chepstow on Friday in the Grade Two Coral Finale Juvenile Hurdle.

Snowden said: “He has entries at Kempton and Wetherby next to his name, but the plan is to go for the Finale at Chepstow all being well.

“He won on debut at Wetherby and he looks a smart type. It was his first time out over hurdles there. He jumped well in the main and he was pretty polished and he fairly bolted up.

“I don’t know what was necessarily in that race, but he couldn’t have done it any better and he loves soft ground. He is a big strapping individual.

“I think he is a hardy horse and this race should suit him.”

But before attempting to secure a first Graded race winner of the season Snowden feels Passing Well has outstanding claims of striking gold on his first attempt at three miles one furlong in the Download The Racing App Now Handicap Chase at Wincanton tomorrow.

Snowden said: “Passing Well is very unexposed at this kind of trip and he looks like he wants a trip like this.

“He is quite a lazy travelling type of individual, but he jumps super and he saw the trip out at Sandown the last day really well.

“I think we can be plenty positive enough with him in first time cheekpieces and you would like to hope in a small runner affair he has got a big run in him.”

10 Christmas crackers from the top trainers in England over the festive period

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