Horse racing podcast: Betfair Chase and Fairyhouse thoughts

Graham Cunningham hopes Grey Dawning does make the final line-up for the Ladbrokes King George VI Chase at Kempton on Boxing Day. Initially, Dan Skelton indicated the Betfair Chase runner-up would probably swerve the festive programme following his Haydock exertions but was leaning towards running him on Wednesday – something that excites the pundit.

Speaking on this week’s Sporting Life Racing Podcast, he said: "We’ve got a hokey-cokey King George. Willie has taken out all his entries and now we have Dan Skelton considering an absolutely tremendous reverse-ferret with Grey Dawning.

“I thought he ran a sensational race in the Betfair Chase but Dan having said 'you won’t be seeing him anywhere over Christmas for obvious reasons' has now had a look at the King George, had a look at the way Grey Dawning came out of the Haydock race, and is starting to get tempted.

“I get it completely, he’s a 16/1 chance with various firms for the Gold Cup. It’s a very hazy picture at the moment, but I think I’d be tempted with a run to back Grey Dawning at 4/1 for the King George. I thought he showed that much promise at the weekend."

Ed Chamberlin enjoyed Saturday’s Grade One in which Royale Pagaille rallied to beat his younger rival and take the race for the second successive season. However, he wonders if conditions of the race might need tweaking.

He said: “I thought it was a really good horse race, I really enjoyed it. You couldn’t take your eyes off Harry Skelton and Grey Dawning. He was just so exuberant early in the race, too exuberant you could argue given the time he spent in the air, but he was spectacular, and you thought down the home straight ‘when’s he going to press the button?'

“Harry got a bit of stick off AP and Mick Fitzgerald after the race for going a bit soon, but I thought he was a bit unlucky as he did the miss the last. If he’d hung on later, would it have made a difference? I don’t know because he clearly wasn’t holding on to a whole heap but it was a fascinating horse race.

“Bravemansgame looked absolutely shattered afterwards and it made me wonder whether at this stage of the season, when you see that field over two-and-a-half for the John Durkan, the Betfair Chase, in November, over three miles one-and-a-half furlongs, would three miles not be far enough and would we get a bigger field with the modern way and the way trainers go about things, if the Betfair wasn’t over such a gruelling trip at this time of the year?

"I think the John Durkan is just the perfect stepping stone for trainers in Ireland."

Cunningham felt any criticism of the Skelton ride on Grey Dawning was unjust.

“Just look down at the bottom left corner of the screen for the split times, the last two furlongs were 17 point something and 19 point something, both horses were very, very weary. I just think there was a very limited amount of energy left in Grey Dawning and if he’d been waited with for one run on the run-in I don’t think he’d have found much, but either way I think he’s a crackerjack horse and the King George could be a good slot for him," he said.

This weekend all eyes are on the new Unibet Champion Hurdle favourite Lossiemouth who heads to a Hatton’s Grade clash with star stayer Teahupoo.

“I think it’s a big, big day for her because Teahupoo is by some way the best horse she’s ever faced over hurdles,” Cunningham added.

“Yes, she beat some pretty smart males at Cheltenham but after that it was fillies, Gala Marceau etc and Teahupoo is in a different league to those horses with a rating in the low-160s and a proven record in this race having got the better of a great scrap with Impaire Et Passe in it last season.

“I think Lossiemouth is that good and might just have the edge this weekend but if she can treat Teahupoo in the way she treated Gala Marceau and company then we are really onto something. The Champion Hurdle prices look pretty tight at the moment and Sunday will be an acid test of just how good she is.”

Irish expert Billy Nash has a strong fancy in the other Grade One on the card.

“The Drinmore for me is the one I’m really looking forward to. It’s a Grade One novice chase but because it falls at this time of the year you have horses, the likes of Heart Wood who is top on Timeform ratings, and Pinkerton who are no longer really considered novices," he explained.

“This is the last weekend they can run as novices and it does add an extra dimension to the race. Heart Wood is nicely clear on Timeform ratings. He won the Leopardstown chase last year off a mark of 136 and beat Corbetts Cross on his reappearance in a three-runner race at Wexford,” he said.

“He was getting plenty of weight but it’s still quite a decent performance and sets a really good standard for the novices to come up to. He takes on Pinkerton who won the Galway Plate, Gordon Elliott has Shecouldbeanything who has won her last four over fences and then you have the likes of Firefox who was so impressive on his chasing debut.

“He’s the up-and-coming novice in the race but Heart Wood sets a really high standard here and I think he’s going to take an awful lot of beating.”

More from Sporting Life

• Racecards
• Fast results
• Full results and free video replays
• Horse racing news
• Horse racing tips
• Horse racing features
• Download our free iOS and Android app
• Football and other sports tips
• Podcasts and video content

Safer gambling

We are committed in our support of safer gambling. Recommended bets are advised to over-18s and we strongly encourage readers to wager only what they can afford to lose.

If you are concerned about your gambling, please call the National Gambling Helpline / GamCare on 0808 8020 133.

Further support and information can be found at begambleaware.org and gamblingtherapy.org.