We are entering the Christmas period with some superb racing coming our way. At the time of writing, we don’t have declarations through, but if all goes to plan, here are some of my festive fancies.
Ascot, Saturday
The feature race at Ascot’s Christmas meeting is the Grade 1 Howden Long Walk Hurdle on Saturday, and there’s a familiar look to the contest.
Between Paisley Park and Champ, they have won four of the last five renewals, with Paisley Park victorious in three of them (last year at Kempton). The battle between Dashel Drasher and Paisley Park in the Long Distance Hurdle at Newbury at the beginning of the month brought a tear to my eye, with 11-year-old Paisley showing he retains all the twinkle in his toes, despite going down by a head to his year younger rival.
Champ is a tricky horse to weigh up. He goes well fresh, but like the first two, is also in the veteran stage of his career at the age of 11. He’s been plagued by back issues throughout his career, without which he could have been invincible.
The question is, can something else put a hand up in the stayer’s division?
The Dan Skelton trained mare West Balboa is unexposed, but also untested at this level. She needs to find more.
Crambo has been tested at this level but came up short. However, he caught the eye on his debut over this three mile trip at Haydock last time out and there looks to be more under the bonnet.
Botox Has is as tough as teak and won well at Wetherby on his reappearance, conceding weight to most of his rivals.
Blueking D’Oroux surprised a few people when he won the Coral Hurdle over two and a half miles at this track last month. He was unusual in winning that race as a four-year-old and it’s interesting Paul Nicholls is stepping him up to this trip. You get the impression they feel this division is weak and could be worth trying to take advantage of that. He’s had issues with his wind in the past, but it appears to have been resolved thanks to surgery at the beginning of the year. Four year olds have won this race in the past but you must go back to Silver Wedge (1995) and Ocean Hawk (1996).
So, which camp do you fall into? Are you with the old guard, or the young guns?
I’m an old softie and love those mature horses but I fear they are vulnerable. I like Crambo but he is Sky Bet’s 9/4 joint-favourite now with West Balboa, so the bookmakers look to be on the same page.
I’m tempted to have an each-way bet on Blueking D’Oroux at 14s as Crambo is short enough. I can’t wait to see how this plays out and it’ll be a real thrill to be there for Sky Sports Racing.
Boxing Day
The Ladbrokes King George VI Chase is the Christmas highlight.
Allaho is Sky Bet’s 15/8 favourite and for good reason. He’s won his last five starts but that doesn’t tell the whole story. His win in the Clonmel Oil Chase last month was his first start for over eighteen months after an injury layoff. He won comfortably but wasn’t completely foot perfect at his obstacles.
That’s nit-picking though, and he will be sharper for that and ready to rock n roll on Boxing Day. It’s hard to forget his impressive win in the Punchestown Gold Cup in 2022 when he beat Clan Des Obeaux by 14 lengths, and if he’s improved for his reappearance then he’ll take some beating.
It’s not a given though but his rivals have something to prove. Bravemansgame has been beaten favourite on both his starts this season. Shishkin didn’t fancy it at Ascot and must prove that was a blip. We’re on weather watch for Gerri Colombe, while The Real Whacker must improve and put a moderate reappearance behind him when pulled-up at Cheltenham last month. He could be a bit of each-way value though at 13/2 (albeit he’d have to finish in the first two) on some of his best form.
There’s another horse I can’t wait to see at Kempton on Boxing Day. Dedicated followers of French racing have already fallen in love with Il Est Francais thanks to his record over the Channel, which reads seven wins from his 11 starts.
He’s a Grade 1 winner over hurdles for trainers Noel George and Amanda Zetterholm and is unbeaten in both his starts over fences. British-style fences have been constructed on the training grounds he frequents, and he will hopefully adapt to them well.
Those of us with long memories will hope he can emulate Djeddah, who won the Ladbrokes Kauto Star Novices’ Chase back in 1996 (when it was known as the Feltham Novices’ Chase) for French trainer Francois Doumen and jockey Adam Kondrat.
He’ll have an advantage over that horse as he’ll be ridden by James Reveley who has some knowledge of Kempton and rode 342 jumps winners in the UK before relocating to France where he has been champion jockey three times.
Reveley has been on the sidelines for the past couple of weeks, but he’s fit and well now, and didn’t take some nice rides at Pau last Sunday to make sure he was fit and well for this horse. Il Est Francais is an 11/4 shot to win the race with Sky Bet.
December 27
The post-Christmas racing bonanza continues on the 27th, and speaking of which, the feature Coral Welsh Grand National was won in consecutive years by an old favourite of mine in Bonanza Boy back in 1988/89.
More recently, Mountainous won the race in non-consecutive years, in 2013 and 2015, and Iwilldoit is bidding to emulate that horse this time round. The 2021 winner provided Sam Thomas with the biggest success of his training career at that point, but he has a much tougher task here off a 13lbs higher mark. He’s 6lbs higher than when successful in the Classic Chase at Warwick in January after almost 13 months off the track and signed off his curtailed campaign with a well beaten fifth in the Midlands Grand National off a mark 2lbs higher than his current rating.
He ran well over hurdles on his return, when trying to take advantage of his lower mark over the smaller obstacles, so should be primed for this. However, it won’t be easy and he’s 11/1 with Sky Bet to do the double.
Monbeg Genius was the horse I’ve been touting for this over the past couple of months but he has been ruled out of the race, sadly.
At a bigger price (12/1) Autonomous Cloud is one to watch. His trainer Fergal O’Brien is having an excellent run, and this horse should sneak in at the bottom of the handicap thanks to a 4lbs penalty he picked up for winning a novices’ handicap chase at Uttoxeter last month. He’s an out and out stayer and the more rain the better.
So, all that sublime sport to look forward to, we are in for a treat. It’s time for me to wish you all a Happy Christmas, thanks for all your support and conversation in 2023, and I’ll look forward to seeing you at Ascot and Chepstow.
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