I will be making my annual pilgrimage to Kempton Park on Boxing Day to see my 14th King George. My first visit was in 2009 to witness the magnificent Kauto Star hammer Madison Du Berlais by a staggering 30 lengths with future Gold Cup hero Imperial Commander back in 4th. What a way to make my King George debut! Subsequent years put on the Kauto Star and Long Run battles before a changing of the guard with dual champions Silviniaco Conti and Clan Des Obeaux showing class round Kempton's sharp track but displaying just how different a test this is to the Gold Cup where they both failed to land a blow. Long Run is the last King George victor to follow up in the King George but Might Bite and Bravemansgame both went on to finish runner up in March before losing their form. I remember vividly Thistlecrack wowing the crowd with the ease in which he dispatched the field in 2016 in his Novice Chase season however, probably the most thrilling renewal in my time of standing in that packed grandstand must be Cue Card's nailing of Vautor on the line in 2015. I hope this year's renewal will also leave me with a buzz for days just like that titanic tussle in 2015, it's certainly a race to savour. Anyway, here's my rundown of the big day's races.
12:45, Ladbrokes Best Odds Guaranteed On Racing Novices' Limited Handicap Chase
Range 7/1
This is a great way to start the day, a nice open competitive handicap chase. Fire Flyer jumped well on his first go over fences at Exeter earlier this month and looks sure to improve for the better ground here as well as the step up in trip. This is a much harder race than the one at Exeter however, and he hasn't always been the most reliable. The price has contracted enough in recent days too. Asta La Pasta looks the deserved favourite after a super run in a strong race at Newbury last month when he finished 3rd after coming from a long way back over a shorter trip. This will be more his bag, but he's a big horse who can step at a fence and so Kempton could expose him a little bit. It's difficult to split these two and instead I've opted to take a punt on the top weight, Range. Sam Thomas' 7 year old is lightly raced as this will be only his 10th run and he duly exploited a fair handicap mark of 123 when leading all the way over this sort of trip and ground at Chepstow 34 days ago. It's likely he's been aimed at this since. He was put up 8 pounds for that however, Dylan Johnstone's 3 pound claim helps negate that a bit. He's a proper chaser and can jump at speed. I expect him to attempt to make all again and can put the sword to this field.
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13:20, Ladbrokes Kauto Star Novices' Chase
The Jukebox Man 11/10
I don't think I need to go into this race too much other than to say that I have been a big fan of The Jukebox Man for a while and was very taken with his performance at Newbury last month. His form, both hurdles and chase, is the best on show and I don't think he'll have too much issue with his first go on a right handed track. Even money looks fair enough and I expect to see his odds of 10/1 for the Brown Advisory at the Cheltenham Festival compact after this.
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13:55, Ladbrokes Christmas Hurdle
No bet
Father Christmas answered many racing fan's wishes this year as we get to see the return of Constitution Hill as he bids for his third Christmas Hurdle. He is taking on a top drawer mare here in the shape of Lossiemouth who looks to be the best Triumph Hurdle winner in many a year and baring a mix up at last year's Dublin Racing Festival, she would surely be unbeaten. Any horse would struggle to give her 7 pounds and a beating but in Nicky Henderson's 7 year old, she isn't taking on just any horse. No matter what happens here and in the future Constitution Hill is the most talented hurdler I have ever seen and probably will ever see. What he did in his Supreme and Champion Hurdle victories, no horse should be capable of doing. He is an all-time great and if he is back to his best then he wins, simple as. However, after illness, injury and wind surgery I just cannot be backing him as I have seen too many champions fail to come back down the years. I really do wish he can do it. It would light up Kempton.
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14:30, Ladbrokes King George VI Chase
Spillane's Tower 3/1
Grey Dawning 6/1
This is it. The big one. It's a real Christmas cracker this year. Il Est Francais looked like a superstar on this day last year and is just about the same price now as he was 365 days ago. After pulling up with issues on his last run and a no show 3 starts ago, it's difficult to know what to expect however, and so the percentage call is to look elsewhere and take it on the chin if he bounces back here and is the superstar he alludes to. Banbridge comes into this race with 1 win from 1 run at the course and has plenty in his favour (ground, track). The distance remains a concern however, and it will be a huge effort to win this Grade 1 on his first go at the trip. Bravemansame and L'Homme Presse had this race between them 2 years ago but both find themselves on retrieval missions here and this is a stronger renewal on better ground. Their time looks to have come and gone. The Real Whacker is a likeable horse but will likely struggle again in this company. Envoi Allen could run better than he did in this race previously but he is rising 11 years of age and may find it difficult to fight off the improvers. One of the improvers is Corbett's Cross who looked like a potential Gold Cup horse when bolting up in the National Hunt Chase at Cheltenham in March. All his best form has been on soft to heavy ground however, and so 3 miles round Kempton on a sound surface will likely find him out. I think it's time for a new era and that is likely to be helped brought about by Spillane's Tower who is just 6 years old and already proven at the top level. He has shown plenty of speed in his career by finishing second in a Grade 2 over 2 mile 3 furlongs and winning a Grade 1 over 2 mile 4 furlongs. He showed his staying ability when soundly winning a Grade 1 over 3 mile 1 furlong at Punchestown in the spring. He bettered all of that novice form when putting in a huge performance in the John Dukan last month when running Fact To File to within a length at the line. He had the Gold Cup winner in behind him that day and he could well be set to claim this on route to a crack at that prize himself in March. The danger could come from Dan Skelton's Grey Dawning who surely would have won the Betfair Chase if it hadn't of been run in such gruelling conditions (or he hadn't made such a mistake at the last fence). He is a Grade 1 winner already having claimed the Turners Novice Chase at the Cheltenham Festival and he is also interestingly a course winner over hurdles. If Haydock hasn't left his mark then he should be running a big race.
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15:05, Ladbrokes 'Gaffer Of All Accas' Maiden Hurdle
No bet
If Kientezheim is as classy as the market here is suggesting then she should be taking this race on route to better things. Nicky Henderson's mare looked good in 2 victories on the flat in France this year and if she takes to it, she should be winning this. She's odds-on here but it may be more fun to have a little flutter on her at 20/1 for the Mare's Novice Hurdle at the Cheltenham Festival as if victorious here, that is surely where she will be aimed as her sister Epatante was.
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15:40, Ladbrokes Get Rewarded With Ladbucks Handicap Hurdle
Doddiethegreat 3/1
East India Express 13/8 (saver)
The majority of the field look exposed or out of form. Nicky Henderson's trio don't however. Of his three I will take a punt on Doddiethegreat who is already a course winner and will appreciate coming back to hurdles here after a failed attempt at chasing. He's actually 4 pounds lower now than when 4th in last season's Betfair Hurdle and a repeat performance may well be enough to take this. Favourite East India Express is fancied to run well under a penalty and I will be backing him to cover my stake.
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