Morning all,

I hope you had a good Christmas and Boxing Day.

The rain came in over Christmas and that meant an easing the ground across Britain & Ireland. There were some big crowds around the various racecourses in England as you would expect for Boxing Day. I was at Wetherby and there was a large crowd at the West Yorkshire and so it seemed at Kempton. For some of the people I spoke to at Wetherby. I got the sense that they thought it maybe a final chance to watch the racing live before restrictions come back in January.

Inside today’s main piece. I look back to yesterday’s King George VI Chase at Kempton.  Plus, I look ahead to today’s Welsh Grand National and three other races at the Welsh track.

Tornado Hits Kempton

It was the most open King George VI in a generation. We had a Gold Cup winner in Minella Indo and two previous King George winners in Frodon and Clan Des Obeaux. Well Tornado Flyer caused a 28/1 shock to win the race for Willie Mullins.

The first time cheekpiece’s lit up Minella Indo and he Frodon set too strong a pace. The pair of them went to hard to early. It set the race up for patiently ridden horse. It was Tornado Flyer who picked up the pieces to win. However, you can’t take anything away from the winner who got the best ride from Danny Mullins.

It should have been a one-two for Willie Mullins as Asterion Forlonge looked booked for second when coming to grief at the last.

Clan Des Obeaux did best of the market leaders but was set for third before inheriting second at the last. His stablemate Saint Calvados ran a cracker on his seasonal return in third. He was pulling double when taking it up four out however his stamina for 3m seemed to run out on soft ground.

Monday Racing

Not as many fixtures as on Boxing Day. However, still plenty for punters to get stuck into. In fact, with the Coral Welsh Grand National at Chepstow (2:50) and the Paddy Power Chase (Extended Handicap Chase), which makes it more valuable than the Welsh Grand National, there’s plenty to look forward to if you like your big field handicaps which I do.  

Sadly, the Leopardstown action isn’t on ITV. Although it is tomorrow. The ITV cameras are covering eight races live from Chepstow and Kempton. It’s day two of Kempton’s Christmas meeting. However. its Chepstow which hosts the best of the day’s action in Britain.

Chepstow

The going at Chepstow is being described as soft and with showers forecast it could ease a bit more.  So, it seems the Welsh Grand National will be run on reasonably testing ground.

2:50 – Coral Welsh Grand National Handicap Chase (Grade 3) (GBB Race) – 3m 6 ½ f

Deise Aba was beaten a nose at Sandown last time. He can race off the same mark here and looks nicely treated. Highland Hunter beat Deise Aba at Sandown, has a 4lb penalty to carry for the success but can’t be ruled out as he’s unexposed over marathon trips.

Last season’s winner Secret Reprieve won this last season as a novice. He’s 6lb higher this time around but was a comfortable winner 3 length winner and its not hard to think there could be more to come from him. First run since winning this in January could be negative though and horses making their seasonal reappearance are 0-11 1 placed since 2008.

Irish raider The Big Dog is well fancied. The 8-year-old improved for the step to 3m 4f when winning the Grand National Trial at Punchestown in February. He’s had a couple of prep runs in the autumn and should be spot on fitness wise. Needs to avoid the silly mistakes but if he does won’t be far away.

Venetia Williams has couple of contenders in Hold That Taught, the choice of stable jockey Charlie Deutsch, and Achille.  The first named improved for the step up 3m 2f when winning at Carlisle 57-days ago. The 6-year-old is up 6lb for that success and 5lb out of the weights here but is capable of better and looked all about stamina last time. Achille has Hugh Nugent taking off a handy 5lb and he should be ready for this after his 5^th of 21 in the Becher Chase at Aintree earlier this month.. The 11-year-old stays well, looks on fair mark off 141 and can hopefully repay each-way support.

Best of the rest from Chepstow

1:05 – Zambezi Fix is a six-race maiden over fences.However, he was travelling like the mostly likely winner when falling three out at Ffos Las two starts back. He’s since finished 2^nd of 11 at Sandown over hurdles. The 6-year-old looks to be on a mark he can win off and he finished runner-up here three times over fences last season. Needs to cut out the jumping errors but can win a race like this if he does.

1:40 – Forever Blessed looked an above average juvenile hurdler when making it 2-2 over hurdles and looks the right favourite for this Grade 1 contest.

At bigger odds I’m hoping for a big run from the Jane Williams trained Saint Segal. The gelding produced a pleasing performance to win at Bangor (good to soft) on his racecourse debut last month. He will need to improve to win this,. However, he's capable of more progress in the sphere and today’s softer ground should be in his favour.

2:10 – Flashjack might be an 11-year-old but he showed he was no back number when a 6-length 3^rd of 11 over C&D on his seasonal return.  Saint Dalina is surely better than she was able to show when 9^th of 10 at Carlisle on her seasonal reappearance 15-days ago. Kateson could get an uncontested lead here and was back to form when 3^rd of 13 back over hurdles at Aintree early this month. A three-time winner on soft ground. The 8-year’s old form figures at Chepstow are 12. He's yet to win beyond 2m 5f looks the one to be with here.

Monday Selection:

Chepstow

1:05 – Zambezi Fix – 6/1 – Gen.

Good luck with your Monday bets.

John