Hi all,
Inside today’s main piece I’m looking at the best of Thursday’s action. Plus, there’s another big race preview from Cheltenham’s December Meeting.
King George VI Chase: A Christmas Cracker
The Ladbrokes King George VI Chase at Kempton on Boxing Day has long been the centrepiece of the festive period, certainly on this side of the Irish Sea.
Wednesday brought the latest forfeit stage for the race. Fifteen remain, and the main market players – Gaelic Warrior, Jango Baie, The Jukebox Man, Djelo and Fact To File – all stand their ground. The fact that Fact To File is still 10/1 with the sponsors suggests Willie Mullins is unlikely to send him over. Last year’s winner Banbridge and runner-up Il Est Francais remain potential runners, with Banbridge a best-priced 16/1 with bet365 and William Hill.
We’ve had a few thin renewals in recent seasons, but if the top names turn up this time, we could be in for a genuine Christmas cracker.
I went with Champ Kiely ante post, but sadly Willie Mullins hasn’t left him in the race. However, he does have an entry in the Grade 1 Savills Chase at Leopardstown on December 28th. I’m hoping Mullins runs both Gaelic Warrior and Fact To File in the King George, as I’ve now backed Champ Kiely at 20/1 with Paddy Power for the Savills.
Cheltenham December Meeting (Friday)
I covered the December Gold Cup in yesterday’s column. Today, I’m looking at the other big handicap at the meeting, Friday’s Turners Handicap Chase (1:50), which has £56,950 on offer to the winner.
Run over 3m2½f, it’s a small field with just nine runners for such a valuable prize. Given the horse population for staying chases, and with the Becher Chase only last Saturday, maybe nine is a decent turnout.
Despite the small field, it’s a tight little contest, with six of the nine priced up at 8/1 or shorter as of 1pm on Wednesday.
King Turgeon
Last year’s winner returns to defend his title from 2lb higher. The 7yo missed last Saturday’s Becher Chase due to softening ground, and he’d ideally want the same good to soft surface he enjoyed 12 months ago.
L'Homme Presse
Returns for the first time since February. The 10yo was fourth in the 2024 Gold Cup and third in last year’s King George VI Chase, so the class is there. He probably stays this far, and the top weight isn’t handicapped out of it if he retains a good chunk of that old ability. His form figures returning from a 121+day layoff are 1113.
Herakles Westwood
Made a good reappearance when finishing 3¾ lengths second in an amateur riders’ handicap chase here last month (3m1f). He stayed on well that day, so today’s extra distance looks a plus. He handles soft ground and looks a major player.
Henry’s Friend
Made it five wins from ten starts over fence when scoring at Ascot (3m) on seasonal return. He’s tough to get by once he finds a rhythm as he showed last time. If he handles Cheltenham as well as he does flat tracks, he has solid claims from only 3lb higher.
The Doyen Chief
Lost all chance at the start in the Coral Gold Cup. Before that, he ran well when second at Bangor on his seasonal return. He shapes like he’ll stay 3m2f, but he did display a bit of temperament at the start last time. Tackling Cheltenham’s fences for the first time is another worry.
The Short Go
Fourth here to Three Card Brag here last month, has run well on all three starts at Cheltenham and has claims but would probably prefer better ground.
Thursday Racing
Tuesday’s abandoned Punchestown card has been rescheduled for today. On Tuesday I made the case for Chosen Comrade in the Graduation Series Mares’ Novice Hurdle (1:20). I still like her chances and have nothing to add beyond what I wrote here.
Warwick stages the Listed Lady Godiva Mares’ Novices’ Chase (1:55). Only four line up, but it’s a good little race. Diva Luna and Wyenot both impressed when winning on chase debut. Diva Luna looked an exciting novice at Bangor, jumping fluently and looking a natural over fences. Wyenot is a battler and won a decent three-mile novice chase at Ludlow. She can’t be dismissed in receipt of 5lb. Even so, I’ll be disappointed if Diva Luna doesn’t win.
Taunton
Taunton has a competitive handicap hurdle at 2:35. Him Malaya won the race last year and is 1lb lower this time. He goes well on good ground and returned to form when third over C&D two weeks ago. Stablemate Just A Rose won a maiden over C&D on debut before struggling in the Grade 2 Ryanair Mares’ Novices’ Hurdle at the Festival. She returns from a break and wind surgery but could be well treated on handicap debut.
Anyharminasking ended a long losing run when scoring on good ground at Newcastle in April. A sound surface suits him, and while he might be better over shorter, 2m3f around Taunton should be fine. He’s back to his last winning mark and represents a yard that had a handicap hurdle winner at Huntingdon on Sunday.
Melton Mossy made it 5 wins from 18 over hurdles when landing a C&D handicap last time. He’s up 7lb, which demands more, and he’s not certain to reproduce that form. Still, he has his ground.
Top weight Ooh Betty should improve plenty for her seasonal return in a stronger race at Ascot. If she does comes forward, she’d be respected if reproducing her half-length third in the Scottish Champion Hurdle at Ayr in this company.
I’ll be looking at the ITV Racing from Cheltenham and Bangor in tomorrow’s column.
Good luck with your Thursday bets.
John