Morning all,

Let’s start with some good news. It looks like there won’t be any new Covid restriction in England for now. Which means racing at Kempton & Wetherby and the other English tracks on Boxing Day will be held in front of paying spectators.

Inside today’s main piece. I have a short review of yesterday action at Ludlow. Plus, I have couple to note at Wetherby on Boxing Day. A meeting I will be attending.

Ludlow Review

Wednesday’s selection Desque De L'Isle could only finish third at Ludlow. He maybe a shade high in the handicap now.  However. he also needs softer ground than he got yesterday.

Earlier on the Ludlow card the progressive Scene Not Herd made it 3-3 over fences when winning the 2m 4f novices handicap chase. He will go up in the weights after this success but the 6-year-old is going the right way. It will be interesting to see how he fares in better handicap chases.

The talented but quirky Head To The Stars gained a third course success in the feature race.  His trainer Henry Daly has his horses in winning form and his entries over the Christmas period will be worth a second look. My fancy in the race Didero Vallis ran well in second but he was just up against a better handicapped rival on the day. He’s a on a decent mark himself but likely won’t be much of a price, if kept to the same company next time.

Christmas Crackers – Part 2

Apart from the Grade 1 King George VI at Kempton. There plenty of racing to get stuck into on Boxing Day with no less than 11 meetings across Britain & Ireland.

The best of the action is at Kempton but there’s also a good card at Wetherby. Leopardstown sees the first of four days of exciting racing at its Christmas Festival. Meanwhile at Limerick the feature race is the Grade 1 BoyleSports Faugheen Novice Chase (2:40).

How will I be approaching the Boxing Day action? Well, for starters I will be concentrating my form study on the big races at Kempton, Wetherby & Leopardstown, particularly the handicaps. To cut down the amount of analysis. I will be looking for horses with good course form and/or have previous winning form over the Christmas period.

I looked at the King George VI in yesterday’s column. However. the one horse I’m most looking forward to seeing at Kempton doesn’t run in the big race. It’s Ahoy Senor who will hopefully take on Bravemansgame in the Grade 1 Ladbrokes Kauto Star Novices' Chase (1:55). It’s a race you will be able to see live on ITV and it should be a cracker.

Wetherby

I mentioned above looking at horses with good course form and/or have previous winning form over the Christmas period. There’s one at Wetherby Twotwothree who ticks both those boxes. The 8-year-old won the William Hill Extra Places Every Day Handicap Chase (1:00) last year and bids for back-to-back wins in the race on Sunday. He’s 6lb higher than 12 months ago and has only had one start since winning 12 months ago. That run came last month over hurdles when he finished 4^th of 11 at Bangor. He should be spot on fitness wise for his return to the larger obstacles.

Rowland Meyrick Handicap Chase

The feature race of seven race card at the West Yorkshire track is the 3m William Hill Rowland Meyrick Handicap Chase (2:10).  There was a decent looking entry at the five-day declaration stage.

Silver Hallmark (9/2) heads the ante post betting. The 7-year-old who’s only had three starts over fences shaped well when a 10 ¼ length 4th of 6 to Fiddlerontheroof in The Colin Parker Intermediate Chase at Carlisle on his seasonal return. Open to further improvement. He looks on a good mark for his handicap chase debut. The forecast soft ground is a plus although his stamina for 3m must be proved.

Empire Steel (7/1) missed Saturday’s Tommy Whittle Handicap Chase. The 7-year-old returned from an 8-month absence with an excellent 1 ½ length 2nd of 7 to Strictlyadancer at Haydock (good) last month. Softer ground won’t inconvenience the 7-year-old and he looks sure to be there or thereabouts.

Lake View Lad

Lake View Lad won this race in 2018. He does have an entry in the Welsh Grand National but hopefully he will come here. Henry Brooke has been booked which suggests this the plan. The 11-year-old won the Grade 2 Many Clouds Chase at Aintree last December and also finished a good 7^th of 22 in last season’s Scottish Grand National.

The more rain the better his chance, as his very best form has come on soft and heavy ground. His form figures at Wetherby are 113 and his record in December is 4 wins from 8 runs +30 7 placed.  He had a nice pipe opener for this when 3rd of 11 in a veteran’s chase at Haydock 25-days.  His trainer Nick Alexander enters the Christmas period in fantastic form with 5 winners from 12 runners +7.57 in the past two weeks. Ok. he’s vulnerable to younger/ progressive types like Silver Hallmark and Empire Steel. But at 12/1 with Bet365 & Paddy Power (both paying 4 places), he looks each way value to me.

Lake View Lad – 12/1 @ Bet365 & Paddy Power

I will be back on Monday with a look at the Kempton card and of course the Welsh Grand National at Chepstow. Until then all that’s left is to wish readers of the column a very Happy Christmas.

Cheers

John