The year feels like it's flown by once again and here we are looking at the end of December with our season on the flat already finished at Kempton but we return over the jumps for one more big meeting. So on Boxing Day the NH meeting at Kempton Park will be our final event till next year comes around and it of course will feature King George VI Chase.
Will Thistlecrack be able to return and repeat his win of last year, and will we see another star in the making and will the Irish trainers send over anything special to take on the home team or keep them safe across the Irish Sea and leave it till Cheltenham. I do remember when the best of the French chasers came over but that seems to have stopped now too. There are of course plenty of supporting events including the Feltham Novices Chase won last year by Royal Vacation and the Grade 1 Christmas Hurdle which was won by Yanworth before he disappointed in the Champion Hurdle.
We will have a six race card on Tuesday, plenty of quality events leading up to the King George VI itself at 3:05pm.
Here are our thoughts and selections for the rest of the card;
12:45 32Red Casino Novices' Hurdle (Class 2)
2m [8 Runners]
We kick off the Boxing day meeting with a decent novice hurdle, although just the eight runners declared over the weekend we can some good competition with the major yards represented as expected.
The top two look likely to fight it out but seem too short for this event so will pass over both IF THE CAP FITS, and DIESE DES BIEFFES and will take them on with the inform Dan Skelton trained SOLOMON GREY [3rd 7/1] for who Harry Skelton rides.
13:20 32Red.com Chase (Novices' Limited Handicap) (Class 3)
2m 4f 110y, 9 Runners.
Paul Nicholls has TOUCH KICK [3rd 15/2] here who recently won a Novice Chase at Sandown and although rated a few pounds lower than some of the principles should have more to come from such a strong yard.
As an outsider to consider, certainly for the place market, is BAD BOY DU POULDU [Pulled Up] who gets all the weight concessions here and has Bryony Frost in the saddle.
13:55 32Red Kauto Star Novices' Chase (Grade 1) (Class 1)
3m, 7 Runners
Formally known as the FELTHAM NOVICE CHASE this is now the Kauto Star Chase which loses a little of it's charm for me personally. Just the seven line up here, where BLACK CORTON [WON 4/1] will be popular with only the one defeat (last time out) but a string of wins prior to that. Also WEST APPROACH [3rd 11/1] for Colin Tizzard and Tom Scudamore at a meeting they tend to do well at.
14:30 Unibet Christmas Hurdle (Grade 1) (Class 1)
2m, 5 Runners
Another Grade 1 but another small field with the Irish challenge remaining at home and not a lot of depth now in the Champion Hurdle fair we have just the five runners.
Current Champion BUVEUR D'AIR [WON 2/11] will be a short price today to win again and while The New One and Old Guard are ok they don't likely to trouble the Henderson horse today. A race to watch and enjoy really with the likely next stop for the winner the Champion Hurdle again.
15:05 32Red King George VI Chase (Grade 1) (Class 1)
3m, 8 Runners
We have an exciting renewal for this years King George VI chase, a field of eight and 3 miles the trip, 18 fences to tackle and most of these have been here before with last years winner THISTLECRACK still on the comeback trail but good enough if fit enough and BRISTOL DE MAI a wide margin winner of the Betfair Chase also of interest.
At a big price is TEA FOR TWO [3rd 20/1] who has won around here under Lizzie Kelly and might be able to take a place if any of the principles fails to shine (or falls).
15:40 32Red Download The App Handicap Hurdle (Class 3)
2m 5f, 15 Runners
The only race with a decent field and fifteen line up for the concluding hurdle with DASHING OSCAR [12th 15/2] a strong fancy for this for trainer Harry Fry. Also of interest is TAKE TO HEART [Non Runner] who runs in the colours of Her Majesty The Queen who doesn't have that many NH horses so must be worth a second look here today.
Enjoy your Boxing Day and all the best for the end of the year for those of you disappointed that we didn't have a White Christmas here's what it would have looked like.
We'll be back with a new season in January 2018.
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