KEMPTON PARK BOXING DAY 'KING GEORGE VI' MEETING 2016

MERRY CHRISTMAS 2016

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 Cue Card be able to repeat his win of last year win, and will Willie Mullins send over another of his top horses to contest this Grade 1 contest (nope it would seem not). There are of course plenty of supporting events including the Feltham Novices Chase won last year by Lizzie Kelly on Tea for Two and the Grade 1 Christmas Hurdle which was won by Faugheen before his season was ended by injury.

We will have a 6 race card on Monday, plenty of quality events leading up to the King George VI itself at 3:10pm. 

Here are our thoughts and selections for the rest of the card;

12:55 William Hill On Your Mobile Novices' Hurdle 
(4yo+, Class 2, 2m)

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. 

JENKINS seems to be the likely favourite having won a maiden hurdle at Newbury and from the strong Henderson yard, could be odds on so the value option could be GLARING with Richard Johnson in the saddle.  

13:30 William Hill Winter Festival Novices' Limited Handicap Chase 
(4yo+, Class 3, 2m 4f 110y)

Tricky little handicap chase now with just the seven declared so each-way options are limited. We will take two against the field in this with GOLD PRESENT and POKER SCHOOL both in decent form and should go well again here. 

14:05 Kauto Star Novices' Chase (In Memory Of Nigel Clark) -- Formerly The Feltham Novices' Chase 
(Grade 1) (4yo+, Class 1, 3m)

We've got 10 declared for the Grade 1 Feltham Novices Chase, they might keep messing about with the name of these contests but for me it'll always be the Feltham. Our winner from last year TEA FOR TWO will now be going for the King George race later so it does often bring forward a future star (Coneygree won this before taking the Gold Cup too). 

Not too many Irish raiders this year which might be down to the terrible weather being experienced so the fact that Tony Martin has sent over ANIBALE FLY who has run well this term even in his most recent defeat at Fairyhouse. 

The home challenge is dominated by Paul Nicholls with two, PRESENT MAN / FRODON and Nicky Henderson is also double handed with CARACCI APACHE / MIGHT BITE.

14:40 Williamhill.com Christmas Hurdle 
(Grade 1) (4yo+, Class 1, 2m)

A small but select field of five declared for the major supporting race on King George Day, this Grade 1 hurdle has often been the main race for the English Champion Hurdle hopes though recently the Irish have come over and plundered. No Irish representative this year and looks like a match between THE NEW ONE and YANWORTH. 

THE NEW ONE was a comfortable winner over My Tent or Yours at Cheltenham a few weeks ago and should be too good again. Goes well here and is the one to beat at Xmas before being well beaten once he returns to Cheltenham in March for the big one.

15:15 William Hill King George VI Chase 
(Grade 1) (4yo+, Class 1, 3m)

The feature race now and a strong but select field as you would expect with most in with a shout of the crown. Last years victor CUE CARD looks the likely favourite with the form in the book, his chance is obvious but the fly in the ointment is provided by stablemate THISTLECRACK. This top class staying hurdler has taken well to fences and rather than going for the Feltham Chase earlier in the card is bumped straight into top class company. Wouldn't be the biggest shock if he takes this, but it's his first real test for a while. 

Of the remaining runners Silviniaco Conti is not the horse that won this in 2013 and 2014 and has been beaten comprehensively by Cue Card in the Betfair Chase, and Josses Hill comfortably beat last year’s Feltham Novices winner Tea For Two in the Peterborough Chase at Huntingdon but there are stamina concerns here.


15:45 William Hill World Darts Championship Handicap Hurdle 
(3yo+, Class 3, 2m 5f)

Our finale for this year is a handicap hurdle, has 16 declared and I guarantee at least one will drop out to spoil the 4 places here. 

Plenty with chances, you shouldn't ignore the Pipe horses in handicaps and they have DELL ARCA at 16/1 here might have joint top weight but Tom Scu can bring about some improvement after a decent lay off and catching him fresh could be the best time. 

Gary Moore won this last year and has two outsiders at the bottom end of the weights today, so have a look at KING COOL and MR FICKLE in the place markets if there's still 4 places on offer both about 50/1 and having been racing around Towcester might prefer this flat track closer to home. 

If INSTANT KARMA stays this new trip could be a rare jumps winner for Michael Bell.

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 2017. 

MERRY CHRISTMAS TO YOU ALL

A brief note to wish everyone out there a very Merry Christmas, may you celebrate the end of this year with your family and friends. 

One of the real joys during this time of year is the opportunity to say "Thank You" to friends and family for the year gone by and to wish you all the very best for the New Year ahead! May I therefore share a prayer that this will bring you so much love, health and happiness, and even if you been a little naughty may Santa still bring you many goodies to enjoy. Spare a little thought for those less fortunate, this is truly a time for reflection and remembrance too. 

Please remember that life is only as good as you make it so get out there and have a bloody good one!

See you next year!

KEMPTON PARK RACES 2016 -- WEDNESDAY NIGHTS #39 14th DECEMBER

May I take this opportunity to add in a short message of condolence following the recent news of the passing of Walter Swinburn. Known in racing as The Choirboy he will of course be forever remembered for his association with Shergar and their Derby victory in 1981, have a look at how he coasted home on YouTube, but the best race I remember him for was his third Derby win in 1995 on Lammtarra it was a thrilling race and a fitting tribute to his late trainer Alex Scott who had been murdered by one of his stable staff, a remarkable combination and much like the late Pat Eddery this boy was absolute class. 

RIP Wally, there's none like you now. 


Mid December now and the final month for 2016 will see us conclude our year long blog at Kempton Park on Boxing Day for the King George meeting which will be the only one we cover that is NOT on a Wednesday night. Feels appropriate to end on a big one though and to finish 2016 with a decent card albeit over the jumps. This issue is our 39th meeting of the season and we continue to keep ourselves in front. Add that to the success of the season long "lay bets" too which has been impressive given they are generally short price favourites.

The fact that all of our results are declared to SP I think it's clear we would be much further ahead to advanced prices. We crack on with our regular Wednesday nights at Kempton all the way through until the years end. The season has seen us ebb and flow, last week we failed to find a winner and thus had to suffer a small loss which has reduced our profit down to just +9.01 points. All being equal we can find some more winners and now continue through into the turn of the year.

As always our focus will be on the handicap contests for each meeting but will occasionally include a feature listed or conditions event too. Keeping records of our endeavours to a 1pt level stake at SP, naturally we will personally be looking to get better odds but for the purpose of the results we record to SP.

We will also keep up with our occasional lay opportunity of short priced favourites, we failed with our last LAY bets which isn't bad when most are short prices as a result we have a success rate of 17 from 22. Results for this will be kept separately too and hopefully we can remain at +77% for the rest of the year.

This week there's another eight race card on offer, we have only the four handicap contests to review and tonight's action will commence at 16:05 with a 6f Maiden contest. 

Here is a link to this weeks race card; 
EVENING RACE CARD

The going on the polytrack surface is described as Standard to slow and the current weather forecast is for a cold dry day with a max temperature of approx 9C when the meeting gets underway and remain cold during the evening so don't forget your hat, gloves and scarf.

Here are our selections for this evening's handicap races;

18:10 -- 1m Handicap.
A dozen declared for our first handicap of the evening, not great on quality though several have some wins behind them which helps, our first selection is FREIGHT TRAIN [12th 50/1] who has run well in slightly better events than this and if the absence is not an issue could go well at a price. 

Along with RUSSIAN REWARD [9th 9/2] who is usually thereabouts except when upped in class, can front run too.

18:40 -- 7f Fillies Handicap.
The ladies are up next and just the eight for us to view in this contest, both RIO'S CLIFFS and PALENVILLE have shown consistent place form but look a little one paced and are overlooked for the win tonight. 

We side with LUCYMAI [5th 15/2] who has been off for a while but does seem to run best fresh, has the assistance of Robert Winston and is priced about 10/1 which is of interest. Add that one with MISS BLONDELL [Non Runner] who is a course and distance winner drawn low and has the benefit of a low weight.

19:10 -- 6f Fillies Handicap.
A field of 11 ladies for us tonight, one I do want to side with is Jamie Osborne's CAMDORA [6th 6/1], a winner twice around Chelmsford does run well for Timmy Murphy and worth a chance around here. 

BE ROYALE [8th 9/4] went close for us before a few weeks ago and can be given another chance in an average contest.

19:40 -- 2m Handicap.
We conclude tonight with another stayers contest with a maximum field of 14 declared. Half the field are aged 7 or over and will be discarded in favour of something younger with a little more opportunity, though this is low grade stuff so some luck might be required too. 

HIORNE TOWER [Non Runner] could be one to keep an eye on, winner at Chelmsford and placed in few events around Lingfield, he along with the bottom weight OYSTER CARD [6th 4/1] might make most of the weight concession from the field although is still a maiden and therefore comes with some risk. 

Staked -- 8 points
Returns -- 2 points (N/Rs so far).

Results for tonight will be updated through the evening looking to add to the current overall profit figure +9.01.

Alas no joy tonight, couple of non runners meaning a loss of 6 points so we end the Wednesday nights on a +3.01 profit figure. We will reset things for the start of the 2017 calendar. 

Lays -- 17/22. 

This was the final Wednesday night meeting for 2016, but we WILL be back for more during 2017. However before we end there will be a one off special for the Boxing Day King George meeting on Monday 26th December.