Christmas festival: ten things to look for over jumps up to New Year's Day

1 Has Cobden made the right call?

A scroll through Twitter on the evening of December 26 in recent years has tended to reveal Paul Nicholls celebrating King George success with a McDonald’s on the way back from Kempton. The Ditcheat maestro, who is seeking a record-extending 13th win in the race, could well be lovin’ it again on Monday with Bravemansgame and Hitman among the main fancies and 2020 winner Frodon not totally discounted.

Has jockey Harry Cobden made the right call though? Having won the race for the first time on Clan Des Obeaux in 2018, Cobden opted to ride Cyrname the following year and finished a distant second to his old ally. Twiston-Davies picked up the pieces aboard Clan in 2019 and will be hoping to do the same on Hitman, with Cobden choosing Bravemansgame after his impressive return win in the Charlie Hall Chase.

Introducing the ITV Racing Christmas Festival

The ITV Racing Christmas Festival features six days of top-class action on the channel from 12 different tracks in Britain and Ireland between December 26 and January 1.

Some 41 live races will be shown in all, including eight Grade 1s such as the King George VI Chase, with the Welsh Grand National and Cheltenham's New Year's Day card among the big-race highlights across a spectacular six days of racing on terrestrial television across the festive period.

December 26
Kempton: King George VI Chase day
Wetherby: Rowland Meyrick Chase day

December 27
Chepstow: Welsh Grand National day
Kempton: Desert Orchid Chase day

December 28
Leopardstown: Savills Chase day
Leicester

December 29
Leopardstown: Matheson Hurdle day
Doncaster

December 31
Newbury, Warwick and Lingfield

January 1
Cheltenham, Musselburgh and Tramore

2 Matheson to provide the Champion clues

Constitution Hill is a best price 1-5 to win the Ladbrokes Christmas Hurdle on the King George undercard and has 12lb on official ratings to spare with his nearest rival – stablemate Epatante – at the weights. The all-conquering Supreme scorer can at the very least confirm his wellbeing and his second start outside of novice company is not to be missed, but when it comes to Champion Hurdle clues, more is likely to be gleaned from the Matheson Hurdle at Leopardstown on December 29.

It appears there will be no ducking and diving from Willie Mullins as State Man, the 5-1 second favourite for the Champion Hurdle who has won his last four starts, clashes for a second time with stablemate Sharjah, who has made this race his own and could better Istabraq and Hurricane Fly’s four wins if successful for a fifth consecutive year. State Man had four lengths to spare in the Morgiana but this is Sharjah on his home patch.

3 The fans’ favourites Grade 1

Kempton’s big day boasts four Grade 1s with the Ladbrokes Long Walk Hurdle rescheduled from Ascot and it is a race to make jumps fans rejoice. There are few more familiar names than Paisley Park in this sphere and Emma Lavelle’s popular, admirable and doughty stable star renews rivalries with Champ, his Long Distance Hurdle conqueror at Newbury last month.

That race was a thriller and this has all the makings of being another. Goshen, who somehow only turns seven on January 1, tries three miles for the first time and is pretty lethal going right handed, while Not So Sleepy, another hard horse to pass when on song, similarly steps up markedly in trip. Add in Miranda – a talented mare who arrives on the back of a career-best win over course and distance and is in receipt of 7lb – and it’s a devil of a punting puzzle.

4 A winter warmer in West Yorkshire

Wetherby’s Rowland Meyrick Handicap Chase had its heyday in the 1980s, with subsequent Gold Cup winners Forgive ‘N Forget and The Thinker and Aintree Bowl scorer Yahoo landing the prize between 1984 and 1987. The race’s honour roll has not quite been as illustrious since but the entries for Monday’s running suggest we could have the classiest field for many years.

Rehearsal Chase runner-up Into Overdrive and Edinburgh Gin Chase winner Sounds Russian join big names Shan Blue and Chantry House, while Sporting John and Kalashnikov, the latter’s first start since finishing fourth in the 2021 Ryanair Chase, are other notable contenders. Former winner Top Ville Ben returns and it should be a cracker.

Kalashnikov: set to return at Wetherby on December 26Credit: Edward Whitaker

5 Bob has all our backing

There is no doubt over who would be the most fitting winner during the Christmas period. Race sponsors Dornan Engineering have poignantly renamed their Grade 1 at Leopardstown on December 28, with the 3m event to be run as the Jack de Bromhead Christmas Hurdle in memory of Henry de Bromhead’s son who tragically lost his life at the age of 13 in a freak pony racing accident in September. There will be tears all round if Bob Olinger can land the €150,000 contest for the Knockeen trainer.

Bob Olinger returned to somewhere near his best when second in the Lismullen Hurdle at Navan last month, and if improving on that effort, should be firmly in the mix against the reopposing Home By The Lee and the 2020 and 2021 winners Flooring Porter and Klassical Dream. Cheveley Park Stud’s A Plus Tard and Envoi Allen are other big-race hopes for De Bromhead, with last season’s Gold Cup hero aiming to get back on track in the Savills Chase on the same day as Bob Olinger and the last-named pencilled in for the King George VI Chase.

6 A Welsh National with a difference

Just two words have been used to describe the going on Welsh National day at Chepstow since 2006 – soft or heavy. Good last featured in the description when L’Aventure struck for Nicholls on good to soft in 2005 and we could well see similar conditions for the Monmouthshire track’s big fixture on December 27. The going at Chepstow eased to good to soft, good in places on Friday morning but the forecast is mainly dry up to raceday.

It is not going to be the almighty slog we have become accustomed to and that could suit the Philip Hobbs-trained Musical Slave, who finished second to Hewick on his first run beyond 3m2f in the bet365 Gold Cup in April and could prove value at a general 20-1.

Welsh National: ground at Chepstow is unlikely to be as testing as previous yearsCredit: Edward Whitaker

7 Big day for King

While stable stalwart Sceau Royal runs in the Christmas Hurdle at Kempton on December 26, it will be the following afternoon at the Sunbury track that sets pulses racing for Alan King and his team at Barbury Castle. Stable star Edwardstone, fresh from a sensational win in the Tingle Creek at Sandown, is engaged in the Desert Orchid Chase and is comfortably odds on to win a race that went to King’s chasing ace Voy Por Ustedes in 2006 and 2007.

Be it Flat horses, bumper horses, hurdlers or chasers, King can train them all and he knows what it is required in a smart juvenile hurdler. Spartan Army, an impressive winner on his debut in this sphere, might just be another and could advertise his Triumph credentials at Kempton or Chepstow on the same day.

8 All aboard the Vega bus

The tally of odds-on Cheltenham Festival favourites – that reads one and a certain Constitution Hill – could double on December 27 when Facile Vega steps up to Grade 1 company for his second start over hurdles in the Paddy Power Future Champions Novice Hurdle. He is a best price 5-4 for the Supreme after proving he can get from A to B at Fairyhouse this month, where he recorded a Racing Post Rating of 129 – the same figure given to Supreme second favourite Jet Powered after his win at Newbury.

Marine Nationale, the only other single-figure priced horse in the Supreme betting, bettered his RPR for a maiden hurdle victory at Punchestown by 22lb when landing the Royal Bond at Fairyhouse, and if last season’s bumper star Facile Vega shows similar improvement, we are going to see something pretty special.

9 Favourite backer? This one’s for you

If you never back a favourite and focus on outsiders, the Coral Challow Novices’ Hurdle – the fifth and final Grade 1 in Britain between December 26 and January 1 – is not for you. The Newbury feature on December 31 has gone to the outright or joint favourite for the last five years, with three market leaders unsuccessful in the past decade and 2013 winner Captain Cutter returning the biggest price at 8-1.

Admittedly, this top-level event does not tend to attract a big field – no more than eight runners have lined up since 2010 – and the likely presence of Hermes Allen could ensure that statistic is extended. Nicholls could become the outright most successful trainer in the race’s history if Hermes Allen delivers a fifth win for the trainer and that looks entirely plausible on the back of his impressive Cheltenham victory in November. Whatever the result do not discount the beaten horses, with Native River, Politologue and Elegant Escape among those to go on to better things.

Hermes Allen: made a fine impression when scoring at Cheltenham last monthCredit: John Grossick

10 The Skeltons show

It might seem a while ago but the Skeltons were plundering big prizes for fun on a memorable run of weekend success through November and early December prior to the sub-zero temperatures arriving. That theme could well re-emerge over the Christmas period with Shan Blue heading the betting for the Rowland Meyrick at Wetherby on Monday.

Nube Negra takes on Edwardstone on day two at Kempton, a card where the Skeltons are likely to have several leading contenders, including Lac De Constance, a winner of his last four starts, in the Wayward Lad Novices’ Chase, Get A Tonic in the mares’ handicap hurdle and Flegmatik, a dual course winner, in the handicap chase. And what better way to start 2023 by landing the Paddy Power New Year’s Day Handicap Chase at Cheltenham on January 1 with Midnight River.

2022 Christmas racing offers

• Paddy Power are giving away free bets to new and existing customers, and all you need is an account. Sign up here.
• Sky Bet are offering new customers free bets when they sign up. You can get them, along with money-back specials and extra places, here.
• Betfair have lots of offers, extra places and money-back offers. Sign up for a new account here.
• To get a free bet from Ladbrokes today, simply sign up to a new account here.
• Don't have a Coral account? They have an offer for new customers here.
• bet365 have a new customer offer available. Sign up here.
• New William Hill customers can claim free bets here and benefit from their money-back offers here.
• If you're a new customer, Tote will give you a free bet. Sign up here to claim.

Read more . . .

King George 1-2-3 predictions: who will be the first three home at Kempton?

How the Cheltenham markets might be affected by the Christmas action

Confirmed runners and riders for the 2022 King George VI Chase

'I think he could be a bit special' - racing pros on their best festive chances (£)

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