What's on this week: all eyes on A Plus Tard before Cheltenham caps busy spell

Monday

After enjoying a treble at Kempton on Sunday, Nicky Henderson will be hoping for more of the same as he returns to the track with Champion Chase favourite Shishkin making his eagerly anticipated seasonal reappearance in the feature Desert Orchid Chase (2.30).

Shishkin was withdrawn from the Betfair Tingle Creek at Sandown earlier this month which was won by Greaneteen, his chief market rival at Kempton.

Henderson's unbeaten chaser took the other Grade 2 on the card, the Wayward Lad Novices' Chase (1.20), en route to Arkle glory last season, a race also won by Sprinter Sacre and Altior. However, the Seven Barrows trainer is without a representative this year with the four-runner field headed by Edwardstone, who is strongly fancied to follow up his Grade 1 win in the Henry VIII Novices' Chase for Alan King.

Envoi Allen faces two rivals in the Grade 1 Paddy's Reward Club Chase (1.10) at Leopardstown, where the Paddy Power Future Champions Novice Hurdle (1.45) is the other Grade 1 on the card.

Secret Reprieve (centre): bids for back-to-back Welsh National winsCredit: Edward Whitaker

Chepstow was dealt a blow last week after the Coral Welsh National (2.50) was forced to take place behind closed doors due to new Covid-19 restrictions.

However, the marathon handicap chase is still set to provide a thrilling spectacle for those watching at home, with the market headed by last season's winner Secret Reprieve who is joined by other former winners Native River, Elegant Escape and Potters Corner.

Limerick's seven-race card is headlined by the Grade 2 novice hurdle (2.05), while other meetings come from Wetherby and Wolverhampton.

Tuesday

A Plus Tard was cut to as short as 7-4 with some firms for the Cheltenham Gold Cup after Minella Indo's no show in the King George on Sunday and Henry de Bromhead will be hoping his Betfair Chase winner can make it back-to-back wins in the Grade 1 Savills Chase (2.20) as Leopardstown's Christmas festival continues.

Former winners Delta Work and Kemboy may not be good enough if last season's Gold Cup runner-up can replicated his Haydock form with the latter one of four runners for Willie Mullins, who also runs Janidil, Melon and Franco Du Port.

Klassical Dream: former Supreme winner set for return on TuesdayCredit: Patrick McCann (racingpost.com/photos)

Mullins will also be interested to see how Klassical Dream fares on his first run since his devastating bounce back to form at Punchestown in April, as he faces Stayers' Hurdle winner Flooring Porter and Aintree Hurdle scorer Abacadabras in the Dornan Engineering Christmas Hurdle (1.10), the other Grade 1 on the card.

On a big day for the Irish champion trainer, Grade 1-winning hurdler Galopin Des Champs makes his chasing debut in the Ballymaloe Relish Beginners Chase (2.55), while Concertista bids to make it 2-2 over fences in the Grade 2 BoyleSports Irish EBF Dawn Run Mares Novice Chase (1.30) which headlines a seven-race card at Limerick.

In Britain, there are jumps meetings at Leicester and Catterick with all-weather action at Newcastle.

Wednesday

The Leopardstown Christmas festival comes to a climax with two Grade 1s including the Matheson Hurdle (2.20), won for the last three years by the Willie Mullins-trained Sharjah who leads the market.

Sharjah (pink): bidding for a fourth win in a row in the Matheson HurdleCredit: Patrick McCann (racingpost.com/photos)

Gavin Cromwell's Albert Bartlett winner Vanillier could make it back-to-back wins over fences in the Neville Hotels Novice Chase, the other top level contest on the card. The Grade 3 Advent Surety Irish EBF Mares Hurdle (1.10) is the other notable race at Leopardstown, while the Grade 2 BoyleSports Sporting Limerick Hurdle (1.30) spearheads the final day of Limerick's action.

In Britain, Newbury takes centre stage with Grade 1 action coming in the form of the Challow Novices' Hurdle (3.05), a race won in the past by Denman and last season by Bravemansgame. Paul Nicholls holds another strong fancy with Stage Star, with an interesting potential Irish raider in Ginto for Gordon Elliott also entered.

Zambella and Annie Mc are set to reoppose each other in the Listed Yorkshire Silver Vase Mares' Chase (3.20) at Doncaster with the latter looking to reverse the form from Aintree last time. Other meetings come from Kelso and Southwell.

Thursday

After a hectic start to the week, there is a brief lull to the festive frenzy of action with no meetings in Ireland.

In Britain, Taunton has the pick of the day's action with the Listed Byerley Stud Mares' Novices' Hurdle (2.25) headlining a seven-race card. The Paul Nicholls-trained Rainyday Woman is likely to be prominent in the market on the feature of the seven-race card.

More jumps action comes from Haydock with an all-weather evening meeting at Wolverhampton.

Friday

Midlands tracks Warwick and Uttoxeter cap off the British jumps action for 2021 with their New Year's Eve cards, while Lingfield hosts the last Flat meeting of the year with an all-weather card.

Punchestown is the last Irish meeting of the year with a seven-race card.

Saturday

New Year's Day will be a feast for racing fans with nine meetings scheduled.

The highlight comes from Cheltenham, with the Dipper Novices' Chase (1.25) a race won by Lostintranslation and Paddy Power Gold Cup winner Midnight Shadow in recent years. However, My Drogo will not take his place in the field after being ruled out for the season on Monday.

Guard Your Dreams: could aim to follow his International Hurdle success with another Cheltenham forayCredit: Alan Crowhurst

Meanwhile, the Grade 2 Relkeel Hurdle (3.10) could see recent International Hurdle winner Guard Your Dreams attempt a Cheltenham double. Jockey Sam Twiston-Davies hailed his dad Nigel a genius after that success, but said his preference was for the five-year-old to contest this race.

There is also action from Tramore, Fairyhouse, Musselburgh, Catterick, Southwell, Exeter and Fakenham.

Sunday

The Sussex National (2.20) headlines Plumpton's card, which also features the final race of their four-part bonus series for novice chasers (12.38). Other jumps action in Britain comes from Ayr with Newcastle staging an all-weather meeting and Naas is the only Irish meeting of the day.

Read more:

England's courses on Westminster watch for Covid announcements

'I couldn't believe the price' – racing pros on their best festive fancies

No crowds in Wales and Scotland as Johnson leaves English courses in limbo

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