The festive period always provides quality and quantity when it comes to racing action, on both sides of the Irish Sea.
Kempton’s King George VI Chase card gives us no fewer than three Grade 1 races to look forward to and four of the six races on the card will be live on ITV.
Our expert has picked out a trio of selections, one for each of the top-level races, and they include Britain’s best Gold Cup hope, who runs in the King George VI Chase.
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Boxing Day’s tips
1.20 Kempton – The Jukebox Man
Ben Pauling has a decent crop of novice chasers to go to war with this term and THE JUKEBOX MAN is right up there at the top of the tree. He was one of the best performers in Grade 1 staying novice hurdlers in the spring and ran an absolute screamer to finish second by a narrow margin in the Albert Bartlett at the Cheltenham Festival.
That form alone is enough to make him particularly interesting here and the fact that none of his rivals have shown form at a similar level makes him hard to oppose. Victorious on chase debut at Newbury, it was a Grade 2 race and he easily dispatched one of Paul Nicholls’ best chasing prospects, who could only manage fourth.
Clearly he’s at least as good over fences as he was hurdles and connections expect him to find further improvement, and rightfully so. Cheltenham will be a different story but this looks like an excellent opportunity to add a Grade 1 victory to his impressive CV.
1.55 Kempton – Lossiemouth
Willie Mullins is the defending champion in Britain and whilst he’ll have to go some to catch up with Dan Skelton this season, he’s always going to be dangerous when sending horses over for our biggest races.
LOSSIEMOUTH looks like the ideal candidate for the Christmas Hurdle as the very likeable mare has won each of her last six starts, with five of those coming in Grade 1 company. The ease with which she dispatched Teahupoo in the Hatton’s Grace was devastating and she’s equally as good over two miles and 2m4f.
The Champion Hurdle is on the agenda in March and she can warm up for that with another top-level success here. This daughter of Great Pretender is entitled to improve for her latest run so she should be fully tuned and ready to roll, unlike chief rival Constitution Hill.
2.30 Kempton – Grey Dawning
Britain’s highlight over the festive period is undoubtedly the £260,000 King George VI Chase at Kempton and it’s arguably the best race outside of the Cheltenham Festival. Late entry Spillane’s Tower has shaken things up a bit but this could be one for the home team.
Dan Skelton has made a flying start to the season and stable star GREY DAWNING looks tailor-made for this particular test. It was a more than respectable effort when second to a course specialist in the Betfair Chase last time out and he’s expected to improve for the run.
A Grade 1 novice chase winner at the Cheltenham Festival, he has also won well over three miles in the past and this trip should be perfect for the flying grey.
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Boxing Day’s tips
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