Champ and Fabulous Amongst Four Fancies on Boxing Day
For racing fans, one of the best Christmas presents comes on Boxing Day. The gift is the King George VI Chase and this year’s three-mile contest has a competitive look about it. There are nine declared runners, and longstanding favorite, Bravemansgame has held his ground. But so has L’Homme Presse, a horse once considered a doubtful runner with the Gold Cup being his principal target.
L’Homme Presse has been heavily backed for Monday’s big race. ©GettyImages
Now declared as a King George contender – and with rain forecast to fall on Kempton Park persistently during the days ahead – the Venetia Williams-trained horse could take the mantle of big race favorite ahead of Monday’s meeting. Worth £250,000, the centerpiece of a wonderful racecard is due off at 2.30 pm.
We remain steadfast in our earlier advice and belief Eldorado Allen can run a big race. And, with the best King George VI chase bookmakers offering 20/1 about the Joe Tizzard-trained Grade-2 162-rated chaser, he remains a sound each-way play.
Champ Has His Rivals Covered
Earlier on the Kempton card, popular staying hurdlers and old sparring partners Champ and Paisley Park will clash in the Long Walk Hurdle. The three-mile Grade-1 race is scheduled to start at 12.45 pm, and the field also contains the enigmatic Goshen and the Paul Nicholls-trained Miranda. She scored impressively when stepping up to the three-mile trip four weeks ago.
While recording a string of impressive placings, Paisley Park has won just one race during the past two years. Conversely, Champ – a horse that has always looked like a dodgy chaser – is seven-from 12 over hurdles and has missed the frame only once. We predict the Nicky Henderson-trained Champ will confirm a recent verdict over Paisley Park and tame his younger short-priced rivals.
Just how or why Miranda is trading at 3/1 in this contest is mystifying. The seven-year-old was raised just one pound by the handicapper for her recent victory. It was a contest for mares only. In it, the favorite jumped poorly and underperformed. Officially rated 15 pounds below Champ, even in receipt of her mare’s allowance, Miranda has plenty to do against most of Monday’s rivals on paper.
An UNREAL line-up.
Who’s coming? 🙋♂️ pic.twitter.com/EpfAktMU1V
— Kempton Park Racecourse (@kemptonparkrace) December 21, 2022
A McFabulous New Chasing Star?
Interestingly, the 1.20 pm, the Ladbrokes Kauto Star Novices’ Chase, has a former star staying-hurdler, Thyme Hill, amongst the field. This Philip Hobbs-trained horse has not looked a natural over fences in his two chase starts and is therefore passed by.
A lesser horse over hurdles, McFabulous readily brushed Thyme Hill aside when scoring in a novice chase at Newbury four weeks ago. It was probably the finest performance by any domestically-trained novice chaser this season. And, despite some promising sorts in the field, McFabulous is worthy of the 6/5 odds offered by the best horse racing betting sites.
Cougar Can Pounce at Leopardstown
There are some potential stars entered in the Grade-2 Juvenile Hurdle at Leopardstown. But the 1.10 pm contest could fall to the lesser-known stable of Padraig Roche. The young handler has done well to attract J.P. McManus to his yard, and he has repaid the popular owner by placing Cougar to win both his hurdle starts.
The three-year-old is impeccably bred – out of a Group-1 placed mare – and was trained on the flat by Aidan O’Brien. Winning a 12-runner Curragh maiden by seven lengths on his final start for that yard, it is possible this son of Deep Impact could have been far better than his final rating of 92 in that sphere.
Over hurdles, Cougar has so far beaten 21 rivals with ease. And, despite the French-bred Willie Mullins-trained Lossiemouth looking like a horse of considerable ability, we believe he can maintain his unbeaten tag on Monday.
Boxing Day’s Best Bets
- Eldorado Allen 20/1 (each-way) 2.30 pm Kempton Park
- Champ 3/1 12.45 pm Kempton Park
- McFabulous 6/5 1.20 pm Kempton Park
- Cougar 4/1 1.10 pm Leopardstown
