Boxing Day Grade 1 Preview For Leopardstown and Kempton

Boxing Day is a lot closer than it might seem at this point and we all know that this day plays host to one of the key fixtures during the UK racing calendar. While the King George VI Chase is certainly the highlight of the day and should produce another epic run from Kauto Star, there remains several other prominent Grade 1's running at Kempton and Leopardstown should we be able to beat the freeze. 

We've got the Bord Na Mona With Nature Novice Chase going 2m1f at the venerable Irish racecourse. MIKAEL D'HAGUENET blew a number of tickets when he fell on the last hurdle when looking like he had the race sown up. All jumpers get a bit of bad luck now and then, so we'll be hoping that he's exercised the demons. There is no reason why he won't beat this field if he runs near his potential and the only real rival to Willy Mullins charge looks to be Eoin O'Grady's Torphichen who has really stepped it up this season with scores at Limerick and Clonmel against talented company. It's important to keep in mind that those are beginners' chases but he should still be quite competitive on the novice circuit. 

Paul Nicholls saddles AITEEN THIRTYTHREE in the Feltham Novices' Chase at Kempton and this is a pure 3m contest with three or four genuine stand-out contenders. The six year-old bay coming out of the Nicholls yard has taken two scores on the bounce in his two runs this year- one of which was a Grade 2 score at Newbury. He showed plenty of guile in the closing stages of that race and the type of company he was tackling on the day indicates that he's got what it takes to get the job done here. Cois Farraig looks a potential spoiler and he's also got a Grade 2 victory to his credit. The real class here is Irish invader Jessies Dream who took the Drinmore Novices at Fairyhouse but he has struggled whenever he has run against genuine class so we'll be attempting to beat him here. Keep your eye on Nicky Henderson's Master Of The Hall if you're looking for an outsider at a tidy price. 
 

There's plenty to be excited about in the Christmas Hurdle at Kempton as two of last year's top three finishers return looking in very good nick. Things didn't go according to plan for Binocular in his seasonal debut during the Fighting Fifth but you get the feeling that he just wasn't quite ready for that one and there was more early speed than he was comfortable with. He'll be taking plenty of money here but you can also expect Nigel Twiston-Davies to see plenty of volume with the talented Khyber Kim. He's not been out yet this year and that's why we'll be staying off of him for the time-being. Be sure to watch out for Starluck to make a nice pre-race appearance here. He may not boast the most wins in the race but he definitely has the ability to tangle with anybody lining up here. With the right trip- he could be very dangerous.