The selection in the ITV Racing highlight can further enhance his claim to be Ireland’s leading hope for the Gold Cup in MarchIt is hard to recall a stronger renewal of Monday’s Savills Chase, the feature event of the Leopardstown Christmas Festival, and the fact that Samcro, a Grade One winner at Cheltenham back in March, is a double-figure price is an indicator of the strength in depth.Kemboy and Delta Work, the winners in 2018 and 2019, are both back for another crack, while Presenting Percy is another contender with plenty of form in open Grade One company and returned to something like his best at Thurles last time. Related: Altior suffers shock defeat behind 20-1 outsider Nube Negra at...
Paul Nicholls’ chaser set to win the jumping midwinter championship for a third consecutive year at KemptonCyrname has another go at his stablemate Clan Des Obeaux (3.00) but the outcome of Saturday’s King George VI Chase may be the same as last year, with Clan set to win the midwinter championship for a third consecutive year. Odds of 2-1 are not at all bad for a horse who is so obviously suited by this course, distance and time of year, but reflect the fact that Paul Nicholls has made a determined effort to improve Cyrname’s chance this time.While he emptied himself in beating Altior in his prep race last year, Cyrname had a less taxing round in the Charlie Hall...
Henry de Bromhead seeks more information before committing two of his best horses to racing in Britain this weekHenry de Bromhead expects to learn on Tuesday whether he will be allowed to send over runners for Kempton’s Christmas Festival, but still wishes to do so if the Irish government will allow his horses and staff to make the return journey, a 48-hour travel ban from Britain having been imposed on Sunday. The County Waterford trainer has chosen a difficult year to have his first runner in the King George but Monalee would have an obvious chance in the Boxing Day feature if allowed to compete, having been beaten less than two lengths in the Gold Cup in March. Related: Talking...
Alan King’s youngster looks leniently weighted for Betfair Exchange Trophy, highlight of six Saturday races on ITV4The prize money for Ascot’s Betfair Exchange Trophy is a lot less than when Alan King sent out Raya Star to win it in 2011, but a fantastically competitive field will line up just the same. The Wiltshire trainer has two of the more interesting runners and can bag the prize again with the topically named Isolate (3.35), appealingly priced at 16-1. Related: Talking Horses: King George behind closed doors after tier 3 extension Tips by Chris CookHollie Doyle could land one of the gambles of the season on Sunday evening, when she will head to Salford for the BBC’s Sports Personality of the...
Kempton’s two-day Christmas Festival and holiday meetings at Ascot and Newbury will now go ahead with no crowds Kempton’s two-day Christmas Festival meeting, including the King George VI Chase on Boxing Day, has been forced to retreat behind closed doors following the announcement by Matt Hancock, the health secretary, that Surrey will move to the highest tier of coronavirus restrictions from Saturday.The track had been hoping to welcome up to 2,000 spectators for the always hugely popular King George, around 20% of the normal attendance for the highlight of the Christmas racing programme, despite being obliged to tell fans from Greater London to stay away from the meeting after the capital also moved to tier 3 earlier this week. Related:...