Corrin Wood our sole focus away from Kempton on busy Boxing Day
Published:
Turkey polished off, copious amounts of alcohol consumed (not that we’re encouraging it), and many a terrible cracker joke told, now we turn our attention to a feast of a different kind.
With 12 cards on offer, there are no excuses for missing some great racing today, with the King George taking centre stage at Kempton.
And as it is the festive period, we are feeling generous, giving away a free £25 bet to who can give us the #TopThreeTips for the day’s racing. Head over to @LadsNags to find out more.
What’s more, there are five contests live on Channel 4 where you can take advantage of our 4/1 Free Bet offer. Click here for all the details.
Here’s our pick to keep the Christmas joy coming…
While Kempton may not be the most stamina-sapping of tracks, the fact that Mick Channon’s charge is one of the only market principles in the race with any decent form under rules over as far as 2m4f, means we are immediately drawn to him.
He found the combination of 3m and the very classy opponents too much for him at Cheltenham (a track he has had his worse two runs on), but the drop to handicap company and a move to a flatter track can bring out the best in the gelding.
He won by 18l on chase debut at Fakenham, and had Portway Flyer (a horse who finished 12l behind the classy Vaniteux over hurdles) another 1/2l back in third, and can give a bold showing in Sunbury with AP McCoy in the saddle.
Donald McCain made no secret of the fact that last year’s useful novice chaser would need his comeback run at Sandown. He jumped well, attempting to make all, before tiring late on.
The horse that pipped him for second that day has since won, and the victor was a proven Graded performer, so the form looks solid.
He stays the distance, and can run (and jump) them ragged from the front, and has won on good ground in the past, so the drying surface won’t bother him.
He has, in the past, had a tendency to jump right, which might put some people off at this left-handed track, but he has already won at Warwick and Catterick (both left-handed) and with two long straights here, it shouldn’t pose too much of a problem.
On the day the great Kauto Star is honoured with a statue in the parade ring at Kempton, it would perhaps be apt should his trainer take the race named in his honour.
However, we are overlooking both of Paul Nicholls’ charges Saphir Du Rheu and Virak in the search for one at a bigger price.
An old favourite of Ladbrokes News, Creepy looks too big a price based on what he has done so far.
He was magnificent on chasing debut at Chepstow, and unshipped Richard Johnson before we could tell how he would fare in a hot novices’ contest at Cheltenham.
Trainer Martin Keighley picked up this race with Annacotty last year, and has since offered similar encouragement for his representative this time round, so who are we to argue?
All Odds and Markets are correct as of the date of publishing.
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