Neil Morrice best bets and tips – Sunday 26 December 2021

KEMPTON PARK

Race 2 No3 BOTHWELL BRIDGE (Nap)
Trainer: Nicky Henderson – Jockey: Nico de Boinville

BOTHWELL BRIDGE clicked with de Boinville to land some good bets on seasonal return at Sandown at the start of the month. It was a most pleasing first offering by the gelding as a chaser, and begs to be further improved upon in this novices’ limited handicap chase.

Race 4 Ladbrokes Christmas Hurdle (Garde 1)

No2 NOT SO SLEEPY
Trainer: Hughie Morrison – Jockey: Jonathan Burke

Last year’s Champion Hurdler Epatante engages in a rematch with NOT SO SLEEPY from a dramatic finish to the ‘Fighting Fifth’ Hurdle at Newcastle. The pair shared the honours on that occasion, though Not So Sleepy might have prevailed but for a clumsy leap at the penultimate flight. His connections will welcome the forecast rain, on which I fancy his bold front running tactics to take the sting out of his rival’s finish. Tritonic could also get into the argument if his connections green light him to run just a week after his success at Ascot.

Race 5 Ladbrokes King George VI Chase (Grade 1)

No5 LOSTINTRANSLATION
Trainer: Colin Tizzard – Jockey: Brendan Powell

Paul Nicholls has harvested this Boxing Day feature for many years, and with a three-pronged attack on a fascinating renewal is clearly hell-bent on taking the prize back to Ditcheat. Not only does the champion trainer field last year’s victor FRODON, but he also has the 2020 winner CLAN DES OBEAUX making a belated return to the fray, while also launching the talented SAINT CALVADOS. Clan Des Obeaux finished third to his stablemate 12 months ago before landing Grade 1s at Aintree and Punchestown in cheekpieces. Frodon returned to take out a Grade 1 at Down Royal in gutsy fashion, while Saint Calvados has been kept back from racecourse duty to be fresh for this first run for his trainer. For me he could prove the joker in the pack.

Gold Cup winner MINELLA INDO should improve from his first run of the campaign but Irish horses do not as a rule fare well in this race. That remark could apply to ASTERION FORLONGE, whose form is too in and out for my liking. Nicky Henderson’s CHANTRY HOUSE has shown himself to be a top-class novice but still needs to make the step up to the highest echelon.

He could go and do that but I’m happy to row in with the new version of LOSTINTRANSLATION that took out a Grade 2 chase at Ascot last month. Following a third wind operation, the hugely talented nine-year-old indicated that he’s right back in the zone, and has delighted his trainer with the way he’s come out of it. His previous visits to this course have proved ignominious, but on each occasion, he had a valid excuse.

Prediction: 1st LOSTINTRANSLATION, 2nd Saint Calvados, 3rd Clan Des Obeaux

Race 6 No8 ON TO VICTORY (Each Way)
Trainer: Alan King – Jockey: Gavin Sheehan

ON TO VICTORY is a horse we haven’t seen anywhere near the best of this season. He was given a questionable ride at Sandown and then found the going livelier than ideal when also taking home a minor cheque at Wincanton. He now races under a Jockey that has never ridden him before.

WETHERBY

Race 2 No6 SASHENKA (Nap)
Trainer: Michael Scudamore – Jockey: Adam Wedge

This is a big class drop that SASHENKA can take in her stride. The five-year-old went too soon after looking an assured winner on seasonal return at Hereford before finding a competitive handicap hurdle at Cheltenham not her cup of tea. She’s now back in a grade where she can operate, and the longer her pilot waits to launch his challenge the better.

Race 5 Rowland Meyrick Handicap Chase (Grade 3)

No7 SILVER HALLMARK
Trainer: Fergal O’Brien – Jockey: Adam Wedge

Wetherby’s traditional Christmas highlight can fall to SILVER HALLMARK, who wasn’t in any way disgraced when beaten ten lengths into fourth by Fiddlerontheroof in a graduation chase at Carlisle. His form in novice chases was of a high order, and with few miles on the clock he has the scope to progress again for his in-form trainer.

Race 6 No2 UNEXPECTED PARTY
Trainer: Dan Skelton – Jockey: Harry Skelton

UNEXPECTED PARTY looked to be given plenty to do at Cheltenham last time, arriving late on the scene when the bird had flown. The grey did well to get to two and a half lengths of Gowel Road at the line, and can confirm his liking for this course by repeating his victory from the autumn.

HUNTINGDON

Race 2 No4 LOUNGE LIZARD
Trainer: Henry Daly – Jockey: Richard Patrick

LOUNGE LIZARD can spark what could be a good day for his trainer by taking out this novices’ hurdle. The Kayf Tara gelding was just run out of it at Market Rasen last time, but should have learned plenty from the experience, and can open his account.

Race 7 No13 SUPREME GIFT
Trainer: Henry Daly – Jockey: Richard Patrick

From the same stable, SUPREME GIFT is the one to be on in the concluding bumper. The Getaway gelding ran a cracker on debut for Daly to chase home Carrigdoun Boy at Southwell, and will now be more streetwise.

MARKET RASEN

Race 2 No6 DUKE OF ROCKINGHAM (Nap)
Trainer: Olly Murphy – Jockey: Fergus Gregory

On a trappy card, DUKE OF ROCKINGHAM rates Nap material to make up for an unlucky defeat at Lingfield. Off a sedate gallop he hit a flat spot, only to stay on powerfully on the run in, but just too late to catch Sherborne. He rates a winner without a penalty, and can prove too hot for Lydford to handle.

SEDGEFIELD

Race 4 No2 BARNABUS COLLINS (Nap)
Trainer: Donald McCain Jnr – Jockey: Brian Hughes

BARNABUS COLLINS ran a blinder on his debut under Rules when second in a Carlisle bumper more than a year ago. He’s moved from Ireland to join a top outfit and you can take it as read that he’s been well-grounded for this first outing over jumps.

Race 6 No4 POLDARK CROSS
Trainer: Harry Whittington – Jockey: Callum Bewley

POLDARK CROSS put in an underwhelming first run back at Bangor where he jumping went to pieces. He’s been re-schooled many times subsequently and can make up for an abortive trip to the races last week when he suffered a superficial bleed in the stables and had to be taken out.

WINCANTON

Race 2 No3 PRECIOUS ELEANOR (Nap)
Trainer: Henry Daly – Jockey: Paddy Brennan

Little River Bay and Rose Of Arcadia both met with negative incidents on their latest starts and that leaves the door open for PRECIOUS ELEANOR to gain what would be a deserved first success of the campaign. For figures of 222 paint a misleading picture, as she’s totally genuine and takes strong form to post.

Race 7 No4 FINAL ENCORE
Trainer: Hughie Morrison – Jockey: Tom O’Brien

Morrison knows all about the family of FINAL ENCORE for whom a market check is very much in order. The four-year-old is bred to relish plenty of cut in the ground and has trained well at home.