With so much racing to enjoy on Boxing Day, a helping hand may be needed on the way to profit. Matty Sutcliffe has provided his best bets throughout the 26th December below.
12:45 Kempton – Ladbrokes Best Odds Guaranteed On Racing Novices’ Limited Handicap Chase (GBB Race) (Class 3) (4yo+ 0-130) – Tapley 40/1 0.5pt EW 3 places
Geordieland gelding TAPLEY has been crying for a step up in trip and while he’s not shown much promise in his two starts over fences so far, he’s dropped back down to his last winning mark and with his course record over hurdles reading 132, he can fare well back here over fences with Charlie Deutsch having his first ride for the yard.
The former pointer is a half brother to smart staying chaser Remastered so he’s bred to improve for these conditions, and the yard are 1-1 over fences here in the last five seasons.
1:20 Kempton – Ladbrokes Kauto Star Novices’ Chase (In Memory Of Nigel Clark) (Grade 1) (GBB Race) (Class 1) (4yo+) – Masaccio 11/2 1pt WIN
MASACCIO was an eye-catcher when staying on strongly to The Jukebox Man in the John Francome Chase at Newbury last time out, and the return to this right handed track may be enough to reverse that form with the winner, who showed a tendency to jump left. Ben Pauling’s charge hasn’t run right-handed since his point win in 2022, but he’s shown a preference for jumping, and hanging, left throughout his career whereas Masaccio was a smart course winner in February.
This is a woefully poor renewal of this typically excellent contest, and the step up to three miles is worth exploring again with Masaccio who had an excuse when well beaten on his only prior start at this trip. Though the favourite is an assured stayer, Masaccio clocked a quicker final two furlongs than the winner last time out suggesting he’s more than capable of reversing the form.
1:35 Wetherby – William Hill Rowland Meyrick Handicap Chase (Premier Handicap) (GBB Race) (Class 1) (4yo+) – Kinondo Kwetu 16/1 1pt EW 3 places
Half the field are 14lbs wrong at the weights here and KINONDO KWETU looks a shade overpriced given he’s quietly running back into some form despite his lowering mark. He’s a pound higher than his last mark when beating Hang In There again at Worcester in August, with that one somewhat franking the form with a excellent fourth in the Charlie Hall here in November.
He was second by two lengths to Hidden Depths at Perth in September given him some 18lbs who backed up that form with a win next time out, and was a solid fifth behind Chianti Classico inn the Sodexo Gold Cup before posting a career best effort when second to Pic D’Orhy in the G2 1965 Chase last time out.
I can forgive him for pulling up at Cheltenham in October as he did so in that race last season, and there was plenty of promise when faring best of those to race in rear at Doncaster in a competitive 0-150 last time out, with very little showing up well from the rear on the card that day.
The evidence suggests he’s a much better horse in the spring/summer, but this will likely be his last race before they put him away for the winter and if he can improve on that Doncaster fifth, then he’s entitled to fare well from this mark with plenty of the others having to step up massively off their revised marks.
2:30 Kempton – Ladbrokes King George VI Chase (Grade 1) (GBB Race) (Class 1) (4yo+) – Bravemansgame 20/1 1pt EW 3 places
I’m happy with our ante-post play on L’Homme Presse, though i’d have preferred some softer conditions which is admittedly preventing me from playing again at a slightly bigger price. I’m going to give one last roll of the dice for BRAVEMANSGAME, as the race could set up perfectly for him.
With Il Est Francais, The Real Whacker and Grey Dawning all likely to be ridden aggressively, the increasingly lethargic Bravemansgame could benefit from a place collapse sat just off the leaders. He’s had a carbon copy campaign as he had when beaten a length in this last season, and while the RPR’s have starkly regressed, it’s hard to ignore his form around here (112) when there’s plenty of other question marks regarding the rest.
The treacherous conditions at Haydock stunted any chance he had in the Betfair Chase, but I thought he ran an excellent race in the first time blinkers to stay on in rear as opposed to weakening entirely out of things. It will be some feat if Nicholls can get him back to winning ways, but he knows exactly what it takes to have one primed for the King George and if Bravemansgame is to ever win again, it’ll be here at his beloved Kempton.
3:40 Kempton – Ladbrokes Get Rewarded With Ladbucks Handicap Hurdle (Class 3) (3yo+ 0-140) – Mahon’s Glory 1pt WIN
MAHON’S GLORY is winless since taking this race last season off a 6lbs lower mark, but that was a career best effort and the excellent Dylan Johnston takes off a handy 3lbs. He wasn’t disgraced when beaten four lengths by Hyland on chase debut at Southwell in June with that one now rated 12lbs higher in that sphere having won twice since, so we know he’s still capable of running to form. He was probably over the top when well beaten in both starts at Perth since in the Autumn, but he returns from a break with the cheekpieces and hood returning which is likely a signal of intent. He’s won off a similar break in the past, and the yard are having an excellent time of things with four of their last nine runners winning.
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