Christmas Hurdle

Straw Bear makes his belated return to hurdles on Friday, and he looks to have a great chance in the race he won last year. He beat his biggest rival Punjabi by a long way that day and with the going likely to be on the soft side he looks to have a great chance at 6/1. He ran well in the champion hurdle but clearly does not perform best around Cheltenham and he can score back at Kempton.

Two fancies today, Jardin De Vienne and Will The Till, they both look to have solid chances and 7/1.

Cheltenham

There is a cracking card at Cheltenham providing it passes a 9-30 inspection due to torrential rain. 

In the first I fancy Nampour, he finished 4th in a good Grade 2 hurdle over this course 4 weeks ago. With further improvement expected he can win this in  good fashion. Starluck has an obvious chance but Nampour could provide more value.

The Relkeel Hurdle can be won by Punchestowns, he put in a very good performance when winning comfortably at Cheltenham. With the Henderson yard going so well he looks the one to take this prize, Serabad being the biggest danger. 

I fancy Stan to win the Boylesports Gold Cup he has won over C&D before and can put his latest run behind him. The obvious dangers are Fingeronthepulse for AP and Silverburn, a full brother to the mighty Denman.

Course specialist Katchit can win the International Hurdle, he has 5 wins and a 2nd from 6 runs here. He goes well on heavy ground so should upset the favourite Binocular. Binocular didn't beat much at Haydock and the 2/1 looks too short. 

Massasoit can win the last for Paul Nicholls and Ruby Walsh, he has won on heavy ground and the form of his last race is working out very well, so he looks better value than Diamond Harry. 

Friday Fun

There is a good card at Sandown tomorrow, and a very competitive marathon handicap chase at Exeter. 

In the first at Sandown, it looks a straight battle between Helium and Tuanku. I fancy Helium to come out the better of the two. Nick Gifford's horse ran well on soft ground at Warwick, when winning last time out and with the trainer's horses in such good form he has got to be the one to beat. 

In the grade two hurdle, i fancy the bang in form Nicky Henderson horse Mr.Gardener to run well in this decent contest. The ground was just too soft for him to show his true colours and he can make amends here at big odds. Roll Along has got to win the next, he beat Air Force One well, subsequently runner up in the Hennessy, that is very good form and he should be able to strike again.

In the last, I fancy Spartan Place, if he is fully wound up after a lengthy absence. He finished fourth behind Denman three years ago, and is still relatively unexposed so could be well handicapped here. 

In the Marathon at Exeter I fancy Ballygalley Bob to score. He finished second here over a similar long trip on testing ground. D. Elsworth is in great form of late and strike with another winner here. 

Hennessy Weekend

There is an almighty jumps meeting at Newbury tomorrow with the feature Hennessy Cognac Gold Cup. There are loads of good horses in the race and it has it's usual competitive feel about it. I have narrowed it down to 3 horses; Dear Villez, Albertas Run and Slim Pickings. Dear Villez put up a very good display in the Munster National beating the useful Mister Top Notch by 3 lengths. His stamina is proven and he goes on the ground, also he is relatively inexperienced so he could turn out to be well handicapped. A step back up to 3m 2f should suit Albertas Run after finishing last of 4 over 2m 5f. He won the RSA at the festival and has bags of class, the only negative is that he is quite badly treated by the handicapper. Slim Pickings came 4th in the Grand National last year, and put up a good reappearance run at Navan. He likes big fields and could go well again at decent odds. 

Beside the Gold Cup there is a very good supporting card, in the first, if Peppertree Lane can transfer his good flat form to jumps he has got a great chance of winning. His trainer Peter Bowen is in cracking form and this horse can run well here on his debut. In the long distance hurdle at 2-05, there is the return of the masterful Inglis Drever. He has won this race for the last 2 years and can complete the hat trick here, with main dangers being the in form Blazing Bailey and Duc De Regenerie. Randwick Roar can win the 3-15 for my local trainer Gary Moore, he put up a good performance to win a chase at Doncaster last season and if fit could improve greatly on that form to score here. Squadron can win the finale, his fourth in the race at Cheltenham won by Numide shows stunning form and his class should shine through here. Light Yield could run well at bigger odds after coming second ahead of Kings Revenge at Cheltenham, that horse beat Squadron home last time out so LY could run well. 

The wbx.com Rehearsal Chase at Newcastle looks very competitive, but I fancy the Irish raider Fingeronthepulse to score here. The selection finished 2nd to Noland last time in a Grade 3 handicap and this slight drop in class should allow him to get back on the winning trail. The Fighting Fifth looks like a battle between Punjabi and Sublimity, Harchibald doesn't look anything like the horse he used to be so can be passed over here. If Sublimity is fully wound up he looks a good price at 9/2 , the former champion hurdler goes well fresh and on softer ground and can score here. He can turn the tables with Punjabi on this softer ground. 

Dee Ee Williams and Saturdays Action

Dee Ee Williams won in very good fashion at Ascot yesterday and boosted his supreme novice credentials. What seemed even more impressive was that trainer N Gifford said he is still running green and experienced. Given that he has already won at Cheltenham, i would be backing him at the 25/1 on offer.

There is very good jumps action from Ascot and Haydock tomorrow, with a decent Huntingdon card as well. In the 2-05 at Haydock i fancy Alfie Fits, who finished 4th behind Dee Ee Williams in that extremely hot maiden and that form has been franked. Ungaro can run well in the next on his return to hurdles, he won a grade 3 hurdle and can score here off a fair weight. Binocular looks a dead cert for the Betfair hurdle. As does Kauto Star in the chase but Exotic Dancer and Cloudy Lane could be ready to strike if he fails to deliver. I Hear Thunder can win the big handicap chase off bottom weight after two consistent second places. 

Down at Ascot, in the first I fancy Free World, who showed markable improvement to finish second last time out and he can build on that with a good run here. The consistent Lord Henry can run into a place at least after his second to Andreas off level weights but now gets 9lb and that should be enough to score here. Chomba Womba and Franchoek can put in a good showing in the Coral Hurdle and both should make the frame. Possol can win the Intermediate handicap chase after his narrow victory over Oslot and now gets weight from him. 

KICKING KING IS RETIRED

Today came the sad news that Kicking King has been retired because of his recent poor performances, there is no doubt that he wasn't up to his Gold Cup winning best. So KK have a happy retirement!!!

There is a good days racing at Exeter and Ascot tomorrow. Mad Max must win the Ascot opener for the in-form Nicky Henderson. The selection won a grade 2 bumper at Newbury and if fit enough should breeze home. The main danger will be Karabak, who showed good form in bumpers and stable does well with novice hurdlers.

Massinis Maguire can win the 1-30, he was 4th last time out, just 9l behind PP Gold Cup winner Imperial Commander. He has very good form to his name and the main danger will be Slash and Burn. The 2-05 looks like a battle between Dee Ee Williams and Shoreacres, i fancy Dee Ee Williams to come out on top after winning possibly the hottest novice hurdle event of the year at Cheltenham last time out. He can score again for my local trainer, Nick Gifford.

Soulard can win the next after having a couple of warm up runs over hurdles and should be fully wound up for his return to fences. Soleil Fix could be better on this slightly firmer ground and could reward e/w support. Dishdasha can run well in the last, now back at a more modest level after coming 4th of 5th behind Chomba Womba. He came second in a similar event at Aintree and can be in the frame at the end of this race.

The only horse I would back at Exeter is Passato, he showed markable improvement on his handicap debut and he is related to a group 1 winner so should make his present felt. 

Sundays Racing

Imperial Commander put up a very good performance yesterday to win the PP Gold Cup.

Don't have much time so my tips for Sunday are-

• Pascha Bere e/w at Fontwell, he put up a good performance on his comeback run and is likely to have come on alot for it.
• Straw Bear can build on his chasing debut to take the Novices Chase at Cheltenham, AP has chosen to ride him rather than go to Ireland to ride the well fancied Jered, so he is expecting a big perfomance.
• Mamlook can win the Greatwood Hurdle after a good display in the Cesarewitch
• Diamond Harry can win the novies hurdle after a superb win last time out at Uttoxeter
• Lindeman can win the listed bumper with McCoy aboard. He won last time over this C&D, and can follow up here