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.