Boxing Day’s ITV Racing broadcast brings us Grade 1’s galore, with Aintree’s Formby Novices’ Hurdle (1.05), followed by the Kauto Star Novices’ Chase (1.20), the Christmas Hurdle (1.55) and the King George VI Chase at Kempton.
The Christmas Hurdle clash between multiple Grade 1-winning mare Lossiemouth and hurdling colossus Constitution Hill, back from a 365 day break is no-bet, watch-and-savour territory but we’ve got confident selections in the first and last of the top-flight contests mentioned, plus an 8/1 shot in the 1.35 up at Wetherby.
ITV Racing Tips – Boxing Day
1.05 Aintree – Roadlesstravelled @ 4/1
1.35 Wetherby – Good Boy Bobby @ 8/1
2.30 Kempton – Banbridge @ 5/1
Bet on the latest horse racing odds at Betzone
O’Neills’ entrant to expose holes in favourite Potters’ recent romp
Potters Charm is 7/4 favourite for the day’s first terrestrially-televised Grade 1 on the strength of three consecutive novice hurdle victories culminating in the Grade 2 Albert Bartlett Novices’ Hurdle at Cheltenham last time out.
However, he’s not the only Grade 2 winner unbeaten in three runs over timber in this field and Jonjo & A.J. O’Neill’s ROADLESSTRAVELLED looks well worth siding with on value grounds.
His victory in the Grade 2 Newton Novices’ Hurdle at Haydock has been well franked by the re-opposing Country Mile. Beaten three lengths by the selection, Dan Skelton’s hurdler was a very cosy seven-and-half length scorer in a Cheltenham novice contest next time.
The same cannot be said of Potters Charm’s most recent Prestbury Park success. It came by 11 lengths, but the next-time-out form figures of those in behind don’t speak well of the form.
Valgrand (second) was beaten 19 lengths plus in a handicap in his following run, with Gale Mahler (third) was beaten by 62 lengths in a listed mares’ heat on her next start.
Tip: 1.05 Aintree – Roadlesstravelled @ 4/1
‘Old boy’ Bobby weighted well for second win in Wetherby highlight
Nigel Twiston-Davies landed the 2021 Rowland Meyrick Handicap Chase (1.25) with GOOD BOY BOBBY and it would be a surprise if another crack at the valuable staying handicap chase hadn’t been on the Naunton handler’s radar ever since.
In some ways it is surprising it hasn’t happened sooner given the Flemensfirth gelding ran up a sequence of four wins from five runs (including all three chases) at the Yorkshire track between March 2018 and his Rowland Meyrick triumph on Boxing Day, 2021.
Now 11-years-old it would be naive to dismiss a vulnerability to less exposed chasers like Cruz Control, or Some Scope, but the old boy is rated 15 lbs lower than when winning this, while Jamie Brace comes to claim another 7lbs off following his encouraging second in a Haydock veterans’ chase last time out.
Tip: 1.35 Wetherby – Good Boy Bobby @ 8/1
Ground has fallen perfectly into place for O’Brien’s Kempton plan
The King George (2.30) has been the plan for Joseph O’Brien’s BANBRIDGE since the start of this season at the very least and the Kilkenny-based handler will be overjoyed with how well the weather has played ball for his good-ground-loving chaser.
Kempton is ‘good’ at the time of writing and that’s unlikely to change with no rain expected between now and the off. That’s ideal for a gelding that won six of his eight outings on good to soft or better and a drawback for many of his better-financed opponents.
Favourite Spillane’s Tower could yet come out if the ground ends up with any firm in it, while Grey Dawning has never been chanced on a surface better than good-to-soft and many other potential rivals have shown their best form with more cut in the ground.
Banbridge has yet to prove he stays the 3m trip of course, but given his trainer’s confidence in anointing this his long-term target and going set to suit him down to the ground, he’s backed to get home.
