Boxing Day Tote Placepot Tips for Kempton

Leg 1 Selections: Rubaud, Throne Hall

Paul Nicholls’ RUBAUD was highly-tried on his debut for Paul Nicholls in the Grade 2 Adonis over course-and-distance and improved enormously from that effort to record back-to-back wins the next two times at Taunton when dropped in class. All of his best form has been on a sounder surface but he should have more to offer and should still go well in his hat-trick bid here. 

He is back up in grade here but he is open to even further improvement, has the course experience at a higher level and could complete the hat-trick. THRONE HALL, a classy sort on the Flat, is unbeaten in two starts over hurdles and beat three subsequent winners last month at Wetherby. This is deeper water but he’s a good horse who shouldn’t be underestimated. 

Leg 2 Selections: Not So Sleepy, Champ

The Hughie Morrison-trained NOT SO SLEEPY holds a much better chance than his odds supply here in the rescheduled Grade 1 Long Walk Hurdle. He is three-from-three going right-handed on going soft or worse over hurdles and wouldn’t need to improve much more on his overall form to have a say in the outcome here with the step up to three-miles worth an experiment. 

Johnny Burke takes the ride, who’s been in serious form this season too, so he cannot be taken lightly here. CHAMP won this race at Ascot last year and is probably the right favourite having got the better of Paisley Park last time, who just couldn’t get past him. He acts well on soft ground, should be suited to the course and is the one to beat. He is included for back-up purposes. 

Leg 3 Selections: Galia Des Liteaux, Thyme Hill

Just the five runners for the Grade 1 Kauto Star Novices’ Chase, which is slightly disappointing, but they all have to be given the utmost respect here, including Thyme Hill, who was the best of these over hurdles, and is slightly overpriced. However, I want to side with the mare GALIA DES LITEAUX, who impressed on her chase debut at Bangor and her seven-pound mares’ allowance could prove valuable in the latter stages here. 

She ran to a respectable level in three starts over hurdles but flourished on her chase debut, where she jumped beautifully and strolled to an easy nine-lengths success without coming out of second gear at Bangor. The runner-up Miah Grace has won since to boost the form and, with conditions looking like they will suit, the Skelton’s could be set to land this race again having had the winner of this two years ago in the shape of Shan Blue. 

Leg 4 Selections: Constitution Hill

Nicky Henderson’s CONSTITUTION HILL is four-from-four under rules and was mightily impressive when winning the Fighting Fifth Hurdle at Newcastle on his reappearance, beating stablemate Epatante. That was already his third Grade 1 under rules, his third in succession, and the floor is his to become one of the greats in the sport. He is a worthy favourite. 

He has all the attributes to go along way in the two-mile hurdle ranks over the next how many years and it is hard to see him beaten unless he majorly underperforms which looks far from likely. He jumps, travels, has a potent turn of foot and there appears to be no chinks in his armour. He can strengthen his Champion Hurdle claims with another Grade 1 success. 

Leg 5 Selections: Envoi Allen, Hitman

The feature race is the last of the four Grade 1 events on the card, the King George VI Chase, and I have two against the field. 

The first one is ENVOI ALLEN, who made a triumphant return when seeing off Kemboy by 1¾ lengths in a Grade 1 last-time-out and remains unexposed over this distance. He has more on his plate here but he did go three years unbeaten, which included two Cheltenham Festival wins, and he surely has more to come given he’s only eight. I like his chances for this. 

I also like Paul Nicholls’ other runner - HITMAN, who has some smart form to his name and is still only six. He was last seen relishing the step up in trip to 2m5f, winning by 11 lengths, and is an interesting participant now tackling three miles for the first time. Harry Cobden prefers Bravemansgame but his choice still doesn’t diminish this promising youngsters prospects. 

Leg 6 Selections: West Cork

The Dan Skelton-trained WEST CORK has an excellent chance on his handicap debut in this sphere here. The eight-year-old acquitted himself well from higher marks than this over hurdles last season and has shown an aptitude for chasing in both starts against high-class opponents. 

Last year’s Greatwood Hurdle winner went onto make the frame in the Scottish Champion Hurdle and the County Hurdle and will compete in this off a slightly lower mark, which makes him dangerously well-treated as he drops into a class three event for the first time in his career. 

He will relish going this way round given his tendencies to jump to the right on occasions and, with this race likely to have been a plan since his latest start, he retains potential to potentially become a lethal force in the handicap chase division for connections.