Excellent day for Christmas Special

Bravemansgame provided Paul Nicholls with a thirteenth win the King George Chase at Kempton on Monday. Taken wide throughout by Harry Cobden and inconvenienced by the front running L'Homme Presse jumping repeatedly to his left, he got the measure of Venetia Williams' runner after the second last before pulling away to win by seven and a half lengths. Brilliantly prepared by the Champion trainer, he heads straight to the Cheltenham Gold Cup now. Three miles around Kempton brings out the best in the seven year old and it will be interesting to see if he can translate his very best form to Prestbury Park in the spring.

Lossiemouth confirmed the view that she is the best juvenile hurdler in training at present with another authoritative display in the Grade 2 at Leopardstown. The ex-French filly had won a Grade 3 event on her Irish debut earlier this month and she had no trouble stepping up another level at the Dublin track. Paul Townend had the daughter of Great Pretender handy throughout before going to the front in the homestraight. She beat stablemate Gala Marceau by seven and a half lengths conceding three pounds. The runner-up ran very well considering she had been keen early on. Expect to see the Rich and Susannah Ricci owned winner return to the same track in early February for the Grade 1 juvenile hurdle at the Dublin Racing Festival. Featured in the Top 40 Prospects section of One Jump Ahead, she is a top-class filly. 

It was an excellent day for followers of the Christmas Special headlined by Bravemansgame (11/4) in the King George. Grey Dawning (5/4) landed a substantial gamble in the concluding handicap hurdle at the Sunbury track. Dan Skelton's grey appeared to have been let in lightly off a mark of 123 and, while he was forced to dig deep on the run-in, he edged out Bourbali by a length and a half. Declan Phelan supplied us with two selections and his nap of the Festive period was Vaucelet (2/1) in the hunters' chase at Down Royal. David Christie's Authorized gelding led close home to win by a neck. Finally, Sandy Thomson's Talking Trainers feature unearthed Blue Baloo (10/1) in the bumper at Newcastle to round off a terrific day for subscribers.