Burdened with family commitments, this year I haven't spent as much time with the form book as I should have...
On official ratings Silviniaco Conti is the one to beat in the King George at Kempton on Boxing Day (3.10). Paul Nicholls' charge did the blog a favour in Haydock's Betfair Chase last month; the softer the ground the better.
The next two in the market, Champagne Fever and Al Ferof, have never won over three miles so I've looked more closely at Menorah and Cue Card.
Both will appreciate drying ground and, according to the weather forecast, that's what they're likely to get.
Menorah has been something of a revelation this year winning Wetherby's Charlie Hall Chase on good ground and then finishing two lengths adrift of Silviniaco in the Betfair where underfoot conditions were far more testing. In his younger days Philip Hobbs' gelding was known to have jumping issues but he has improved with age although I'm still reluctant to trust him implicitly over these obstacles.
Following a pelvic injury Cue Card has been a little slow to come to hand this term but connections have been making the right noises recently. Colin Tizzard's inmate was outstayed when beaten by Silviniaco in this event last year but he was aggressively ridden on that occasion and a more conservative approach may pay dividends; on official ratings he has three pounds to find with the favourite.
I can still see Cue Card emptying up the home straight in last year's renewal with the race apparently at his mercy and earlier fancier prices have disappeared as well so I'll take an each-way chance on Menorah (8/1) in the hope that his sticky jumping holds out.
Wishing all readers a very merry Christmas.
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Noel Fehily set out to make this a stern test from the outset aboard Silviniaco Conti (15/8f). The winner jumped well from the front and had his field beaten in the home straight.
Selection Menorah (8/1) had jumped well in the main but had just started to struggle when making a bad blunder four out; that put paid to his chance - he finished eighth, some 50 lengths behind the winner.
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