Our man steps in for Matt Brocklebank on Boxing Day and has two recommended bets on an excellent day's racing.
Value Bet Tips: Tuesday 26 December
1pt win Es Perfecto in the 12.45 Kempton at 6/1 (Bet365, BetVictor, Coral, Ladbrokes)
1pt e.w. Cannock Park in the 1.05 Aintree at 25/1 (1/5 1,2,3,4 Sky Bet)
Boxing Day is the busiest day in the racing calendar with no less than 11 meetings in Britain and Ireland for punters to get their teeth stuck into. It is impossible to cover every angle, so it is important to pick your battles and not to overburden yourself.
The main feature of ITV’s coverage in the King George VI Chase which is headlined by the Willie Mullins-trained Allaho, and if he arrives at the top of his game, he should prove much too good at a track which will suit his run-style. That is reflected in his price, though, and there isn’t anything further down the market that tickles my fancy at the current odds. It’s safe to say it will be a cracking race and one I will happily sit back and enjoy.
There is a new Grade 1 event at Aintree this year, the Formby Novices’ Hurdle – previously the Tolworth which has been switched from Sandown – and it has attracted an intriguing field which also has representation from France and Ireland.
It is often hard to get a handle on unexposed novices who are all improving at different rates, and that is reflected in the betting market, which at the time of writing has a rather open look to it.
The favourite, Jango Baie, was a £170,000 purchase after finishing runner-up on his sole start in Irish points, and he was well backed to make a winning start under Rules in a novices’ hurdle at Ascot, where he narrowly beat Tellherthename, who has since won as he liked at Huntingdon. Jango Baie represents a leading yard and clearly could be anything, while Farren Glory, who is closely matched in the market, brings Grade 1-winning form to the table.
French raider July Flower is the sole filly in the field, and she is clearly well above average judged on her runner-up effort in a Grade 1 against the boys at Auteuil last month. It is therefore a race full of depth, but the horse I can’t get away from at the prices is CANNOCK PARK, who I was really impressed by on his hurdling debut at Cheltenham in the middle of November.
His pedigree isn’t very appealing, but he won his sole start in point bumpers, and he looked a useful prospect when opening his account under Rules in a bumper at Bangor in October. Cannock Park attracted some support near the off at Cheltenham last time and there was a fair bit to like about the manner in which he went about his business.
He went with plenty of verve out in front, a little keen in the early stages, but jumping boldly and accurately, and he had all of his rivals in trouble while still on the bridle after jumping the second-last. He opened up by about five lengths on entering the straight and had a similar margin in hand jumping the final flight, and he was entitled to be a little tired on the run-in given the exuberance which he had shown.
Cannock Park will clearly have to improve on the bare form of that effort to mix it at this level, but he is a horse chock-full of potential – a nice type physically, too – and I can see him zipping round this more speed-favouring track on likely better ground. If he was trained by a more high-profile trainer, you would imagine he would be shorter than the 25/1 available, and I think he looks too big at his current price.
The first race on Kempton’s card in an interesting novices’ handicap chase and the Alan King-trained ES PERFECTO makes a fair bit of appeal. He was a winner in points and also managed to win a couple of times over hurdles, but judged by his chasing debut on soft ground at Cheltenham last month, he has the potential to take his form to new heights in this sphere.
That came over a similar distance to the one he will face here and he moved through that contest like a well-handicapped horse, going with plenty of zest and impressing with some fast and accurate leaps. That was his first start for seven months, so he can be forgiven for being a little too keen in the first half of the race, but it should have knocked the freshness out of him and he did see his race out well enough.
Es Perfecto was unlucky to bump into one who was clearly well ahead of his mark that day, and that rival has since boosted the form by following up in a good-looking novice event back at Cheltenham this month. Interestingly, the handicapper has dropped Es Perfecto 1lb for that effort, which leaves him on a BHA mark of 123, and it is hard to think that he isn’t up to winning races from this sort of mark this season.
He faces some other progressive types, but the return to a sounder surface will be in his favour – his two wins under Rules were on ground which had good in the description by Timeform – and he will have surely learnt plenty for that initial experience. The 6/1 on offer is fair in my eyes for a horse whose best days are clearly ahead of him.
Preview posted at 1540 GMT on 23/12/2023
Boxing Day - 9.48/1 Treble*
Exclusive Sporting Life Build-A-Bet
- Giovinco to place (first two) in the 1.20 Kempton
- Constitution Hill to win 1.55 Kempton by 10 lengths or more
- Allaho to win the King George 2.30 Kempton
Click here to back the latest multiple with Sky Bet
*Price correct at 0900 GMT click link for live price
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