Mike Vince recalls his favourite King George VI Chase and favourite Welsh National ahead of the 2020 versions at Kempton and Chepstow respectively.
Kauto raises the roof again
One thing we have learned through the years is that whoever built the grandstand at Kempton Park did the job properly.
The roof is still on - no mean achievement to survive the ecstatic chorus in full cry of a packed enclosure when Desert Orchid having slayed Toby Tobias and others in 1990 to make it four King Georges, and an even more severe test when in 2011 the roar would have been heard across the Surrey Suburbs as Kauto Star cleared the last to make it five.
To this day, that Monday 26th December ranks as one of the best racedays ever.
Before we even reached the King George, Grands Crus had beaten Silviniaco Conti and Bobs Worth (not a bad race was it!) to land the Nigel Clark Chase and the second Group 1, the Christmas Hurdle saw Binocular see off Rock on Ruby.
But those were just the aperitif. It was the second King George of the year, the 2010 renewal having been delayed until January by bad weather and having seen the young pretender Long Run triumph over Kauto Star, who was that day ridden by AP McCoy back in third.
Long Run was sent off Evens favourite in a field of seven for the rematch, as alongside Kauto Paul Nicholls saddled Master Minded. Ruby Walsh was back on Kauto Star.
Outsiders Nacarat and Golan Way made the early running with Kauto Star and Long Run not far behind. Ruby Walsh took over in the home straight the first time, and the 11-year-old jumped superbly, staying at the head of the field as they turned for home when he extended his lead.
Sam Waley-Cohen and Long Run went out after him, the roar of the crowd crescendoed to an ear busting fortissimo as the young pretender tried to catch the Old Master but it was no contest. The gap was narrowed after the last but we were watching racing history of the most unforgettable kind.
Sadly the roof won’t face a test in 2020, but nine years on the sight of six top steeplechasers hoisting a white flag in that vain attempt at ‘following yonder star’ remains a glorious memory for those thousands lucky enough to be there.
And it made spectacular viewing on TV as well.
Old Raz raid a Chepstow highlight
It’s now run over 23 fences and more than three and three quarter miles, and four times in the past decade the weather has forced its delay until January, but for a sport-loving nation there is only one Welsh National, with a history that’s stacked full of great memories - and great races.
Its Roll of Honour this century includes Gold Cup champions Synchronised and Native River and Aintree legends Bindaree and Silver Birch.
A year ago it famously stayed at home as Triple Crown-esque celebrations followed the victory of Potters Corner, trained by Christian Williams and ridden by Jack Tudor clinching a famous win - the first trained in the Principality since 1965.
And then there was the 2017 renewal, the race when both winning horse and winning jockey were teenagers.
The race actually took place on the first Saturday in January, with conditions as testing as they probably have ever been - they even left two fences per circuit out- the 4th in the back and the third in the home straight.
20 runners went to post including, in the circumstances, the appropriately named Ask the Weatherman. The colours of Trevor Hemmings were carried by both the favourite Vintage Clouds and the top weight Vicente.
One by one they fell away as the race began. Emperor’s Choice exiting at the first and badly hampering the Irish Raider Raz de Maree, the 13 year old with youngster James Bowen, brought up in Haverford West, doing well to maintain the partnership.
Approaching two out Alfie Spinner, bidding to boost the Lee Family’s amazing record in the race, was in front, but Bowen had nursed Raz de Maree, Gavin Cromwell’s first runner in the race back into contention. It was there he made his move, only to make a mistake at the last.
But it wasn’t critical, Alfie Spinner and Final Nudge were too far back - and the 13 year old stayed on for a landmark victory.
It was the day the racing world took notice of the talents of James Bowen, a match for his elder brother Sean.
And it left us with one of the great trivia questions - in which iconic race was the winning jockey only three years older than his horse?