Tony McFadden provides an overview of the key things to note on Sunday.
Unexposed Sea Presenting can build on eye-catching effort
It's understandably a very low-key day of racing on the final Sunday before Christmas, with only two meetings taking in place in Britain and none in Ireland.
Recent eye-catchers are unsurprisingly in short supply and only one horse in action was awarded the Horse In Focus Flag last time by Timeform's reporters. The horse in question is Sea Presenting who was a creditable second on her reappearance in a two-and-a-half-mile mares' maiden hurdle at Lingfield, over the same course and distance that she tackles on Sunday (13:30).
Sea Presenting, who was making her first start since undergoing a wind operation, was no match for Dan Skelton's lightly-raced winner, Broomfield Aderra, but that one looks a useful prospect.
Sea Presenting deserves credit for how well she stuck to her task to pull 17 lengths clear of the third - particularly given she got loose beforehand - and she still has the Timeform 'small p' to show that she remains capable of better. She has finished placed on all four starts but sets the standard in this mares' maiden hurdle and looks to have been found a good opportunity to get off the mark.
Bolsover Bill has been given a big chance by handicapper
Bolsover Bill was beaten more than 20 lengths in sixth in a handicap hurdle on his return at Leicester last month, but he was coming back from a lengthy absence after missing all of last season and didn't shape badly with that long layoff in mind.
It remains to be seen whether Bolsover Bill retains all his ability, though he is only an eight-year-old and has been given a chance by the handicapper on his first start over fences since finishing third at Chepstow in April 2024.
He runs in the two-mile-five-furlong handicap chase (14:15) at Fakenham off a BHA mark 7 lb lower than when placed at Chepstow. He's now back off the same mark as when a decisive winner of a strong handicap for the level at Exeter earlier in 2024 and is well treated on that form; indeed, he heads Timeform's weight-adjusted ratings by 6 lb so is clearly well treated if as good as ever.
Ratings suggest Bucksy des Epeires is worth another chance
Bucksy des Epeires' superb record when fresh pointed to a bold bid on his return to action at Fontwell in October but he proved bitterly disappointing having been sent off a well-backed 13/8 favourite.
While Bucksy des Epeires had won first time out for the past two seasons, it's possible that he needed the run more than expected this time around as he was Venetia Williams' first runner of the core jumps season and the yard failed to hit the ground running as has often been the case. Recent signs have been a bit more encouraging, though, and it would be little surprise were Bucksy des Epeires to leave his reappearance effort behind him in the two-and-three-quarter-mile handicap chase (15:00) at Lingfield.
The step up in trip promises to suit Bucksy des Epeires, though simply returning to form, rather than improving, would make him difficult to beat given he's only 2 lb higher than when a comfortable winner on his chasing debut at Ascot last season. He heads Timeform's weight-adjusted ratings by 4 lb.
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