14:30 Kempton

Thursday 26 December 2019

All12:5013:2013:5514:3015:0515:40

Ladbrokes Christmas Hurdle (Grade 1)

Off time: 14:30 | Winning time: 3m 55.25s

Ballyandy¹²

Age: 8| Weight: 11-7| J: Sam Twiston-Davies| T: N & W Twiston-Davies| OR: 155| D

14/1

Third in the Coral Cup at the Festival (2m5f, soft); beaten by Saturday's Long Walk Hurdle hero The Worlds End in a Grade 2 at Wetherby (3m, soft); back to 2m when runner-up in the International at Cheltenham (Ch'tibello third) 12 days ago.

Form: 133-642

Big Blue⁵¹

Age: 7| Weight: 11-7| J: J J Burke| T: C & D Eustace| D

40/1

Successful in three of his four starts over hurdles in Australia (Ballarat, Casterton and Warrnambol); fair play to his connections for being sporting and electing to take their chance, but he's surely just making up the numbers in this Gr 1 race.

Form: 112-1

Ch'tibello¹²

Age: 8| Weight: 11-7| J: Harry Skelton| T: D Skelton| OR: 157| D

10/1

Beat We Have A Dream by 1½L in the Grade 3 County Handicap Hurdle at the Cheltenham Festival before a career best third to Supasundae at Aintree (2m4f, soft); is closely matched with Ballyandy on International Hurdle form.

Form: 69213-3

Elixir De Nutz¹²

Age: 5| Weight: 11-7| J: R M Power| T: C L Tizzard| OR: 150| D

14/1

Classy novice; won three of his four starts last season (inc the Gr 1 Tolworth at Sandown (2m, soft) before injury curtailed his season; faded from the last (seventh) on seasonal reappearance in the International Hurdle at Cheltenham 12 days ago.

Form: F2111-7

Fusil Raffles⁴⁷

Age: 4| Weight: 11-7| J: N de Boinville| T: N J Henderson| OR: 152| CD

2/1

4-5 over hurdles (3-3 for Nicky Henderson); downed Beat The Judge over C&D (good) in the Gr 2 Adonis in February; workmanlike when landing the odds in Wincanton's Elite Hurdle on seasonal reappearance; trainer also saddles Epatante & Verdana Blue.

Form: 121-11

Getaway Trump^t1³⁹

Age: 6| Weight: 11-7| J: Harry Cobden| T: P F Nicholls| OR: 155| D

16/1

Hasn't excelled over fences so far this season (0-2) and reverts to hurdles wearing a first-time tongue-tie; ended last season on a strong upward curve with back-to-back wins at Ayr & Sandown (2m, good); is he a Grade 1 performer?

Form: 4411-33

Quick Grabim²⁰⁰

Age: 7| Weight: 11-7| J: P J Brennan| T: F O'Brien| OR: 150| D

50/1

Won three of his eight starts over hurdles in Ireland for Willie Mullins, sampling big race success in the Gr 1 Royal Bond at Fairyhouse (2m, good) last November; interesting to see what Fergal O'Brien makes of him off a 200-day absence.

Form: 1141-45

Silver Streak²⁶

Age: 6| Weight: 11-7| J: Adam Wedge| T: Evan Williams| OR: 154| CD

11/1

Made the frame behind the ill-fated Espoir D'Allen in last year's Champion Hurdle; notched his sixth success over timber with a smooth C&D Listed win (good) in October; came up short on heavy ground in the Fighting Fifth at Newcastle.

Form: 2235-13

Epatante²⁶

Age: 5| Weight: 11-0| J: B J Geraghty| T: N J Henderson| OR: 137| CD

2/1

C&D winner (novices') on hurdles debut (Nov 2018) and 2-3 since; clear career best on seasonal reappearance when hammering French Crusader by 6L in a 2m Listed contest at Newbury (good/soft); one of three declared runners for Nicky Henderson.

Form: 11/119-1

Verdana Blue²³⁹

Age: 7| Weight: 11-0| J: J McGrath| T: N J Henderson| OR: 162| CD

7/1

Took the scalp of her illustrious stablemate Buveur D'Air in a thrilling tussle in this race last year; last seen over obstacles with a breathtaking display in the Scottish Champion Hurdle at Ayr (2m good); forecast soft ground isn't an ideal match.

Form: 114151-

Forecasts

Epatante (2/1), Fusil Raffles (2/1), Verdana Blue (7/1), Ch'tibello (10/1), Silver Streak (11/1), Ballyandy (14/1), Elixir De Nutz (14/1), Getaway Trump (16/1), Big Blue (40/1), Quick Grabim (50/1)

Nicky Henderson has saddled the Christmas Hurdle winner on eight occasions, with Verdana Blue his most recent winner. Soft ground is a concern for last year's gritty victor, while stablemate Fusil Raffles was only workmanlike in the Elite Hurdle at Wincanton. Therefore, the progressive mare Epatante may prove strongest of the Henderson trio. Cheltenham's International Hurdle holds relevant clues with Ballyandy (second), Ch'tibello (third) and ELIXIR DE NUTZ (seventh) all recommencing battle. The speculative selection missed a tilt at the Supreme Novices' (lame) and unsurprisingly needed the run on seasonal reappearance. He deserves another chance.