FLOOR SHOW
Horses that had a good Xmas – and those for whom it was humbug! DAVID
WHICH big bi names got everything they wanted for Christmas, and who had to make do with a pair of socks?
looks back at the winners and losers of the Festive season.
YATES December 26 EPATANTE
A Boxing Day defeat at 1-5 in Kempton’s Christmas Hurdle sounds about as much fun as a (more predictable) punch-up in the Queen Vic, but Nicky Henderson’s Champion Hurdler should still be a player at Cheltenham in March.
CYRNAME t
Still the highest-rated threemile chaser in Britain, but never went a yard when pulled up in the King George VI Chase at Kempton and more like Ebenezer Scrooge at the start of the book than the end.
FRODON
The 20-1 King George winner got a front-running peach of a ride from Bryony Frost, but this was no fluke from the 2019 Ryanair Chase victor – whose liking for the track will be an asset in the Cheltenham Gold Cup.
LOSTINTRANSLATION
Had a valid excuse (burst blood vessel) when pulling up in the King George, but the one-time coming force of the three-mile chase division looks as robust as Tiny Tim.
SANTINI
The last-minute move to take in the King George didn’t come off, but Kempton doesn’t suit last year’s lazy-but-game Gold Cup second, who will be more at home when he goes back to Cheltenham.
December 27 CHACUN POUR SOI
A fight for space under Willie
Mullins’ lli ’ tree t thi this Ch Christmas, i t and last year’s Champion Chase defector is 5-4 to make amends on the strength of his Paddy’s Rewards Club Chase romp at Leopardstown. Wouldn’t mind checking he’s in the paddock at Cheltenham, mind.
SHISHKIN
Arkle Chase favourite’s rite’s stock went up p again with a 13-length margin in Kempton’s Wayward Lad Novices’ Chase – but how badly do o you need to back an odds-on hotpot for or a race in March?
ALTIOR
The career obituaries could yet be premature after the two-mile great’s Desert Orchid Chase humbling by unheralded Nube Negra at Kempton – but his aura of invincibility now belongs to the Ghost of Christmas Past.
December 28 FLOORING PORTER
Gavin Cromwell’s (below) son of Yeats, who got a beauty from Jonathan Moore for all-the-way victory in Leopardstown’s threemile Christmas Hurdle, still has the potential to threaten in the Stayers’ Hurdle at Cheltenham.
A PPLUS TARD
Stirring Savi l ls Chase win at Leopardstown b r o u ght the Cheltenham Gold C Cup into the re reckoning for the bea beaten favourite in last year’s ’ R Ryanair Chase. Still only seven – time to roll the dice in the big one.
MINELLA INDO
Henry de Bromhead landed the Savills Chase with A Plus Tard, but a fall at the eighth fence for the winner’s stablemate leaves plans for the spring Festivals up in the air.
DELTA WORK
The Savills Chase title-holder lost his crown when unseating stand-in Sean Flanagan at the ninth fence, putting a dent in his reputation and making it a Christmas to forget for COVID19 victim Gordon Elliott.
December 29 SHARJAH
Patrick Mullins’ partner made it a Matheson Hurdle threesome at Leopardstown, where he has suffered just one defeat out of the novice ranks, with a commanding two-length call from Aspire Tower. If only they ran the Champion Hurdle there.
January 1
AL BOUM PHOTO
Duly racked up the New Year’s Day Chase hat-trick at Tramore, and there was nothing in that performance to suggest he won’t be the one to beat when attempting the same feat in the Cheltenham Gold Cup in 77 days’ time.