There are two Grade 1 races at Leopardstown on Saturday and the Grade 1 Challow Hurdle at Newbury is the main race in the UK. Thyme Hill has the form and ratings to win the Newbury race while Apple's Jade and Kemboy can win the Frank Ward Memorial Hurdle and Savills Chase for the second year in succession in Ireland. The treble pays over +1700 with Bovada.
There has been a shake up in the ante post markets for the Champion Hurdle and Gold Cup after the Boxing Day meeting at Kempton. Epatante and Clan Des Obeaux were impressive winners of the major trials and are now the favourites in each market. The Welsh Grand National on Friday could have provided some pointers for the Aintree version and the Gold Cup.
There are just 10 weeks before the Cheltenham Festival so the ante post markets should see some action. As it stands, if a backed horse is withdrawn before the day of the race ante post bets are losers. Bettors should hang fire until bookmakers introduce the non-runner/no bet concession. This initially applies to the four championship races but all 28 races from about the middle of February.
The Leopardstown Christmas Festival features many Irish trained Cheltenham bound horses. It is the biggest jumps meeting in Ireland other than the Punchestown Festival which is the country's equivalent of Cheltenham. There are seven Grade 1 races at Leopardstown over four days this week and two of those take place on Saturday and there could be back-to-back winners in both races.
Kemboy won the Savills Chase last year but has been in the news for other reasons since that win. Ruby Walsh retired after winning the Punchestown Gold Cup on the horse in May and there were financial irregularities with the syndicate that owns the horse who was suspended from running by the authorities. Kemboy is proven over the course and distance and can prevail again today.
The Savills Chase is a conditions race over three miles. All the runners carry 11-10 except mares and fillies who receive a seven pounds allowance. Al Boum Photo and Kemboy have the joint highest Racing Post Rating. Al Boum Photo won the Gold Cup but Kemboy unseated his rider, subsequent wins at Aintree and Punchestown suggest Kemboy is the best horse at the weights.
Apple's Jade won the feature hurdle race on the same Leopardstown card this time last year. The conditions of the race mean older male horses carry 11-10, mares receive seven pounds and horses aged four get an additional five pounds concession. Surin is a four-year-old mare trained by Gordon Elliott who could be thrown in at the weights. The less speculative bet is on Apple's Jade.
The horse has lost her way in recent months and has not won in four starts. She received the mare's allowance in the Champion Hurdle in March but produced a poor performance. Connections target winnable races so when she is pitched in against the boys, the conditions must suit the horse. The course and distance winner can get back in the winner's enclosure on Saturday.
Champ won the Challow Hurdle last season, was second in a novices' event at the Festival and is now the favourite for the RSA Chase at Cheltenham in March. The horse is owned by JP McManus and named after Tony McCoy. Champ has been hand-picked to justify the name.
The Challow Hurdle is a top class contest and in Thyme Hill we could have another Champ. The race roll call is impressive. Former winners include Bindaree and Denman who won the Grand National and Cheltenham Gold Cup later in their careers.
Champ has the potential and back story to be another winner who goes on to win the Gold Cup. Thyme Hill was third in the champion bumper and has won two races at the start of his hurdling career. The horse is the selection for this year's Challow Hurdle on a day that could present plenty of clues for the jumps meeting that matters most in March.