Sign of a victory may chase up Faugheen

Family commitments have made it hard to update over Christmas but here are a few thoughts for people looking for some late advice.

The King George at Kempton is a fascinating affair but value towards the head of the market is very difficult to locate. One thing that does occur to me is that the virtually unconsidered Valseur Lido is much happier given a proper test of stamina and may well make the frame at a big price. The jockey booking is quite interesting, too, and amounts to a considerable compliment to Jacques Ricou, though I suppose you could argue that virtually all the top British and Irish jockeys have commitments here or elsewhere.

Faugheen should win the Christmas Hurdle without too much fuss but I pondered a CSF with Sign Of A Victory or possible Tote place only bet on the latter. His fourth in a warm Ascot handicap hurdle reads extremely well in the light of subsequent events and Nicky Henderson has twice taken him out of similar events where he would have carried 11st 12lb. We have yet to see the best of this horse and he is too big at 25/1 in the Racing Post.

I was struggling for a nap but PURE POTEEN is in good heart, goes well for his amateur rider and has a fair chance in the 1.05 at Wincanton.

Ian