The December 26th clash between stable companions Cue Card and Thistlecrack in the King George VI Chase at Kempton is set to be the highlight of the busy Christmas racing schedule.
Bookmakers cannot split the pair at the head of the market and, with just five days to go, both jockeys Paddy Brennan and Tom Scudamore are talking up their chances.
Brennan has ridden Cue Card in his last eight starts and the star duo will be bidding to repeat last year's victory in the Christmas showpiece. Cue Card showed his well-being with an impressive victory in the Betfair Chase at Haydock last month, a race he has now won three times.
"I went down to Colin Tizzard's this morning and sat on him for the first time since winning the Betfair Chase last month - and he felt great," Brennan told his 32red.com blog. "In fact, he felt as good, if not better, than ever. I schooled him over fences, he jumped great, and I couldn't be happier with him."
Thistlecrack is only a novice and made his chasing debut at Chepstow in October.
But Scudamore feels the time is right for last season's champion staying hurdler to take on the cream of chasing talent. The jockey believes the horse's experience at Grade 1 level over hurdles last season will stand him in good stead.
"It's time to take on the big guns," Scudamore told At The Races. "We had a couple of chats. John and Heather (Snook, owners) were always going to make the final decision and they asked me about Thistlecrack and how I felt about his progress and they did the same with Colin Tizzard. They asked me how he was getting on and whether he had enough experience to go for the King George.
"He was always going to Kempton and John felt if he was going to run over this course and distance for the Feltham he may as well go for the King George instead over the same distance in a small field.
"He's different from other novices in that you get those wonderful novices who go and win an Albert Bartlett or a Neptune Novice Hurdle and have never stepped out of novice class and have to find their way over fences in novice races in their first season.
"He's won in Grade 1 company. The galloping part has never been the issue. It's just his technique, the same as any other horse going from hurdles to fences. It's a different discipline and not all can take to it. He's taken to it very well and there's no reason why he shouldn't do."
A maximum of five others will take on the Tizzard-trained pair. They are Josses Hill, Tea For Two, Silviniaco Conti, Road To Riches and Roi Des Francs.
CHRISTMAS HURDLE
Willie Mullins must rely on crack mare Vroum Vroum Mag if he is to win the 32Red Christmas Hurdle for a third year in a row on the same Kempton card.
Mullins and owner Rich Ricci have dominated the Grade 1 contest in recent seasons with Faugheen, but he has not been seen since winning the Irish Champion Hurdle in January, after which he suffered an injury and missed the defence of his Champion Hurdle crown at Cheltenham in March.
A bruised foot meant his planned return in the Morgiana Hurdle at Punchestown last month had to be shelved, although he does hold an engagement in the Ryanair Hurdle at Leopardstown next week.
Vroum Vroum Mag - who lost her unbeaten record for Mullins in the Hatton's Grace Hurdle at Fairyhouse last time out - also has options at Leopardstown over the Christmas period.
A decision on where she goes is likely after she has worked on Thursday morning, according to rider Ruby Walsh.
"She'll have to work again tomorrow. I think declarations are Friday," said Walsh. She seems well. She came out of her race nicely when Apple's Jade beat her, but there's obviously Yanworth and The New One. It's going to be a small field, but she looks to be in good order.
"I suppose when a horse gets beaten it takes the shine off them a little, but we still think she's a very good mare and she'll give a good account of herself getting 7lb from the geldings."
Although Faugheen did not figure among the possibles for Kempton, Walsh believes the 2015 Champion Hurdle hero will be back in action shortly. He told Racing UK: "Willie didn't enter Faugheen. I don't think he thought Faugheen was ready to go to England just yet.
"Faugheen is fine, not a bother on him. He's in at Leopardstown on the 29th. I don't know if he's going to run there or not, but it won't be too long before you see him. I rode him on Tuesday. He was fresh and well and looks a million dollars. I wouldn't be too worried about him."
Yanworth heads a small but select list of six entries for the Kempton showpiece.
Alan King's exciting six-year-old, second in last season's Neptune Novices' Hurdle at Cheltenham, is going down the two-mile route after making a winning reappearance over two and a half miles at Ascot last month.
King said: "He's very well, we want to find out if he is a Champion Hurdle prospect and Kempton will certainly tell us that. It looks like it will be a small field, but I'd imagine it will be a proper test."
Yanworth's owner J.P. McManus is also represented by My Tent Or Yours, who took this prize in 2013.
The Nicky Henderson-trained 10-year-old was runner-up to The New One in the International Hurdle at Cheltenham on his latest start.
The New One, whose novice-chasing career has been put on hold by Nigel Twiston-Davies, will bid to make it third time lucky in this race having taken second prize in 2013 and 2015.
Richard Johnson rode for the first time in what was an all-the-way win at Cheltenham, but Twiston-Davies expects to have son, Sam, back in the saddle.
He said: "We are very excited about running him as he must have a big shout. Very much so we will be riding him from the front again. Sam (Twiston-Davies) will ride him this time, I'm sure. It was lovely to see him back at his best last time, although really he has never been away from his best."
Dan Skelton's Ch'Tibello, who had My Tent Or Yours back in second place when successful at Haydock, is also in the line-up. The Richard Harper-trained Gray Wolf River completes the sextet.
GET ALL THE ST STEPHEN'S DAY RACING, 2016 REVIEWS AND FESTIVE QUIZZES IN THE CHRISTMAS EDITION OF THE IRISH FIELD