KEMPTON TUESDAY

2:30 UNIBET CHRISTMAS HURDLE (GRADE 1) 2M

Buveur D’Air holds a big advantage on the ratings and, even if The New One turns up, the race looks at his mercy. The decision to switch the Crillon gelding back to hurdles last spring was inspired, and there can be no knocking the performance which saw him triumph in the Champion Hurdle. He wasn’t extended to score in the Fighting Fifth on his return, and it ought to be a similar story as he continues his preparation to defend of his crown.

3:05 32RED KING GEORGE VI CHASE (GRADE 1) 3M

There is probably no more exciting chaser in training in Britain than Might Bite, although sometimes that excitement comes for the wrong reasons, as when trying to throw away victory in last season’s RSA Chase at Cheltenham. He remains a quirky sort, and that mishap is not quickly forgotten, for all he’s done nothing wrong in winning both races since. It’s easy to conclude that he’s the likeliest winner in the race given the impression he’s created, but rather harder to reconcile that with a very short price, especially considering he took an x-rated fall over course and distance in the Kauto Star Novices’ Chase at this meeting a year ago.

Bristol De Mai represents better value for win punters, his official rating being some 11lb higher than the favourite’s, thoug that may be a flattering comparison. Regardless of the headscratching over his Betfair Chase romp, it should be remembered that his defeat of stablemate Blaklion and Definitly Red in the Charlie Hall at Wetherby has been franked by the runner-up and the third scoring handsome wins at Aintree subsequently. It’s true that Kempton will place different demands on him, but it remains an undeniable fact that this six-year-old is only hitting his straps now as a chaser, and has shown much improved form to win both starts this season in earplugs. It’s often been suggested that he needs the mud, but he has produced some sound efforts on better ground, and the chances of him being massively flattered by his Haydock success have been overplayed by the market, making him look very tempting at around 7/2.

Whisper has come off worst against Might Bite when the pair clashed at Cheltenham and Aintree in the spring, and it is misleading that he is rated higher than his stablemate by the assessor, but he’s still worth bearing in mind, his late consideration for this race no disservice to him. Thistlecrack won the race last year, and is reported to be much sharper for his return over hurdles, but that assessment has come as a rethink by Colin Tizzard, and I was very disappointed by his capitulation at Newbury, which didn’t strike me as being down to fitness alone. Fox Norton is the other Tizzard player, but while the King George has long been mooted as an ideal race for two-milers to stretch out, it rarely pays trainers out for the bold move unless they have a horse who genuinely stays the trip. Fox Norton stayed well enough to win a Melling Chase, but has never struck me as in need of further that two and a half miles.

Of the others, Double Shuffle and Traffic Fluide look overmatched, but Tea For Two is interesting, at least for each-way purposes. The former Kauto Star Novices’ Chase winner took the scalp of Cue Card in a Grade 1 at Aintree in April, and travelled well until his stamina was sapped in the Betfair Chase. He shaped like the second best horse in this race last year and, according to the handicapper, is a 2lb better animal than Might Bite, so he looks to offer each-way value at 20/1 and bigger.

KEMPTON WEDNESDAY

2:30 UNIBET DESERT ORCHID CHASE (GRADE 2) 2M

It would be great to see Special Tiara and Politologue clash in a race which should establish the latter’s claims to an intriguing Champion Chase. It’s clear that Paul Nicholls’ grey is a better horse when tackling this sort of trip, and his jumping was immaculate when beating Fox Norton in the Tingle Creek, for all he was able to dominate. Special Tiara was beaten by that rival in the Shloer Chase at Cheltenham, which appears to give the younger horse a clear edge, although Special Tiara has always been at his best away from testing ground, and he retains the class and determination to expose a paper tiger.

Politologue will need to be the real deal to defeat the ageing champion giving weight away.

3:05 32RED.COM HANDICAP CHASE 3M

Brandon Hill looks a good bet to win this handicap having shown he doesn’t need the mud at Ascot last time, and his second to Walk In The Mill represented a career-best effort. He made a bold bid to make all the running that day, and will find Kempton’s track very much to his liking in that regard. This bold-jumper has no obvious competition for the lead and ought to win.

3:40 32RED DOWNLOAD THE APP HANDICAP HURDLE 2M

Absent since finishing lame when fancied to win a listed race over track and trip last October, former Swinton Hurdle winner Gwafa has been given a chance by the handicapper and, with Paul Webber in winning form in recent days, he’s taken to prove a cut above his rivals in this handicap. Alan King’s Chatez is his most interesting rival, but is best at a mile on the flat, and does need to prove that he has the stamina for the winter game.

CHEPSTOW WEDNESDAY

2:50 CORAL WELSH GRAND NATIONAL HANDICAP CHASE (GRADE 3) 3M 5F 110Y

Milansbar was quite well fancied for this race last year only to disappoint, and he followed suit in his subsequent runs last season before it was discovered he was suffering from setfast (or azoturia, to use the scientific term). That explains his loss of form last winter, but Neil King has gradually brought him back to a peak, and he arrives here without that shadow over him and, more importantly, having dropped to a mark of 134, which gives him a great chance if he can discover the form he showed before his condition struck.

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