Happy Christmas!

Well, it's Christmas Day and I hope that Father Christmas (or maybe one of his helpers pictured above) has bought you everything that you wanted.  As for me, I will settle for a few winners for the yard over the festive period...we should have some decent chances with no fewer than fourteen runners tomorrow across five meetings in this country, as well as at Leopardstown over in Ireland.

Well, it's Christmas Day and I hope that Father Christmas (or maybe one of his helpers pictured above) has bought you everything that you wanted.  As for me, I will settle for a few winners for the yard over the festive period...we should have some decent chances with no fewer than fourteen runners tomorrow across five meetings in this country, as well as at Leopardstown over in Ireland.

Our highest profile runner of the day will undoubtedly be Grands Crus in the Grade One Feltham Novices' Chase at Kempton.  This looks to be a mini-rehearsal ahead of the RSA Chase at the Cheltenham Festival in March with high class opposition in the shape of Bobs Worth and Silviniaco Conti.  Plenty has been made of the fact that Grands Crus hasn't won when going right-handed but I think that is nothing more than senastionalism - he has only run right-handed three times, the last being in February 2010 and that was over an inadequate 2m1f over hurdles at Taunton.  When you consider that he finished 2nd (giving 16lbs) to subsequent Cheltenham Festival winner Sanctuaire - it really wasn't a bad performance!  Anyway, I will be looking forward to seeing what should be an exciting race between some cracking novice chasers.

Jockey Christian Williams is on the comeback trail tomorrow at Huntingdon, having his first rides in public since breaking both his arms in a horrendous fall thirteen months ago.  He rides the well-fancied Chepstow winner Big Occasion for us, so hopefully we can mark his return with a winner.

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While we are off enjoying our Christmas lunches (some more so than others if they are riding at a light weight tomorrow!), spare a thought for the jockeys in France.  Business carries on as normal over there, with racing taking place at Pau this afternoon - still I don't suppose there are as many calories in frogs legs!

Merry Christmas and A Happy New Year from everyone at Pond House!