Kempton’s two-day Christmas Festival meeting, including the King George VI Chase on Boxing Day, has been forced to retreat behind closed doors following the announcement by Matt Hancock, the health secretary, that Surrey will move to the highest tier of coronavirus restrictions from Saturday.
The track had been hoping to welcome up to 2,000 spectators for the always hugely popular King George, around 20% of the normal attendance for the highlight of the Christmas racing programme, despite being obliged to tell fans from Greater London to stay away from the meeting after the capital also moved to tier 3 earlier this week.
“We know that racing fans will be disappointed to be missing out on some thrilling live action over the Christmas period,” a spokesperson for Jockey Club Racecourses, Kempton’s owner, said on Thursday, “especially having only just been allowed to return to our venues in very limited numbers.
“However, we recognise that we must all play our part in tackling this pandemic and look forward to welcoming racegoers back to our courses as soon as we’re able to do so.”
The Challow Hurdle at Newbury on 29 December and the Tolworth Hurdle at Sandown on 2 January will also now take place behind closed doors. Both tracks would have hoped to accommodate 2,000 racegoers but will now begin the process of refunding all racegoers who had already bought tickets.
Ascot, meanwhile, has decided that spectators will not be admitted for the first day of its December meeting on Friday, despite the local tier 3 restrictions for Berkshire not coming into force until the following day.
“Ascot has consulted with Public Health England and its Safety Advisory Group,” the track said in a statement, “and the advice received is that it should not be open to the public tomorrow [Friday].
“Cases in the south of England have risen over 40% in the last week and the Royal Borough of Windsor and Maidenhead is now in a very high-risk area. Ascot is sorry that it has to deliver this news to people looking forward to coming racing this weekend.”
Friday’s best bets, by Greg Wood
ITV Racing’s occasional forays into the best of the Irish racing programme continue on Friday with the Grade Two novice hurdle at Navan, and an opportunity for many British fans to get their first look at Holymacapony (1.35).
Henry de Bromhead’s gelding made a hugely impressive start under rules in a maiden hurdle at Punchestown last month, beating a well-touted prospect from the Willie Mullins yard by eight lengths in an exceptional time for a debutant.
He shot straight to the top of the betting for the Albert Bartlett Novice Hurdle at Cheltenham as a result, and while there are several promising sorts lined up against him, both the style and the time of his latest win make him an attractive proposition today at around 7-4.
Ascot 1.20 Everglow is still looking for a first win over timber after two attempts, but Philip Hobbs thought enough of the five-year-old to set out at Grade Two level in the Persian War at Chepstow in October, and he progressed to finish second in a strong maiden hurdle next time. This is an ideal opportunity to get off the mark.
Ascot 1.55 On the face of it, Flegmatik took a step backwards at Sandown last time following a winning debut over fences, beating just two of his six rivals home. He had no luck in running though, and a return to his earlier form would put him right in the mix at around 5-1.
Ascot 2.30 A strong renewal of the Grade Two Kennel Gate, with even the 16-1 outsider, Press Your Luck, hard to rule out as he is 2-2 over hurdles so far. Llandinabo Lad brings the strongest form however, and is also the best on the clock, so 3-1 looks a fair price.
Southwell
11.55 Liamba
12.25 Affair
12.55 Stone Soldier
1.30 Birkenhead
2.05 Shine Baby Shine
2.40 The Retriever
3.15 Fly True
3.45 Kentucky Kingdom
Uttoxeter
12.07 Wouldubewell
12.37 Glencoum Lass
1.10 Tupelo Mississippi
1.45 Kilbrew Boy
2.20 Saint Dalina
2.55 Shanty Alley
3.27 Fanfaron Dino
Ascot
12.45 Castle Robin
1.20 Everglow
1.55 Flegmatik
2.30 Llandinabo Lad (nap)
3.05 Pic D’Orhy (nb)
3.35 Wonderwall
Wolverhampton
4.10 Arcavallo
4.45 Trouser The Cash
5.15 Beauty Stone
5.45 To The Bar
6.15 Hafez
6.45 Lampang
7.15 Alphonse Karr
7.45 Autumn War
8.15 Lady Of Authority
Ascot 3.05 Another Grade Two, this time over fences, which has more depth than the small field might suggest. Fiddlerontheroof has long threatened to go right to the top as a chaser but the in-and-out form of the Colin Tizzard stable is a concern. Nicky Henderson sends Allart to make his chasing debut in Graded company, which could well be significant, but Pic D’Orhy was just as good over hurdles and can make the most of his previous experience over fences.
