The Coral Welsh National Handicap Chase will be run over 3 miles 5 furlongs at Chepstow on Saturday the 27th December. The race is worth £100,000 and top weight will be carried by Halcon Genelardais who won the race in 2006 and was runner up to Miko de Beauchene in 2007. They fought out a tremendous finish. This year Halcon Genelardais is better off at the weights with Miko de Beauchene but not with Mon Mome who was runner up to him in 2006. Mon Mome (pictured on the left) had a hard race when winning at Cheltenham recently. If he has recovered from that race then he must have a favourites chance of winning this off his low weight. Also down the bottom of the handicap is Nenuphar Collonges whom Robert Thornton has chosen to ride in preference to Halcon Genelardais. This could be a pointer in itself. However I hope Mon Mome and Halcon Genelardais will be in the first four, preference going to Mon Mome to actually win the race. For all the runners and riders with the jockeys colours click on the sportinglife. For all the runners and riders with the jockey's colours go to Paddy Power and click on "Horse Racing".

If Kauto Star is in top form then he should win the King George VI Chase at Kempton on Boxing Day. The race is worth £220,000 and is run over 3 miles. If Kauto Star wins he will join the elite band who have won the race three times. The main danger might come from Our Vic who beat Kauto Star in the totesport Bowl Chase at Aintree last April. It is when Kauto Star has to be chased along that he seems to make the odd mistake which on some occasions has proved to be costly, especially at Aintree. Voy Por Ustedes will be trying 3 miles for the first time and at 3/1 is not an each way bet. At 8/1 Our Vic (pictured leading Kauto Star) looks to be the each way value. He has a good record when fresh and ran well in this race on his reappearance last season when runner up to Kauto Star. It should be a cracking race. For all the runners and riders with the jockey's colours click on the sporting life. For all the runners and riders with the jockey's colours go to Paddy Power and click on "Horse Racing".

Cheltenham's loss to the racing last Saturday is now Ascot's gain with them being able to stage the Boylesports International Hurdle and add it to an already excellent card. Binocular (pictured) was antepost favourite to win at Cheltenham and with only four other runners tomorrow, including Katchit, he still looks to have a favourites chance of winning this for J.P.McManus. The big betting race of the day is the Ladbroke Handicap Hurdle worth £150,000 run over 2 miles. J.P. McManus has a very strong hand in this with his two runners Aigle D'or and Belcantista. Belcantista has been very well backed in the antepost market this week. Aigle D'or has the services of Tony McCoy and could continue the winning run that Nicky Henderson has had with his Hurdlers. Ashkazar from the the David Pipe yard is another with strong credentials. Nicky Henderson will probably have the favourite for the BGC Longwalk Hurdle worth £100,000 run over 3 miles one furlong in Punchestowns who was mighty impressive on his only run this season. Blazing Bailey would stand a great chance if he runs to his best form. Lough Derg won this race last year benefiting from an ill judged ride by the other jockeys in the race. Elusive Dream looks as though he will be suited by the distance after some good staying performances last season. At the odds he looks the one to take a chance with. For all the runners and riders with the jockey's colours click on the sporting life. For all the runners and riders with the jockey's colours go to Paddy Power and click on "Horse Racing".

The Cheltenham Boylesports Meeting gets underway today (Friday) with the feature race being the Boylepoker.com Chase worth £100,000 run over 3 miles and one furlong. It will be interesting to see how Character Building (pictured) runs. He was well fancied for the Hennessy Cognac Gold Cup but was withdrawn on the morning of the race. Mon Mome ran well last time. There is a terrific card on Saturday with the Boylesports International Hurdle worth £200,000 being a Champion Hurdle trial. Already all roads lead to The Festival in March 2009. Binocular is antepost favourite at the moment for the Champion Hurdle and will have to defeat Katchit the reigning Champion tomorrow to maintain that position. At The Festival last March when Captain Cee Bee beat Binocular they covered the course two seconds faster than Katchit did later that afternoon. Tony McCoy rides Binocular tomorrow and he also comes in for the ride on Finger Onthe Pulse in the Boylesports Gold Cup Handicap Chase worth £150,000 run over 2 miles five furlongs. This will be the big betting race of the day. Finger Onthe Pulse is a course and distance winner along with Imperial Commander and Stan. Imperial Commander is a very short price after his impressive win in the Paddy Power Gold Cup Chase. Both have reliable form with Barbers Shop. Punchestowns will be a warm favourite for the Relkeel Hurdle worth £45,000 run over 2 miles four furlongs. He looks a live contender for the Ladbrokes World Hurdle at The Festival next March. For all the runners and riders with the jockeys colours click on the sporting life. For all the runners and riders with the jockey's colours go to Paddy Power and click on "Horse Racing".

I thought the star of the show on Channel 4's Morning Line last Saturday was little Ellie Gliddon who had helped her Dad pick the "numbers" for the previous weeks Tote Scoop 6. What a lucky man to have been holding one of the eight winning tickets with a chance of a bonus if they could find the winner of the Hennessy. As the Morning Line was going off air it was announced that my main hope Character Building had gone lame so my attentions focused on my saver bet Madison Du Berlais. I thought he was a huge price and took 40/1 about him only to see him go out to 50/1 and even 66/1. We had intended to take up our seats at Ipswich for the game against Sheffield United but my Best Mate had a very painful back so we decided to stay at home and watch the racing coverage by Channel 4. What a good choice. There was certainly more to shout about then there is at Ipswich these days. Madison Du Berlais (pictured with cheek pieces) outstayed Air Force One and those two had pulled well clear of the third horse Snoopy Loopy. Big Bucks looked beaten to me before Sam Thomas came off. Air Force One is certainly one to follow on better ground. The rest of the day belonged to Nicky Henderson and Tony McCoy who had four winners. Nicky Henderson's horses continue to be in tremendous form. Stable jockey Barry Geraghty had gone to Newcastle to ride Punjabi in the Fighting Fifth which was called off and so missed all the excitement at Newbury. Inglis Drever was pulled up with a suspected tendon injury in the Long Distance Hurdle and it looks doubtful if we will see him on the racecouse again. This coming Saturday we will see the reappearance of Master Minded in the Tingle Creek Chase at Sandown. Tony McCoy comes in for the ride. Lets hope they are successful. For all the runners and riders and jockey's colours click on the sporting life. For all the runners and riders with the jockey's colours go to Paddy Power and click on "Horse Racing".