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Kauto Star's performance the highlight of the Festive Period's racing

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Simon Rowlands looks back at the performances of Denman, Kauto Star, Boomshakalaka and Harchibald over a very busy Christmas period in horseracing

While most of the world was tucking into mince pies and endlessly recycled turkey sandwiches, those who work in horseracing were having one of their busiest periods of the year.

The week after Christmas saw numerous Graded races, major handicaps and other significant events taking place. With so much going on, anyone writing a review is forced into a sort of Reduced Shakespeare version of what went on.

Romeo & Juliet? Easy: teenage infatuation, involving a balcony, comes up against familial hostility with predictably tragic consequences.

And you don't have to sit through two hours plus of "wherefore art thous" and sighing as a result.

So, here goes.

Christmas Hurdle: Paul Carberry plays cat aboard Harchibald to Tony McCoy's mouse on Straw Bear. Unfortunately for Carberry - but very fortunately for those who laid Harchibald - his talented but cowardly mount remembers it is the season of giving in the nick of time and presents Straw Bear with the race. The form's good, though, and there is no better place prospect than Harchibald for this year's Champion Hurdle, for which he is on offer at [1.01]. (No, I tell a lie, it's [2.48]
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King George Chase: Somehow Kauto Star manages to beat the second and third from 12 months ago, Exotic Dancer (from a stable out of form and ridden in unsuitable style from the front) and Racing Demon (steering like a wonky supermarket trolley at most of the fences), even more imperiously than 12 months ago. Old Vic plods on into second around the time the winner is being unsaddled, but just soon enough to encourage Denman fans and the officially certified that Kauto Star may still not actually, quite, be unbeatable.

Novice Handicap Chase: Benetwood (my tip) runs like a hairy lemon, while The Hairy Lemon runs not much better behind the well-backed Boomshakalaka. It must be nice to back winners called Boomshakalaka, which sounds like a celebration in itself. It must be nice to back winners of any name.

Welsh National: Andrew Thornton bullies Miko De Beauchene past the gallant Halcon Genelardais on the run-in. The latter, carrying 11-12 (which included a proper jockey), finished well clear of the rest off a mark of 156, which leads the slide-rule brigade to conclude that the horse just might run into a place ( i.e. a distant third) in the Gold Cup. If the race is run in a swamp.

Finale Juvenile Hurdle: Franchoek continues to look eminently beatable, at least off level weights, were it not for the fact that nothing ever quite manages to beat him. Limited but tough, he keeps finding more when it matters in his, so far successful, quest to be this season's Katchit. And we know what happened to that one...

Desert Orchid Chase: Voy Por Ustedes proves that he wasn't at his best behind Twist Magic at Sandown by giving Hoo La Baloo a bigger beating than had Paul Nicholls' two-mile star that day. Except that the proximity of Mister Quasimodo and Pauntley Gofa shows that this form isn't worth a can of beans. I have a hunch that the third was flattered. The Betfair ante-post market for the Champion Chase ( [3.05] Twist Magic, [5.1] Voy Por Ustedes, any price you like Mister Quasimodo and Pauntley Gofa) is impressively unmoved.

Lexus Chase: Denman would probably have had to have won by half the track while dressed in a tutu and doing an impersonation of Elvis for the Kauto Star fans to declare themselves mildly impressed. Instead, he sets a painfully slow pace and quickens - as well as Denman can quicken - to win in workmanlike style by four lengths. The Gold Cup ( [2.46] Kauto Star, [3.15] Denman) should be a different kettle of fish, That's if whoever rides Denman gets him out of a canter before the final half-mile.

Some-Juvenile-Hurdle at Newbury: Celestial Halo, that's who can beat Franchoek in the Triumph Hurdle in March. The St Leger seventh goes in easily in a good time. [7.0] Franchoek, [8.0] Celestial Halo? It's no contest, though I am a little worried about the 3,254 as-yet unraced horses that are being aimed at the race also.

Edward Hanmer Chase: Turpin Green upholds the form of Kauto Star's Gold Cup. Sort of.

I think I might have missed a few things there, but I hope you get the drift. There should be plenty of opportunity for reflection in the weeks ahead.

Happy New Year!