Tipping / Mark Powell-Bevan / 13 January 2011 /

The King George been rescued from Kempton's Boxing Day card, and so too has the Christmas Hurdle, the field for which looks set to include last season's Champion Hurdler Binocular.

The Christmas Hurdle has been dominated in recent years by the Irish, who have sent over Harchibald (2004 & 2008), Feathard Lady (2005), Jazz Messenger (2006) and Go Native (2009) in the last six years. The Irish monopoly has been broken in that time only by Nick Gifford's Straw Bear in 2007, though even that could be seen as an Irish success, with Straw Bear carrying the colours of legendary owner J. P McManus.

McManus also owns Champion Hurdler Binocular, who currently trades at [5.5] to defend his Cheltenham crown. Nicky Henderson's stable star could manage only third behind Go Native when sent off favourite for the Christmas Hurdle last season, having had a similar preparation as he has this time (on both occasions not at his best in the Fighting Fifth), and is [2.92] to win at Kempton on Saturday.

Binocular didn't look fully wound up before the rearranged Fighting Fifth at Newbury (moved from Newcastle) last time and shaped accordingly, travelling strongly but having no more to give after getting upsides at the last, beaten over 7 lengths in to third behind Peddlers Cross. Seven weeks will have passed between Newbury and Kempton, and whilst Binocular is the best horse in the race on Saturday, he isn't necessarily the best bet at the odds.

Starluck finished second in last season's Christmas Hurdle, beaten just a short head by Go Native, and is [3.6] to go one better on Saturday. Although the feeling at Kempton was that Starluck was flattered by his defeat of Binocular and he duly failed to confirm placings in the Champion at Cheltenham, the uphill finish was against Starluck at the Festival and a Flat track does seem to suit him much better. With that in mind, his price looks fair, having again finished in front of Binocular when second to Peddlers Cross in the Fighting Fifth at Newbury last time.

That pair are likely to be held up, as will Nigel Twiston-Davies' Khyber Kim, who staged a revival last season. Having lost his way for Nicky Henderson, Khyber Kim bounced back in 2009/10 to win the Greatwood and the International at Cheltenham prior to going down by 3½ lengths to Binocular in the Champion there in March. Khyber Kim showed there was no fluke about that form when winning at Aintree the following month, and he's got a good record when fresh, so the fact that he will be making his reappearance is no negative.

Donald McCain's Overturn should get the run of the race in front, but he's still got to prove he's got what it takes at the top table. Admittedly, Overturn has done nothing but progress, winning the Galway Hurdle in the summer on the back of his second in a strong Swinton at Haydock (and a win in the Northumberland Plate back on the Flat), but Grade 1s are very different to handicaps.

In summary, there's no doubt that Binocular is the best horse in the race, but there are enough doubts about him to take him on at the price and the one who fits the bill is Khyber Kim.

Recommendation

Back Khyber Kim @ [4.2] in the Christmas Hurdle at Kempton

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