Boxing Day SmartPlays: Thursday December 26

We are treated to one of the most eagerly-anticipated clashes of the season at Kempton on Boxing Day as The New One and My Tent Or Yours meet in the Christmas Hurdle at 14:35. Both horses took high rank among last season's novice hurdlers, the former winning the Neptune in impressive fashion while the latter decimated his rivals in the usually-competitive Betfair Hurdle prior to finishing runner-up in the Supreme, and they have both taken the step up to open company in their stride. The New One displayed a potent turn of foot to comfortably account for 2012 Champion Hurdler Rock on Ruby on their seasonal returns at this venue in October, and it was impressive how he pulled out more when tackled by Zarkandar in the International Hurdle at Cheltenham earlier this month, finishing well on top at the line. He is unsurprisingly at the head of the ante-post market for the Champion Hurdle but that could all change with My Tent Or Yours fancied to gain the upper hand here.

My Tent Or Yours gained a first Grade 1 success in the Fighting Fifth Hurdle on his return last month, justifying odds-on favouritism with ease, but, in truth, it is the form he displayed as a novice that makes him of such interest here. The performance My Tent Or Yours put up in the Betfair Hurdle - from a mark of 149 that had not seemed lenient on the bare form - identified him as a top-class hurdler as he tanked through the contest and drew clear of some useful handicappers on the bridle. My Tent Or Yours couldn't quite overhaul the superbly-ridden Champagne Fever at Cheltenham, but he once again displayed a tremendous cruising speed and his undoubted pace ought to be seen to good effect here; he can advertise his Champion Hurdle claims with victory over The New One.

The King George is the highlight of the festive period for many racing fans and this year's renewal looks like a cracker with plenty of the nine-strong field holding legitimate claims. Cue Card was bitterly disappointing in this contest last year but he had excuses for the effort - notably a change in tactics and an early mistake - and demonstrated that he stays three miles when winning the Betfair Chase with customary forcing tactics reapplied last time. Cue Card's claims are obvious - only the imperious Sprinter Sacre possesses a higher Timeform rating - but he meets an extremely interesting opponent in Al Ferof and it is Paul Nicholls' grey who is taken to win this prestigious prize.

Al Ferof missed much of last season through injury but he demonstrated that all his enthusiasm remains intact with an easy success on his return in the two-runner Amlin Chase at Ascot last month. That comeback win, where he impressed with some prodigious leaps, should have left Al Ferof cherry-ripe for the King George and there is little doubt that he is in the right hands: his trainer has won this prize on seven occasions. Al Ferof has yet to run over three miles but it is anticipated that he will relish the emphasis on stamina; this belief is largely based on his superb win in the Paddy Power Gold Cup where he gave Walkon 16 lb and a three-length beating in stamina-sapping conditions. We have yet to see the best of Al Ferof over fences but that could all change on Boxing Day when the eight-year-old gelding encounters a test that he is expected to pass with flying colours.

The form of Twelve Roses' effort behind More of That at Wetherby indicates that Kim Bailey's charge is still a well-handicapped horse from just a 6 lb higher mark and he can take the concluding race on Kempton's card (15:45). Time has shown that Twelve Roses was attempting a near-impossible feat receiving just 6 lb from the exciting More of That but he produced a career-best performance in pulling 24 lengths clear of the remainder and could have expected sterner treatment from the assessor. Twelve Roses confirmed the impression that he remains well handicapped when he shaped extremely well in a strongly-run race over three miles at Newbury last time. Having travelled as well as any, looking a major threat on the run to the last, Twelve Roses simply didn't get home but he should benefit from the drop back in trip and could take a bit of stopping with A P McCoy set to take the ride for the first time.

Timeform SmartPlays:
All at Kempton

Back My Tent Or Yours in the 14:35
Back Al Ferof in the 15:10
Back Twelve Roses in the 15:45