Monday 28th
Leopardstown 2.30

Result: -What A Friend wins. Cooldine pulled too hard early on and was never able to muster a finish.
Cooldine Lost -5 Points

Lexus Chase  Notre Pere won the Welsh National last year but does not defend his crown at Chepstow and with last years winner of this event, Exotic Dancer, sadly dying after running at Aintree this may initially look a weakish affair but there is plenty of meat left to pick over when the formbook is consulted.
After playing the bridesmaid to Kauto Star and Master Minded in so many events over the past few seasons this event may well fall the way of Voy Pour Estedes but he has some very stiff opposition to overcome in the form of What A Friend who improved impressively when finishing second to Denman at Newbury in the Hennessy Cognac Gold Cup and with Barbers Shop showing up so well in the King George that form is reading well already. Joncol is a big strapping chaser and showed his wellbeing by winning the John Durkan where he beat the lightly raced In Compliance and some other noteable novices. Cooldine (6/1 Ladbrokes) is the choice mount of Ruby Walsh and given his in-dept knowledge of the two strongest stables either side of the Irish Sea this hint alone should be enough to raise expectations of a big run from the Royal and Sun Alliance Chase winner. A winning margin of 16 lenghts that day was impressive in its own merit but he also had What A Friend well behind to boot.
Stakes: - 5 Points Win Cooldine.

Sunday 27th
Kempton 2.40

Result: -Well Chief finishes 2nd to Petit Robin.
Well Chief Lost -3 Points

Desert Orchid Chase
This race will answer more questons about Crack Away Jack who undoubtally has talent and if able to improve his jumping to a degree where most of his energies are channelled into running then he can be a real force at this much trickier game of Chasing but until he displays that evidence in public we cannot place any faith in him producing an effort of sufficient merit to hold those that appear more battled hardened and unafraid of taking risks in this sphere.
Will Petit Robin improve enough to account for Well Chief (7/2 Paddy Power) with both of them hoping Mahogany Blaze has not improved past them both since all three previously met in the Queen Mother Champion Chase at the Cheltenham Festivel last March?
Petit Robin was due to run in the Peterborough Chase at Huntingdon but was a late withdrawl and this makes me very suspicious about his well-being despite his stable firing on all cylinders over the last couple of weeks. Mahogany Blaze may prove the danger but his run in the Tingle Creek where he was behind Well Chief again was not that of a horse ready to run a career best race next time out. This leaves Well Chief to take-up the winning tread where he left off in the Connaught Chase at Cheltenham in November.

Stakes: - 3 Points Win Well Chief

Saturday 26th
Kempton 3.05

Result: -Kauto Star Wins +2.86 Points

King George VI Chase
Once again there is no denying the best horse in the race is Kauto Star (4/7 Paddy Power et al) His record in this race speaks for itself 3-3 and with 8-9 over this distance, the writing seems to be on the wall.
His odds are very prohibitive and given there could well be better value elsewhere but he is that short for very good reasons and as such has to carry my money. Imperial Commander has improved again from his highs of last season and if able to improve from his close run against Kauto in the Betfair Chase he could win this.
Imperial Commanders tactics will be limited by the immensly talented Kauto Star who has the ability to chase a fast pace and finish strongly or come to the front off a slow pace and use his all out pace to out run his opponents with pure speed. Kauto is by no means unbeatable given his jumping errors of the past but even that department has improved over time and it would be in poor taste to see such a fate befall a great champion. Barbers Shop is also improving and could well prove his run behind Denman was topdrawer and whilst not in the same league as Imperial Commander or Kauto Star at this stage of his career he is certainly in the right hands to make his way to the very top of the Steeple Chasing ladder, in time.
Stakes: - 5 Points win Kauto Star

Friday 18th
Wolverhampton 7.50

Result: - Totally out class Brierty finished last.
Brierty Lost - 4 points

The cold snap has limited my interest in horseracing and football is slowly becoming the main interest over the Christmas period with so many good matches in a short space of time but tonight only two horses stand out and they are Gallantry but of more interest now trying a visor for the first time is Brierty (25/1 Betfair) and with her trainer amongst the winners recently she looks a decent punt.

Wolverhampton 9.20

Result: -Fine Lace Lost -1 Point

Not convinced but having a small wager in the last with Domnic Ffrench Davis Fine Lace (9/1).
Stakes: - 2 points EW Brierty
1 Point win Fine Lace

Wednesday 16th
Kempton 8.20

Result: - Faded tamely
Capricorn Run Lost -2 Points

CAPRICORN RUN (SP) has the best form in my book and is worth a wager in this company.

Kempton 8.50

Result: -Won driven out.
Mustakmil Won +9 Points

Mustakmil (9/2 Paddy Power) Won a maiden race LTO and now steps into handicap company can win with Hayley Turney aboard for Simon Dow.

Kempton 9.20

Result: -Ran well  to finish 2nd.

Nativity Lost -2 Points

Unoriginal but the best ones always are! Nativity (4/1 Blue Square) has to be highly respected and with the time of year has to hit the bulls eye here.

Stakes: - 2 Points Win CAPRICORN RUN
 2 Points Win Mustakmil
2 Points Win Nativity

Sunday 13th
Kempton 3.25

Result: - Dissapointing run but winner different class.
Lethal Lost -5 Points.

On the face of it this looks a weakish race and if you are to take the draw as a definitive factor then Lethal (9/2 Betfair) and Resplendant Alpha are the two with conditions in their favour and with Lethal having the best recent form after winning a Claiming race over C&D he is the one that can show these the way home. Jim Crowley is having a purple patch recently and his good run can continue as he takes the mount on Michael Scudamore trained 6yo again.
Stakes: - 5 Points Win Lethal

Sunday 13th
Cork 1.30

Result: - Never in contention.
Carthalawn Lost -4 Points

Very easy to make a selection in this Grade 2 race at Cork where Charthalawn (9/2 Befair)
boasts form lines of 22211 over the Mallow course.
Stakes: - 2 Points EW Charthalawn

Saturday 12th

Cheltenham 2.25

Result: - Right there until stumbled badly after the last and was lucky not to unship rider.
Chapoturgeon Lost -2 Points

The Boylesports.com Gold Cup
With the Paddy Power Gold Cup winner Tranquil Sea taken out of the race by Edward O'Grady (who incidentally is 6/1 for the Lexus Chase at Leopardstown) leaving the door open for another novice to come and show his wares in the form of Poquelin. The Paul Nicholls trained 6yo was noted staying on strongly up the Cheltenham hill in the Paddy Power Gold Cup behind the aforementioned Tranquil Sea and looked as if he would improve further for that run. Edward O'Grady is still represented by Sky's The Limit sporting a visor again but he looks up against it.
With the Nicholls stable taking all the big prizes on offer over the last couple of Saturdays this big pot again looks within their grasp. Timmy Murphy rides Chapoturgeon (7/1 Betfair) for his boss David Johnson and he is the horse that looks to have most to prove in order to get his reputation back on track. He is held in very high regard at the Nicholls yard and his trainer thinks he may be a "Ryanair Chase contender come the Spring" . He fell in the Paddy Power Gold Cup without showing his hand but has to be a big danger to all if putting in a clear round here. There is another powerful team assembled from the Divid Pipe yard with Our Vic and Tamarinbleu and they have the look, if my ratings can be believed, of a team desperate to win this.

Stakes: - 2 Points win Chapoturgeon

Friday 11th

Wolverhampton 9.20

Results: -Very poor run and faded out tamely.
Coeur De Lionne Lost -1 Point.

Coeur De Lionne (7/1 Betfair)has put two solid runs behind him and although there are others with good form they fail to equal his recent consistency in my opinion.
Stakes: - 1 point win Coeur De Lionne

Thursday 9th
Huntingdon 2.00

Results: -Not up to winning this, even in first-time headgear.

Tidal Bay Lost -2 Points

Racing Demon is the Henrietta Knight representative in the Peterborough Chase and despite his near 600 day absence is expected to put up a spirited challenge for a yard that has farmed this race over the last few years but that could all be in vain if Tidal Bay(11/4 Bet365) runs close to his best form.
Last season proved an anti-climax for Tidal Bay after finishing 2nd behind Masster Minded in the Tingle Creek the selection seemed to lose his best form but that may have proved a very hard race so early in the season and he may not have recovered from it properly.
Stakes: - 2 points win Tidal Bay

Wednesday 9th
Kempton 8.50

Result: - Travelled well at the back of the field came late to nab Sovento.
Kames Park Won +9 Points

Kames Park (SP) is really well handicapped now in comparision to his old form and as usual with his difficult to call trainer he has become very unpredictable. He has nevertheless put two solid looking runs together and with Jim Crowley onboard again he could return to the fog covered winners enclosure this evening.
Stakes: - 2 point win Kames Park

Sunday 6th
Punchestown 2.05

Result: -Joncol wins from In Compliance.
In Compliance Lost -1 Point.

It is old meets new at Punchestown on Sunday in the John Durken Memorial Chase and with In Compliance now showing winning form for Dessie Hughes he may well take all the beating. The former Michael O'Brien trained winner of this race had an abscence to over come at Thurles due to a muscle problem but won well enough there to suggest he is back to a standard that he can hold his own in this field and with such low miles on the clock the 2006 winner of this race could well win it again. There are a couple of top novices in this and they will also take all the beating but I think Barker who comes here after avoiding the Tingle Creek at Sandown yesterday (did Ruby Walsh give good advice to Willie Mullins about Twist Magic?) and Aran Concerto have other targets when both have a run under their belts and its the Paul Nolan trained novice Joncol who boast the type of form that could give In Compliance most to think about.
Stakes: - 1 Point win In Compliance

Saturday 5th
Sandown 2.25

Result: -Wins from the front.

Twist Magic Won +13.75 Points

Twist Magic (11/4 VCbet) can have his own ideas about racing but he still has the best form in this race and if putting his mind on the job he can win this race again as he did in 2007.
Stakes: - 5 Points win Twist Magic

Friday 4th
Wolverhampton 8.50

Result: -Never looked like landing a blow in this race.
Southandwest Lost -2 points.

Once again there are a few in this race with chances and one other with a handicap mark to exploit but again I going for the one that could be the most value and who is also getting support in the market without drawing major attention and although he hasn't won over this distance he could well find this race run to suit his finishing speed.
The Stan Moore trained Southandwest (5/1 various ) is the fellow that catches my eye as the most likly one to save the bookies from Fallon and Williams giving then a bashing.
Stakes: - 2 Points win Southandwest.