The leading lights of northern Wiltshire's two top yards enjoyed contrasting fortunes over the Christmas racing period during a star-studded two day fixture at Kempton Park.
There are many who contend that the 13 race programme is all really a prelude to the King George, yet Boxing Day's card in particular this year had treats in store for almost every class of horse and distance.
Headlines will justifiably have been about the great tussle between L'Homme Presse and Bravemansgame where the Harry Cobden - ridden, Nicholls - trained contender came out on top. The King George is a race that Nicholls has made his own. This was a remarkable 13th winner of this race for Ditcheat since See More Business started the ball rolling in 1997. Experts however are divided over whether the finishing order will be the same at Cheltenham in March, a course configured in the opposite direction and lending itself to stayers. However, that is for another day; this was a mid-season championship in its own right, and does not need to stand comparison to another 12 weeks later.
Back to the rest of the card, which supports in any normal year two other Grade I contests, this year supplemented by the transfer of the deferred Long Walk Hurdle from Ascot the previous weekend. Every time Paisley Park runs, pundits remark that he is surely past his best, and his star must be on the wane, and to date, every time he has confounded them. This was just the latest incarnation of that process.
Against 4 rivals that included Champ and Goshen, Paisley Park illustrated precisely why he is the apple of Emma Lavelle's eye, with a late surge that won him a remarkable 11th victory, his 4th in a Grade I race. Supporting Paisley Park is not without its heartache. He hits a flat spot three out when he looks beaten, then suddenly, an extra breath fills his lungs and brings a devastating burst of speed to cut down rivals. He is the toast of Marlborough I'm quite sure.
The rival camp of Alan King, 2 miles further along the Barbury ridge, has been beset by frustration these past few months, as social media commentators castigated the trainer for not running his stable star Edwardstone, winner of last season's Arkle Chase. The trainer always knows best is an adage parroted by many a happy owner, and was proven correct when at last the heavens opened sufficiently to let Edwardstone take his chance in Sandown's Tingle Creek. That assertive victory made him favourite for Tuesday's Desert Orchid Chase, but alas, Edwardstone had not read the script, and tipped up at the 5th, decanting Tom Cannon on to the soft Kempton deck.
Despite this setback, from which both horse and rider appear unscathed, the Barbury maestro enjoyed a winner at Huntingdon, so Christmas has not been a blank.
Wiltshire's best are in the ascendant; let's enjoy the journey.
The leading lights of northern Wiltshire's two top yards enjoyed contrasting fortunes over the Christmas racing period during a star-studded two day fixture at Kempton Park.
There are many who contend that the 13 race programme is all really a prelude to the King George, yet Boxing Day's card in particular this year had treats in store for almost every class of horse and distance.
Headlines will justifiably have been about the great tussle between L'Homme Presse and Bravemansgame where the Harry Cobden - ridden, Nicholls - trained contender came out on top. The King George is a race that Nicholls has made his own. This was a remarkable 13th winner of this race for Ditcheat since See More Business started the ball rolling in 1997. Experts however are divided over whether the finishing order will be the same at Cheltenham in March, a course configured in the opposite direction and lending itself to stayers. However, that is for another day; this was a mid-season championship in its own right, and does not need to stand comparison to another 12 weeks later.
Back to the rest of the card, which supports in any normal year two other Grade I contests, this year supplemented by the transfer of the deferred Long Walk Hurdle from Ascot the previous weekend. Every time Paisley Park runs, pundits remark that he is surely past his best, and his star must be on the wane, and to date, every time he has confounded them. This was just the latest incarnation of that process.
Against 4 rivals that included Champ and Goshen, Paisley Park illustrated precisely why he is the apple of Emma Lavelle's eye, with a late surge that won him a remarkable 11th victory, his 4th in a Grade I race. Supporting Paisley Park is not without its heartache. He hits a flat spot three out when he looks beaten, then suddenly, an extra breath fills his lungs and brings a devastating burst of speed to cut down rivals. He is the toast of Marlborough I'm quite sure.
The rival camp of Alan King, 2 miles further along the Barbury ridge, has been beset by frustration these past few months, as social media commentators castigated the trainer for not running his stable star Edwardstone, winner of last season's Arkle Chase. The trainer always knows best is an adage parroted by many a happy owner, and was proven correct when at last the heavens opened sufficiently to let Edwardstone take his chance in Sandown's Tingle Creek. That assertive victory made him favourite for Tuesday's Desert Orchid Chase, but alas, Edwardstone had not read the script, and tipped up at the 5th, decanting Tom Cannon on to the soft Kempton deck.
Despite this setback, from which both horse and rider appear unscathed, the Barbury maestro enjoyed a winner at Huntingdon, so Christmas has not been a blank.
Wiltshire's best are in the ascendant; let's enjoy the journey.
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