IS IT TIME TO MAKE THE BREAKAWAY?

Pau. Jacobs reveals the horse to look out for during the December meetings

- Pau. Jacobs

The final month of the year, from a punting point of view, is in my book all about two big betting races; the Ladbrokes King George VI Chase on Boxing Day and the Coral Welsh Grand National Handicap Chase at day later at Chepstow.

Having landed the Kempton Park spectacular on an amazing 13 occasions, Paul Nicholls could be set to land an unprecedented 14th success with the classy Bravemansgame, who only gave best close home when his fitness became an issue in the Charlie Hall Chase at Wetherby.

As per usual his jumping was fluent and efficient that day at the A1 track and he moved up menacingly between the second last and last fences before blowing up approaching the final fence. His current best price of 2/1 probably reflects his real chance and he should now be at the peak of his powers, aged eight, going on nine. Regular readers will know that I normally try and oppose a favourite with a double-digit, each-way alternative, but I am finding it hard to unearth a viable alternative. In fact, this year’s renewal doesn’t appear to have an awful lot of strength in depth to it.

Shishkin looks the logical danger when you consider that it has taken Nicky Henderson a while to find his optimum set-up and this could be it. Of course, the Betfair Chase (November 25) will tell us more, but I won’t have that piece of evidence at my behest before my copy goes to print.