Looking back over our Christmas runners 

We were obviously disappointed with Unowhatimeanharry in the Long Walk Hurdle at Ascot before Christmas. He didn’t run up to the form of his previous run at Newbury and it’s back to the drawing board with him. 

We’ve got no excuses, he just didn’t fire on the day and we were beaten by a fast improving horse in Sam Spinner. 

We are unlikely to run him in the Cleeve Hurdle and the plan is to use the time between now and Cheltenham to get him back to his best for the Stayers’ Hurdle in March. 

If The Cap Fits was very impressive over two miles at Kempton on Boxing Day. I thought he might have wanted further but the way he did it suggests that the trip is perfect for him.

He did it really well within himself and now our attentions turn to his target for Cheltenham.

He will be entered in both the Supreme and the Ballymore and we are currently leaning towards the Supreme, but we won’t make a final decision until much nearer the time.

We will decide in due course whether we get another run into him between now and then, but he’s quite a light-framed horse, so wouldn’t want testing winter ground which might help us make up our minds.

He’s come out of the race really well and he is a really exciting novice to look forward to for the upcoming spring festivals. Of all my horses, he’d be the one to follow in 2018.

Hell’s Kitchen really enjoyed himself being out in front and jumped really well in the novices’ handicap chase at Kempton. He much prefers a left-handed track, so it was a nice performance.

He’s not an easy ride by any means and Barry [Geraghty] did really well to just let him get on with it from the front rather than fighting him which hasn’t worked in the past.

It put the onus on jumping which is his strong point and he’s a horse that has promised a lot, so let’s hope he can build on that.

He did it nicely and we will see what the handicapper does before making any plans moving forward.

New Year’s Day runners at Cheltenham

Onefortheroadtom   runs in the opening novices’ hurdle (12.15pm) and is crying out for a step up in trip.

Dropping back in distance at Worcester last time didn’t suit him at all, but his previous win at Exeter, where he beat the likes of Lalor and Kilbricken Storm, looks solid form.

The heavy ground is an unknown, but if he can reproduce that Exeter run he would have a decent chance.

We run Whataknight   in the handicap hurdle (2.35pm) off top-weight and he will need to improve on what he’s done recently. 

The ground is a bit of a concern, but he takes his chance and Mikey Legg takes off 5lbs which can only help his chances. 

In the final race of the day (3.45pm), we run Ena Baie   and the ground is a bit of an unknown, as it is for all of my other runners. 

She’s won on soft ground in France but it’s difficult to say if that will translate to the ground she’s going to face on Monday. 

We are happy with her work at home and the race will tell us a lot more about her and how we campaign her for the rest of the season. 

Big races over the Christmas period 

Might Bite did what he had to in the King George and he probably had a bit more up his sleeve based on the way he jumped the last. 

People are knocking the form but he was very good on the day and he looks to be the one they all have to beat in the Gold Cup in March with most of his market rivals having questions to answer. 

Sizing John, like many of the other short-priced favourites in Ireland, didn’t fire and it just shows good horses are not machines and they can off days like anyone else. 

Buveur D’Air was very impressive in the Christmas Hurdle. The New One is no mug and he beat him well. 

There are no guarantees in racing, but if he gets to Cheltenham in similar form, he should be very hard to beat.

I’d like to wish you all a very Happy New Year and all the best for 2018.