Festive crackers: No turkeys in sight here as racing gears up for holiday bonanza
Trainer Nicky Henderson with Constitution Hill (left) and Shishkin (right) at Seven Barrows.
The Christmas showpiece is always an event to savour, but this year's contest offers a level of intrigue, too. The Paul Nicholls-trained Bravemansgame beat the reopposing Royale Pagaille by 14 lengths in 2022, before going on to chase home Galopin Des Champs in the Cheltenham Gold Cup. This season has not gone to plan so far though, with defeats in both the Charlie Hall and Betfair Chase - in which he was beaten by Venetia Williams' Royale Pagaille - putting a slight question mark over his claims. Shishkin definitely has to answer a question after he refused to race at Ascot on his seasonal bow, leaving the Willie Mullins-trained Allaho seemingly in pole position. An impressive winner at Clonmel on his return from a 561-day injury lay-off, there is no doubting the Irish raider's class, but can he avoid the dreaded 'bounce' factor in Sunbury?
