Cheltenham Festival 2025: King George Clues On Offer?

The busy Christmas period is just around the corner but horse racing fans were treated to a feast of action over the past seven days. Here, I look back at some of the biggest and best performances of the week...

I liked how KARAFON won at Clonmel on Tuesday. His stablemate was all the rage in the betting before the race but he made light work of her, putting the race to bed with the minimum of fuss. He has an entry in the Grade 1 2m Future Champions Novices’ Hurdle at Leopardstown over Christmas but that may come too soon.

A day later, we saw a brilliant display of jumping from WHITE RHINO at Haydock and he looks tailor-made for the National Hunt Chase to me. He’s always had a lofty reputation and he has definitely improved for a fence. He is very much on my mind for a Cheltenham Festival handicap over three miles or further.

ROYAL INFANTRY probably won’t be up to winning a Supreme Novices’ Hurdle but you’d have to be taken with the manner of his success at Haydock. More likely to be a County Hurdle type than a Grade 1 animal, it’ll be interesting to see if Dan Skelton aims him at a Grade 1 – the Tolworth Novices’ Hurdle on Boxing Day could be next up.

I’d say Jonjo & AJ O’Neill have a fair horse in BILL JOYCE and he toyed with his rivals in the Grade 2 Winter Novices’ Hurdle at Sandown on Friday. He was well backed for the Champion Bumper in March but flopped on the day, however he’s shown enough over hurdles to suggest that he is a very talented prospect.

Ben Pauling has a nice one in HANDSTANDS and he also claimed Grade 2 success at Sandown, bolting up to claim victory in the Esher Novices’ Chase. He looks an exciting novice chaser and he can take high rank in the division, with the trainer likely to keep him and The Jukebox Man apart for much of the campaign.

JASMIN DE VAUX made his hurdles debut at Navan on Saturday. Hmmmmmm. What to make of that performance? He jumped pretty poorly on the whole, though connections suggested that he’ll come on for the run and his jumping will improve with practice. I’d be shocked if Willie Mullins didn’t have better in the Closutton ranks. 

THE YELLOW CLAY did what he had to do in the Grade 2 Navan Novices’ Hurdle. Gordon Elliott mentioned the ride given to the runner up and maybe we’ll look back at this as a decent piece of form. The Grade 1 Lawlor’s of Naas is reportedly next on the agenda and I’d imagine the Albert Bartlett Novices’ Hurdle will be his spring target.

We saw a brilliant display from ILE ATLANTIQUE in what looked like a strong Beginners Chase. He has always been regarded as a top prospect and maybe fences will bring out the best in him. He pulled clear of two nice types in Waterford Whispers and Good Land and he looks destined to compete at Grade 1 level this term.

HE CAN’T DANCE won the bumper at Navan on Saturday but it looked hard work for him and I’d say we didn’t see the Champion Bumper winner this weekend. He’s a prospect for the future of course but a fence and a trip are likely to be more up his street than an aggressive bumper campaign.

I thought L’EAU DU SUD won a poor enough renewal of the Grade 1 Henry VIII Novices’ Chase despite two Irish raiders in the race. Dan Skelton’s mount was well on top at the finish but he didn’t jump with as much fluency as he did at Cheltenham the last day. I’d be surprised if the Irish don’t have at least one better in the Arkle in March.

Nicky Henderson could have another Champion Chase winner on his hands in JONBON but he’ll need to prove he acts just as well at Cheltenham as he does at Sandown. It was a dominant performance in the Tingle Creek, putting his rivals to the sword and he is a worthy market leader for the Queen Mother in March.

ENERGUMENE made a winning return after 593 days off the track, beating a handful of Closutton inmates as well as Banbridge, who fell at the last when mounting what looked like a serious challenge. More on him later but it was great to see Tony Bloom’s two-time Champion Chase winner back and he’s a live challenger to Jonbon.

A couple of places back, Dinoblue ran a nice trial for the Mares Chase and I’d say that is the route they’ll go down with her. We know she stays the 2m5f trip now after last year’s race and the road to redemption at Cheltenham is very much on. She’s a consistent type and she’s battle hardened – which is what you need to win at Cheltenham.

Speaking of the Mares Chase, ONLY BY NIGHT was fantastic when winning the Grade 2 at Cork and she could be one for the Festival as well. The one concern for me is that the trainer has both Limerick Lace and Brides Hill for that race and I’m not sure if he’d throw three darts at the race but she’s worth following wherever she goes.

Is DJELO a Ryanair Chase contender? You’d have to say he is worth his place in the race anyway after breezing past Protektorat and Ginny’s Destiny to claim the Grade 2 Peterborough Chase at Huntingdon. Venetia Williams is an excellent trainer and she has a real nice one on her hands here.