Alan King’s Smad Place has emerged as a potential lively outsider for the Grade 1 Ladbrokes World Hurdle at the 2012 Cheltenham Festival following his impressive recent win at Ascot and could book his ticket to take on Big Buck’s if able to land the National Spirit Hurdle at Fontwell next month, writes Elliot Slater.

The gelded son of Smadoun returned to the fray at Ascot having not been seen in competitive action since finishing in mid-division in the JCB triumph Hurdle at Cheltenham last March and had his training this term interrupted after throwing a splint. After being given time to recover the grey reappeared in the Grade 2 BetVictor.com Holloway Hurdle and despite being saddled with 11st 9lbs on his first outing for 10 months was noted travelling smoothly throughout the two-and-a-half-mile contest. Quickening smartly to lead approaching the final flight Wayne Hutchinson’s mount soon drew away from a good field and crossed the line seven-lengths clear of Shoreacres (received 6lbs) to stamp himself as a horse to follow. Even those looking at the Betfair Champion chase betting will have been impressed.

King was understandably delighted with his winner’s performance and confirmed that he has always held Smad Place in high regard. Having seen him stay on strongly on his first attempt at the Ascot trip the Barbury Castle-based handler observed that he sees no reason whatsoever why the grey should struggle with the extra-half-mile of the World Hurdle, but acknowledged the main problem will be trying to get within shouting distance of the mighty three-time winner Big Buck’s.

The Grade 2 National Spirit Hurdle, run over two-and-a-half miles with a stiff uphill finish, was won by Baracouda in 2001 before he went on to win the World Hurdle and by King’s My Way De Solzen before he too landed the stayers’ crown. Bookmakers however rate Smad Place at all prices between 25/1 and 66/1 at present and clearly are divided as to the current worth of his credentials.

French-bred Baby Run could be set for his first run in the Grand National this season over the marathon trip of 4m4f.

The 12-year old had a solid campaign last year, winning three races in the space of two months in a busy start to 2011.

Often one of the biggest problems Big Run has had throughout his career is finishing the course. He has unseated his rider twice in the last two years when seemingly going well at the front of the field. Anyone looking to register for a Grand National free bet should remember this.

The highlight of last season was at the Grand National meeting at Aintree where he won the 2m5f Foxhunters’ Chase. The Nigel Twiston-Davies-trained runner led from start to finish and held on by less than a length to Boxer Georg in second place. Nigel’s son William was board and rode him home in front for the third time in his young career.

The 3m5f he ran over at Sandown on his latest start is the furthest trip he has been so far. Baby Run tried to hold on to his lead that day but just got pegged back by Poker De Sivola and Faasel in the closing stages at the Surrey based track.

The Grand National would be unquestionably the biggest test of his career, but unlike so many who line up in the race, he does have valuable experience of jumping over the bigger obstacles.

Twiston-Davies has been fortunate enough to win the race on two occasions. His first success came in 1998 when Earth Summit won the race as 7/1 favourite after a heavy gamble. Then four years later, Bindaree ensured a double in the race for the 54-year old.

Paul Nicholls has never won the John Smith’s Grand National but his The Minack is beginning to enter calculations for this season’s renewal after another impressive winning performance at Ascot on Saturday catapulted him into the mix for the ‘world’s greatest steeplechase’ at Aintree in April, writes Elliot Slater.

Come the day of the big race Nicholls could potentially have a plethora of runners in the four-and-a-half-mile marathon contest, but The Minack appears to tick most of the boxes at this stage as potentially a leading candidate for the champion trainer having handed out a six-length beating to Vino Griego (received 15lbs) in the listed GL Events Owen Brown Silver Cup Handicap Chase at the Berkshire track under a confident ride from Ruby Walsh. People following the Grand National odds should bear this in mind.

Running off a 9lb higher mark than his winning rating at Wincanton in the Badger Ales Handicap Chase last month (where he held off the useful Meanus Dandy by half-a-length), punters made the seven-year-old an 11/4 joint-favourite to follow up and were proved spot on as The Minack took up the running at the second from home and then stayed on strongly to defeat the Gary Moore-trained runner-up with something to spare.

Stamina is definitely a strong suit for the son of King’s Theatre and Nicholls had been seriously thinking about letting him take his chance in the Coral Welsh National at Chepstow on December 27. After much thought the Ditcheat handler has decided against sending his progressive performer to tackle the bog-like conditions at the South Wales track and will instead look to tailor his preparation around a potential crack at the Aintree spectacular in April for which bookmakers now make the up-and-coming gelding a best priced 40/1 shot, although some firms are already erring on the side of caution offering just 25/1 about a Grand National win for The Minack.

After a very quiet first half of the 2011/12 jumps season Venetia Williams’ string has hit form with a vengeance of late, a fact demonstrate by the fine performance of the yard’s Ciceron in winning in brave fashion at Sandown recently placing himself in line for a crack at the valuable Betfair Hurdle at Newbury in February and a possible attempt at the Vincent O’Brien County Hurdle at the Cheltenham Festival a month later, writes Elliot Slater.

The change of fortune for the Williams’ team is demonstrated by the fact that half of her current total of 16 winners this season have come in the fortnight since New Year’s Eve, and Ciceron, who had shown little in his two previous outings this term, showed marked improvement when landing a nationwide gamble and being backed down to odds of 6/1 from (16′s in the morning) to win the 32Red Handicap Hurdle at Sandown in brave fashion by a length and a-quarter from the front-running Havingotascoobydo. Those with free Cheltenham bets will be keeping a close eye on things.

A useful handicap hurdler when on song, the former French Flat racer had fallen 8lbs in the weights since back-to-back wins last winter on his favoured testing ground, and with conditions coming just right for him at the Esher track he took advantage of the drop in his handicap mark to win in the manner of a horse who has plenty more to offer. Immediately installed amongst the market leaders for the ultra-competitive Betfair Trophy at Newbury on February 11, (the race formerly known as the Totesport Hurdle), Ciceron is currently a best priced 14/1 joint third-favourite. People looking for Betfair Cheltenham horse tips will be keeping an eye on him.

Connections are also rumoured to be mulling a crack at the County Hurdle at Cheltenham some five weeks later with the gelded son of Pivotal, and should the ground be on the soft side his current odds of 16/1 could well tempt punters to have a wager.

The Alan King-trained Kumbeshwar ended 2010 on the up and up after a hattrick of success at Southwell on the Fibresand over a mile-and-a-half for his former trainer David Evans, and having signed off in 2011 with a promising effort in Grade 2 company in an Ascot novice chase he began 2012 with a flourish in coasting to victory at Plumpton and looks one to follow, writes Elliot Slater.

Placed over hurdles last term in Grade 3, 2 and 1 company including finishing runner-up in the Fred Winter Juvenile Hurdle at the Cheltenham Festival last march and occupying a similar position behind Zarkandar at Aintree and Grandouet at Punchestown (both of who are serious Champion Hurdle contenders this season), the gelded son of Doyen has taken particularly well to fences having made a winning start to his new career when hacking up over two-miles at Hereford in November on his first start over the larger obstacles. Anyone following the latest Cheltenham betting odds will have been impressed.

Immediately stepped up to Grade 2 company by King, Kumbeshwar ran a very pleasing race to finish runner-up to the useful Zaynar at Ascot in mid-December then began the new year with an effortless victory at Plumpton when accounting for Criqtonic by a hard held 16-lengths, very much giving the impression there is plenty more to come at a higher level. Those looking ahead to Betfair Cheltenham races should bear this in mind.

Plumpton racecourse offer a £60,000 bonus to the connections of any horse who can win at the Sussex track and then go on to score at the Cheltenham Festival, and with that in mind King is seriously looking to prepare his charge for a bid for either the Grand Annual Chase, (for which he is currently on offer at odds of around 14/1), or for the Byrne Group Festival Plate, where he is also quoted at odds of 14/1. Unlikely to be wrapped in cotton wool prior to the big meeting King suggests that Kumbeshwar thrives on his racing and could have at least two more runs before the big day.

Synchronised, a clear favourite with all firms to repeat his win in the marathon Coral Welsh Grand National of 12 months ago in this term’s renewal at Chepstow on December 27, is by no means a certain runner with trainer Jonjo O’Neill keeping his eye on the state of the ground before definitely committing his charge to a defence of his title, writes Elliot Slater.

At his very best when the mud is flying, Synchronised carried some 11st 6lbs to victory in last season’s renewal, defeating the useful Giles Cross (received 18lbs) by two-and-three-quarter lengths under a tremendous ride from 16-times champion jockey Tony McCoy. Although he has been asked to carry the same weight again for this season’s big race, the JP McManus-owned gelding is running off a 5lbs higher mark but has already demonstrated his wellbeing with a fine run over hurdles at Haydock last month where he stayed on well in the closing stages to finished third to the very useful Dynaste in the Grade 3 Fixed Brush Handicap Hurdle over an inadequate three-miles. Anyone following the ante-post horse racing odds should remember this.

O’Neill leaves no ambiguity when clearly stating that if the ground is not right for the eight-year-old then he could very well be re-routed to Ireland to tackle the Grade 1 Lexus Chase at Leopardstown’s Christmas fixture, a meeting that invariably provides soft or even heavy underfoot conditions. Although the Lexus Chase is against higher quality horses than the Chepstow contest, there is no doubt that when conditions suit Synchronised is a very capable performer and he would not be out of place in the line-up for a race that is likely to include such as Quito de La Roque, Rubi Light and Joncol in what could develop into a very good contest.

Shakalakaboomboom was very much on song on his seasonal reappearance at Cheltenham on Friday when putting up an impressive performance to land the Grade 3 Majordomo Hospitality Handicap Chase, in the process advertising his claims for serious consideration as a genuine contender for the John Smith’s Grand National at Aintree on April 14, writes Elliot Slater.

On a day when trainer Nicky Henderson enjoyed winners up and down the country the victory of the highly progressive seven-year-old was the undoubted highlight, jockey Barry Geraghty always appearing to be sitting pretty on the talented stayer who saw off the challenge of favourite Mon Parrain at the second from home before running on too strongly for the fast-finishing Knockara Beau. Those with an online Grand National free bet will have been impressed.

Winning on his seasonal return for the first time on his career, Shakalakaboomboom clearly delighted Henderson with the way he jumped he saw out the three-and-a-quarter-mile trip and all thoughts now turn towards Aintree with Henderson pointing out that he had wanted to give the horse another spin over the awesome fences in the Becher Chase the previous week but the ground was too soft for his charge who much prefers a decent surface.

The gelded son of Anshan ended last term as very much a horse to follow in outpointing twenty-three rivals to win a well contested handicap chase at the Punchestown Festival in May, running on bravely to beat Beautiful Sound by a neck. Henderson suggested that after his reappearance win he may now have just one more run before Aintree and that could be over hurdles, a spin that would keep the horse fresh for tackling the marathon Liverpool contest.

Bookmakers were impressed with Shakalakaboomboom’s win and most cut him from 33/1 to 20/1 in light of his pleasing Cheltenham success.

The Nicky Henderson bandwagon rolled on in some style at Cheltenham on Saturday with the Seven Barrows handler sending out a treble on the prestigious card highlighted by the last gasp success of Quantatitiveasing who came from a mile back to snatch victory close home in the Grade 3 Spinal Research the Atlantic 4 Gold Cup Handicap Chase, writes Elliot Slater.

The JP McManus-owned gelding looked to have it all to do when outpaced a mile from home and then when hampered at the third last, but under an inspired ride from Barry Geraghty he really picked up going to the second last and came storming up the famous Prestbury hill together with Alan King’s Medermit as the pair went off in pursuit of Roudoude Ville, who jumped the last four-lengths clear but whose legs suddenly began to turn to jelly. Those looking for Cheltenham tips would have been impressed.

Getting every last ounce out of his willing partner, Geraghty drove Quantitativeeasing into the lead in the last 50 yards and then held on bravely from Medermit by three-quarters-of a length to land a much deserved big race success having been second to Great Endeavour in the Paddy Power Gold Cup last month over course an distance and also runner-up to Divers at the Cheltenham Festival in March.

A triumphant Henderson observed that his big win was no more than the horse deserved and that judging by the way he finished, the six-year-old is definitely improving with every outing. He suggested that he might come back to Cheltenham for another handicap at the January meeting before heading to the main event in March. Bookmakers were suitably impressed by the effort and now make Saturday’s showcase race winner a clear 8/1 ante-post favourite for the Festival Plate, whilst he is also 12/1 co- favourite for the Festival Handicap Chase.

Far be it for me to suggest that the betting industry might have been too quick to offer bigger odds than are realistic about Wishfull Thinking winning the King George VI Chase after his unplaced effort at Cheltenham on Saturday, but I do think there were many positive aspects to the performance of Philip Hobbs’ classy performer in the Paddy Power Gold Cup at Cheltenham’s Open meeting, writes Elliot Slater.

The knee-jerk reaction of pushing out the very progressive eight-year-old to 16/1 from 12/1 in the 2011 King George Chase betting after he finished sixth to Great Endeavour in the big race this weekend, fails to take into consideration that he set a tremendous gallop at the head of affairs under a big weight, generally jumped very well, and was still bang there until clearly blowing up after the third last on his seasonal reappearance.

Giving between 17lbs and 20lbs in weight to the five horses who finished in front of him is not to be sniffed at, and the post-race comment from Hobbs that the horse was “thick in his wind after the race” very strongly suggests that Wishfull Thinking (a horse who has had two breathing operations in the past), really did need the outing and will come on significantly for the run.

In my opinion there were far more positives than negatives to take out of the performance of Richard Johnson’s mount and I could easily see him giving a very good account of himself at Kempton on the decent ground he loves, being ridden with plenty of confidence close to the pace. Although he has never won at as far as three-miles, I suspect that owner Diana Whateley’s fine sort will stay and may easily be the one to give hot even money favourite Long Run most to do in the feature Boxing Day event.

Eddie O’Grady’s upwardly mobile two-mile hurdler The Real Article took another positive step on the road to a potential bid for the Stan James Champion Hurdle at the Cheltenham Festival in March when proving just too good for useful rivals Kalann and Oscars Well in the Grade 2 WKD Hurdle at Down Royal on November 4, writes Elliot Slater.

Never very far away from the pace under Barry Geraghty, the six-year-old was brought with a perfectly timed run between horses at the final flight and jumped his way into the lead before staying on willingly to beat Kalann by a length-and-a-quarter, with the solid yardstick Oscars Well a further two-and-a-half lengths away in third. People with a Cheltenham free bet will have been keeping an eye on the race.

O’Grady has always held the gelded son of Definite Article in high regard and has brought him along steadily over the last couple of seasons, winning a series of minor events before pushing the very smart Captain Cee Bee to a short-head when only just failing to spring a surprise in the Grade 3 event at Tipperary in July. Fourth of the 20-runner field when a beaten favourite for the Guinness Galway Hurdle in August, O’Grady’s charge has now landed his three subsequent outings and it seems just a matter of time before he steps up into higher grade to see just how far he has progressed this term.

Already touted in some quarters as a potentially serious candidate for the Champion Hurdle in the spring, The Real Article can be backed at up to 25/1 to spring a surprise at Cheltenham next year but has plenty of work to do in the meantime to be mentioned in the same breath as defending champion and current red-hot 7/4 ante-post favourite Hurricane Fly, who may well make his seasonal return at Punchestown on November 20 in the Grade 1 Ladbrokes.com Morgiana Hurdle.