A Saturday gift-wrapped with greatness as Kemboy returns to a screen near you

Kemboy is jump racing's Conor McGregor; never too far from controversy, never shy of a good story, never out of the public eye but always on his game when he enters the octagon. The strapping seven-year-old has won six of his last seven fights and is rarely left bloodied and beaten.

The paparazzi have been preying on Kemboy for months now, dying to get a snap of the elusive Cheltenham Gold Cup favourite, and on Saturday we will finally get another glimpse of the superstar staying chaser who is rated 177.

Kemboy and controversy go together like turkey and ham, it is very rare you can have one without the other.

From missing the boat to the Ladbrokes Trophy at Newbury to David Mullins' audacious mid-race move passing the stands in this very event last year.

From falling at the first in the Gold Cup to the awesome Aintree display. From being Ruby Walsh’s final foray at Punchestown in May to being banned from running because of an ownership fiasco.

Kemboy is the story that keeps on giving and you can guarantee there will be another tale to tell in a sizzling Savills Chase at Leopardstown.

Clan Des Obeaux defended his King George crown on Thursday and should Kemboy do likewise in the Saturday showpiece, then it will see his price shorten further for Gold Cup glory in March. If he wins this, he is the bee's knees.

This is some Savills Chase. Presenting Percy, the runaway RSA winner in 2018, is in there. Clan Des Obeaux’s Down Royal conqueror Road To Respect is there too and it’s worth remembering he won this in 2017 and was favourite last year when enduring rotten luck in running.

Don't forget Delta Work. He disappointed at Down Royal, but he already has three Grade 1 wins on his CV over fences. Bellshill is no back number, Balko Des Flos is a Ryanair winner and Anibale Fly has been placed in the last two Gold Cups. Jett and Monalee may have plenty to find but they are very good horses in their own right.

Seldom has a staying chase away from Cheltenham contained such a classy field.

The staying hurdle on the card is not bad either. There is no Benie Des Dieux in the Frank Ward Memorial Hurdle, but Apple's Jade, Penhill, Bacardys and the evergreen Unowhatimeanharry are all in there, and we have 19 Grade 1 wins between that lot.

There will be Cheltenham clues in the Challow too. Newbury's Christmas gift has been very generous this year. Thyme Hill will be unwrapped. The unbeaten hurdler is already favourite for the Albert Bartlett and would be a leading fancy for the Ballymore should he go down that route.

This is a Saturday gift-wrapped with greatness. A Christmas cracker with something for everyone. It will take something special to keep Kemboy away from the back pages, but who knows what is going to happen when jump racing's Conor McGregor enters the octagon. Take your seats folks, this could be a blockbuster.

Challow-Cheltenham double not easily done

The Betway Challow Hurdle is supposed to be a stepping stone to greatness, and last year's winner Champ is certainly on that road, but you have to rewind all the way back to 2006 to find the last horse to do the Challow-Cheltenham double.

The novice in question was Witchita Lineman under a tenacious Tony McCoy. Twelve months beforehand Denman did the business, but he could not handle Nicanor at the festival a few months later.

Thyme Hill: could he land the Challow-Cheltenham double?Credit: Alan Crowhurst

Perhaps, Thyme Hill could be the one to buck the recent trend. He was not beaten far by Envoi Allen in the Weatherbys Champion Bumper and looked an old pro when winning Grade 2s at Chepstow and Cheltenham. He deserves the chance to strut his stuff in a Grade 1 and deserves to be favourite too.

Apple's Jade has home advantage – write her off at your peril

Before you begin writing off Apple's Jade, remember this: she is unbeaten at Leopardstown and the combined winning distance of her last two visits to the track is an eyewatering 42 lengths.

The most recent of her four Leopardstown wins was in the Irish Champion Hurdle when she slammed Supasundae by 16 lengths. She won this race last year by 26 lengths after Faugheen fell at the second-last and won it in 2017 as well.

Apple's Jade: loves Leopardstown where she is four from fourCredit: Patrick McCann (racingpost.com/photos)

Her love affair with Leopardstown began at this festival in 2016 when she won the Graded juvenile hurdle and it is safe to say she saves her best for the track.

This is Apple's Jade's home patch and she will not surrender easily.

Armchair Guide

1.50 Newbury
Betway Heed Your Hunch Handicap Hurdle (Class 2) 2m4½f

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