Talking points: three things to watch out for on Boxing Day

Can Epatante or Fusil Raffles establish themselves as Champion Hurdle contenders?

Binocular, Buveur d’Air and Faugheen all won the Christmas Hurdle prior to triumphing in the Champion Hurdle later that season, and it is hoped this year's Kempton Grade 1 will shed some light on a murky two-mile division.

Nicky Henderson has a terrific record in the Christmas Hurdle, winning six of the last nine renewals, and he has an extremely strong hand this year with Fusil Raffles, Epatante and Verdana Blue.

Fusil Raffles, who heads the Christmas Hurdle market, hasn't looked back since joining Henderson’s yard from Guillaume Macaire last year. He showed much improved form on his stable debut to land the Adonis Juvenile Hurdle over this course and distance in February, but was then forced to miss Cheltenham and Aintree through injury. However, he proved himself to be a leading four-year-old with victory in a Grade 1 at Punchestown in May, and then took a successful step out of juvenile company when winning the Elite Hurdle on his return in October. He had to work hard to score at Wincanton but Henderson stressed that Fusil Raffles hadn't been back in training long, and he is open to plenty of improvement as he bids to extend his unbeaten record for this yard to four.

🏆 G2 Adonis Hurdle
🏆 G1 Punchestown 4-Y-O Hurdle
🏆 G2 Unibet Elite Hurdle

He gets the better of Grand Sancy in the £60,000 G2 event under @Dazjacob10 to make a winning seasonal return @wincantonraces pic.twitter.com/bfgPqwvcEB

— Racing TV (@RacingTV) November 9, 2019

Epatante - also a recruit from France - was an easy winner on her first two starts for Henderson and, such was her reputation, she was sent off a short-priced favourite for the Mares' Novices' Hurdle at the Cheltenham Festival. She couldn't justify the market strength, finishing ninth, but she was found wanting for know-how rather than ability, and got herself firmly back on track when a smooth winner of the Gerry Feilden on her return last month. She has something to find on form but is potentially very smart and is open to plenty of improvement.

Will Cyrname be as effective over three miles at Kempton?

Cyrname's beating of Altior at Ascot last time represents the best form on offer - and by some margin - in the King George. But the key question is whether he can show something like his best over three miles.

Cyrname is a bold-jumping, strong-travelling front-runner, and those horses are often seen to great effect at speed-favouring Kempton. It's also worth noting how strong Cyrname was at the finish at Ascot - a much stiffer track than Kempton - so the signs are that this is a test he will pass.

Stablemate Clan des Obeaux is respected having won last year's edition so emphatically, while Lostintranslation looks a big threat on the back of beating Bristol de Mai at Haydock, but Cyrname (along with Kemboy) is Timeform's joint highest-rated jumps horse in training, and it will take a performance right out of the top drawer to get the better of him, particularly if he gets his own way out in front.

Brilliant race!

CYRNAME wins Christy 1965 Chase at @Ascot bringing an end to Altior's unbeaten record over obstacles!

📽️ @AtTheRacespic.twitter.com/yyWaaoPkWG

— Timeform Live (@TimeformLive) November 23, 2019

Which Irish novice will lay down a marker?

There are a couple of extremely exciting duels scheduled to take place in Ireland on Thursday.

At Leopardstown Laurina lines up against Fakir d’Oudairies in the Racing Post Novice Chase, while at Limerick Samcro and Faugheen meet in a mouthwatering clash.

Laurina met with defeat just once over hurdles, when failing to meet expectations in the Champion Hurdle, and she made a highly satisfactory winning start over fences at Gowran Park last month, the performance and her physique suggesting that she may prove even better in this sphere. She beat Minella Indo with plenty in hand - albeit over a trip short of that rival's best - and she already seems likely to be one of the best novice chasers of 2019/20.

Thursday's race is no penalty kick for Laurina, however, as Fakir D’Oudairies is a serious opponent who has won both chase starts this season, including at Grade 1 level last time. Fakir d'Oudairies was arguably fortunate to win the Drinmore given the ominous ease with which Samcro was travelling prior to his departure, but he was sticking to his task well and his impressive jumping will continue to stand him in good stead.

Over at Limerick, Samcro will get the chance to make amends for his departure last time, but he has Faugheen standing in his way.

Samcro endured a disappointing campaign over hurdles last season but got his career back on track on his chasing debut when posting an impressive victory at Down Royal. Gordon Elliott’s charge was unable to match Fakir d’Oudairies’s spectacular round of jumping when the two clashed at Fairyhouse but was still tanking when coming down late on and he remains open to significant improvement in this sphere.

Faugheen, the 2015 Champion Hurdle winner, is rising 12 but he has been tasked with reinventing himself as a novice chaser. Faugheen proved a cut above the opposition on his first attempt over fences at Punchestown last month, but it wasn’t all plain sailing, and Paul Townend did particularly well to keep the partnership intact at the first open ditch. However, Faugheen's class eventually told and he forged clear to win by seven and a half lengths. He was undoubtdly top-class in his prime but whether he retains enough ability to see off a rival of Samcro's calibre is a different matter, and it will certainly be interesting to find out the answer

FAKIR D'OUDAIRIES (6/4) is a wide margin winner of the (Grade 1) Drinmore Novice Chase at @Fairyhouse for @JosephOBrien2, as Samcro unseats @jackkennedy15 two out when going well!

(🎥@RacingTV)pic.twitter.com/O1hajGEHZK

— Timeform Live (@TimeformLive) December 1, 2019