Christmas Day is going to be very different this year for everyone. Regardless of what tier you may be in or how the day will be spent, things won’t be the same. As such, if you find yourself with more time than you usually would have, there is a very decent card at Cagnes-Sur-Mer to help pass the time. Jumps racing on Christmas Day is a tradition in France, with Pau and Cagnes-Sur-Mer taking it in turns to provide some festive action. This years card is very good and there are one or two who are in my tracker and worth a look.
First up is a Juvenile hurdle at 11:45 and I am really excited to see MARGARET’S LEGACY make his 2nd start over hurdles. He was a very impressive winner of a newcomers hurdle over course and distance 3 weeks ago, quickening very nicely to come clear in the home straight. The sectional times backed up how visually impressive he looked on the day, to suggest this son of Prince Gibraltar is above average. Only 6 runners go to post for this €15,000 prize and as a result it may become quite tactical, which should suit Margarets Legacy who has loads of speed. Most of the dangers in the line up, the likes of Le Petit Nice and Karuso De Gruchy look like they are more staying types for the future and may struggle to keep up with Margarets legacy when the pace lifts. Nathaniel Curtis retains the ride and they should be able to take this before moving on to bigger targets this winter.
Later on the card at 1:17 we have a 4-year-old chase and I am going to give another chance to GRAND CLERMONT. I was really confident he was a certainty when he ran here on 9th December and he was travelling extremely well before making an uncharacteristic error 5 from home and unseating his rider. We have to forgive that, but I am always keen to allow a horse a chance as every jumper is prone to an error occasionally. On his previous form, when he was an extremely comfortable winner at Durtal in November, he would look to have a great chance. There are some dangers in this field, in particular Dalyotin who won here last week, but he was able to dominate last time in a weaker race than this and he may struggle to give 7lb to a horse with the ability of Grand Clermont. Russian Memory is also of interest, as he stayed on extremely well to win a conditions hurdle here on 18th December, but, his only previous effort in a chase as very underwhelming and he will need to jump better if he is to play a hand in this.
The Feature race on the card is the Listed Prix Du Comte De Nice Chase at 1:52. This is a chase for 4-year-olds and above and the one I really like is last years winner, BERJOU. This 6-year-old has proven he handles the track and these conditions and represents a lot of value to repeat last years win. He has been campaigned at a very high level over hurdles at Auteuil this year and returns to fences here of the back of a fine effort when 3rd in Grade 3 Hurdle at Compiegne last month. That should put him spot on for this and he would look to have too much class for this line up. He was 3 from 3 here least winter, including this race and a Grade 3 in January and there is no reason to doubt that he isn't in the same form now.
Merry Christmas to all our followers and thank you for supporting PrixDeLa Horse in 2020