Turf Talk: East Street can be Wetherby Racecourse's best Christmas jumper

Wetherby Racecourse stages its popular Christmas Jumper Raceday on Saturday. There will be fun and games in the parade ring between races, including a competition for the best Christmas Jumper.

Hopefully the best ‘jumper’ on the equine front will be East Street in the feature race. He is a previous course and distance winner and should relish the heavy going he is likely to encounter this weekend.

Sandown Park stages the most valuable race of the day, the Betfair Tingle Creek Chase. The Nicky Henderson-trained Jonbon seems to have scared away a lot of the opposition and he is likely to start at very short odds to pick up close on £100,000.

Better betting propositions are to be found at Aintree where the Grand National fences are in use once again for the Becher Chase.

I tipped Ashtown Lad to win this race last year and he returns to defend his crown. However, he has been pulled up in his last two starts and the form of the Skelton yard remains a worry so is reluctantly passed over in favour of the Luca Morgan-trained Percussion.

He proved his ability to handle these unique fences when second in the Grand Sefton Chase in November. He was doing all his best work at the finish that day so the extra five furlongs he faces on Saturday should be ideal.

Mister Coffey is another with course experience. He jumped the last fence in the Grand National in second place so this shorter trip should suit.

Undersupervision is thrown into the mix for a tri-cast bet to help pay for the Christmas expenses.

Empire Steel was quietly fancied for the abandoned Rehearsal Chase last weekend, and he could be sent South to compete in the handicap chase at Aintree.

Scottish trainer Sandy Thomson has his string in top form and with Ryan Mania in the saddle this nine-year-old should run well at a decent price. Heltenham and Richmond Lake look to be his toughest rivals.

Garlick's Goodies: Saturday Wetherby 1:22 – East Street; Aintree 1:30 – Empire Steel; 2:05 – Percussion; Sandown 3:00 – Jonbon.