One of the best cards of the year takes place at Kempton on Boxing Day and Robbie Wilders from the Racing Post serves up three fancies.

12.45 Kempton

Miranda @ 3/1
2pts win

1.20 Kempton

Galia Des Liteaux @ 3/1
1pt win

2.30 Kempton

Eldorado Allen @ 25/1
1pt each-way

Miranda can show most heart in Long Walk

The Grade 1 Long Walk Hurdle (12.45) bolsters an outstanding card at Kempton and I'm even sweeter on Miranda than I was when the race was meant to be staged at Ascot last weekend.

She is a new name to note in the staying division and relished a first crack at three miles when sauntering clear of Martello Sky and Molly Ollys Wishes over this course and distance on soft ground last time.

While this is a different kettle of fish again, she receives 7lb from the boys and is a rapid improver who appears primed to run a career-best and that might be good enough.

Paisley Park and Champ appeared to have a hard race in the Long Distance Hurdle at Newbury last time and are rising 11 so might fail to replicate that form, while Goshen is far from guaranteed to get home over three miles with the ground set to ease.

Galia to upset McFabulous in Kauto Star

Forecast rain throws a spanner in the works for McFabulous's bid for a belated first Grade 1 success in the Kauto Star Novices' Chase (1.20) as he needs a quicker surface to be seen to best effect.

McFabulous has been spoken of in glowing terms by trainer Paul Nicholls, who is already eyeing a crack at next season's King George, and he rates the best staying novice chaser we have seen in Britain so far after a dominant victory over Thyme Hill last time.

However, I'm bypassing him at a short price with Galia Des Liteaux instead. 

Trainer Dan Skelton was initially responsible for ante-post second favourite Ballygrifincottage, who does not run, and I'm interpreting that as a vote of confidence for Galia Des Liteaux.

This six-year-old mare looked a natural chaser on her first start over fences at Bangor when romping home to record a Racing Post Rating of 145.

If she can reproduce that effort, she is bang there in receipt of 7lb from the boys and with the heavens set to open at Kempton, another career-best effort feels likely for this unexposed type.

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Eldorado the Allen to side with in King George

The Grade 1 King George (2.30) is one of the standout races in the calendar and I think it is more open than the early odds suggest.

Bravemansgame and L'Homme Presse dispute favouritism, but there are other credible winners and the likes of Ahoy Senor, Eldorado Allen, Envoi Allen, Hitman and Royale Pagaille can also be given some sort of chance.

Royale Pagaille is starting to interest me with the rain set to arrive, but I'll pin my colours to Eldorado Allen each-way.

The Joe Tizzard-trained eight-year-old is perennially underrated and certainly overpriced based on his second to Bravemansgame off 3lb worse terms in the bet365 Charlie Hall two starts back.

There is little doubt Eldorado Allen bumped into a potential Haydock superstar in Protektorat when second in the Betfair Chase last time and he possesses the scope to progress further over three miles, a distance he has only encountered three times.