Nick Luck’s blog: Snap up some value with Shark’s Hewick in King George

William Hill ambassador Nick Luck casts his expert eye over the best of the racing on a brilliant Boxing Day from Kempton, Aintree and Wetherby.

Kempton, Tuesday

ES PERFECTO is taken to land the opening TV race on Boxing Day at Kempton (12.45pm). He hasn’t taken much racing, but there was loads of encouragement in his run at Cheltenham last time, during which he travelled just about best of all before fitness gave way behind the good subsequent winner Ginny’s Destiny. He has been given plenty of time to move forward for that run, and this sort of trip on a slightly more speed favouring track looks ideal. This is a spicy race, and I have plenty of time for Blow Your Wad and Russian Ruler, but at 11/2 Es Perfecto has loads in his favour.

HERMES ALLEN won’t find the Kauto Star easy (1.20pm), but still appeals as the likeliest winner at 13/8. I love Giovinco, and Il Est Francais is worthy of the rave reviews from France, but I’ve not seen a chasing debutant look as assured as the selection at Newbury. He was the embodiment of economy, which will surely stand him in good stead at a track that demands efficiency and pace. Three miles should be no issue.

I’m not advocating opposing CONSTITUTION HILL (1.55pm), but RUBAUD could well run well enough to at least put himself on the fringe of the Champion Hurdle.

HEWICK is the play in the King George (2.30pm) at 11/1. On paper, he can’t beat a peak form Allaho, Bravemansgame or Shishkin, but Allaho’s tendency to jump left will compromise him around Kempton like nowhere else. He might be sufficiently superior for that to be academic, but I’ll watch him win at these prices. Bravemansgame is the straight-bat play, but his finishing efforts this season have been unconvincing, while Shishkin is about the same price to jump off. Hewick has a terrific record going right-handed, is well capable of a high 160s performance on his day, and has the right running style for this track. Ground is important, but a bit of rain is no deal breaker, as he showed in the Gold Cup.

Aintree, Tuesday

FARREN GLORY sets a pretty high bar in a very nice running of what is now the William Hill Formby Hurdle at Aintree (1.05pm). He impressed at Clonmel, then was probably value for a fair bit more than the winning margin in the Royal Bond, after being checked in his run and then bungling the last. He looks a stayer at this trip, but a biggish field should ensure a sound pace, and it will need a good one to beat him at 10/3.

Wetherby, Tuesday

INTO OVERDRIVE is taken to win a second Rowland Meyrick (1.35pm) at 11/4. Just three pounds higher than last year in this race, he can be readily excused his poor run at Cheltenham, and needs to get competitive here to ensure a run in the Grand National, which has been his target for some time.