Two 20-1 shots for the festive period

The likeable Joe Tizzard was a talented jockey and he is proving equally adept as a trainer. His father, Colin Tizzard, retired at the end of last season after a hugely successful training career so this is Tizzard Jnr’s first season with only his name on the licence.

Tizzard has already trained 32 winners this season, with an admirable 17 per cent first-past-the-post strike rate. However, he would love a big-race winner over the Christmas period to boost his CV and he has a couple of good chances of doing just that.

ELDORADO ALLEN is a relatively lightly-raced eight-year-old gelding who has run some big races over the past two seasons, including winning the Grade 2 Betfair Denman Chase at Newbury in February.

He’s been second twice this season and he may not be good enough to land the Grade 1 Ladbrokes King George VI Chase at Kempton on Boxing Day.

However, I think the race will probably cut up to seven or fewer runners and so I am keen to back a horse at decent odds each way now while there are still three places on offer from the bookies.