Ffos Las Racecourse: preview and tips for seven-race Christmas Jumper Raceday on Wednesday

By Charles Davies

The final meeting of the calendar year at Ffos Las Racecourse takes place on Wednesday with a seven-race offering to celebrate the Christmas Jumper Raceday.

The action gets underway at 12.22pm as nine runners tackle the class four handicap hurdle before the action comes to a close at 3.50pm with the bumper – a Flat race ran over Jumps rules for runners making their way in the early stages of their career.

Read below to discover the latest tips and a full meeting preview of the Ffos Las card on Thursday courtesy of Sporting Life.

The opening contest on the Ffos Las card sees a field of nine head to post for the two and a half mile handicap hurdle for conditional jockeys (12.22).

Top condition jockey Dylan Johnston has been booked once again for Wot You Wearing, a back-to-back winner at Chepstow last year that hasn’t kicked on but did hint at a return to form when second in a Hereford handicap back in October.

2 Days to Go!

The countdown is on for Ffos Las Christmas Jumper Raceday! Get ready for festive fun, exciting races, and of course, your most festive jumpers!

️ – https://t.co/SKPJvHHQGI pic.twitter.com/KhYlBvHqHq

— Ffos Las Racecourse (@FfosLasRC) December 17, 2024

Dual hurdle winner Hostile Hotelier rates the main danger from the Jennie Candlish yard, twice a winner over hurdles and a good fourth when sent chasing at Ayr in October but reverts back to the smaller obstacles in Wales.

All five runners hold a chance in race two of the afternoon (12.57) which is a mares’ handicap hurdle in class four.

The slight preference heads the way of Followandgo for Llancarfan trainer Evan Williams, a course bumper winner that has hit the frame in all five starts over hurdles and was behind a very progressive type last time out just ten days ago. Providing he can handle the quick turnaround, he should be a major player at Ffos Las.

Dual bumper winner Blue Las looks the one to back in race three on the card (1.32) – a class four mares’ maiden hurdle (1.32) for the Neil Mulholland team.

Blue Las was a runner-up at this course on hurdling debut last month and that form should be strong enough to pick up her first win in this sphere.

Of her eight rivals, Audacious Annie can give her the most to think about, starting off over hurdles having justified favouritism on bumper debut two runs back.

That’s a fantastic piece of history @CheltenhamRaces today. The Bowen Brothers dead heated in the 1st race . Quantock Hills @james_bowen_ Teriferma @Sean_Bowen_ . Well done lads you deserve it . #BrothersDeadheat @CheltenhamRaces pic.twitter.com/EJAjw7kGEw

— Ffos Las Racecourse (@FfosLasRC) December 14, 2024

A class five handicap chase marks race four of the Ffos Las meeting (2.07) as ten runners take on the three mile and one furlong distance.

Preference here heads the way of French import Haut Folin, a dual chase winner across the Channel that opened his account on these shores with a win over three-miles at this track last season and arrives here off an encouraging second on seasonal return at Lingfield ten days ago.

An intriguing novice contest is up next at 2.42 and Saint Palais has a good opportunity to open his account as a seven-year-old for trainer Richard Bandey.

Saint Palais progressed as a jumper during the 2021/22 season but was let down by his jumping in Graded company on his last two outings, though this is a much calmer test and he has been off for 21 months.

A decent field of 13 will tackle the two-mile and five furlong novices’ handicap chase at 3.17 in the penultimate race of the afternoon, where Saladins Son is taken to follow up his win at Huntingdon last time out for trainer Anthony Honeyball.

The trainer could bring up a double to end the meeting with Wassailing Along in the card-closing bumper (3.50), with the yard having plenty of bumper winners this season and this latest runner is very highly respected heading to a track for the first time.

Ffos Las selections – Thursday

12.22 – Wot You Wearing

12.57 – Followandgo

1.32 – Blue Las

2.07 – Haut Folin

2.42 – Saint Palais

3.17 – Saladins Son

3.50 – Wassailing Along