Tent and New One set for Kempton clash

My Tent Or Yours and The New One are set for their much-anticipated Boxing Day clash in the Williamhill.com Christmas Hurdle at Kempton.

Trainer Nicky Henderson and owner JP McManus are bidding to win the Grade One for the fourth time in a row, following the two victories of the recently-retired Binocular and last season's effort from the ill-fated Darlan.

Betfair Hurdle winner My Tent Or Yours made a smooth reappearance in the Fighting Fifth but has a few pounds to find on ratings with The New One, who built upon such a promising novice campaign by trouncing former Champion Hurdle winner Rock On Ruby at Kempton and then quickening six lengths clear of Zarkandar in the International at Cheltenham on December 14.

Sam Twiston-Davies, rider of The New One for his father Nigel, is aware he will be in a tactical battle with Tony McCoy and My Tent Or Yours. The in-form jockey held onto his mount until before the final flight in the International before he raced clear on the run-in.

"Obviously we were very happy with him at Cheltenham. He has a very high cruising speed and the one thing about him is he has a really sharp turn of foot at the end, when you go for him it's instant," he told BBC Radio Wales.

"How we ride him will be different to Cheltenham as My Tent Or Yours is very similar to us in the way he can travel, with a high cruising speed and a turn of foot as well."

Grumeti, who was third in the 2012 Triumph and later won at Aintree, missed the whole of last season, is also in the six-runner line-up. Alan King's gelding made a satisfactory comeback by finishing third to My Tent Or Yours at Newcastle.

"Grumeti is a horse who has had very little racing in the last year, so needs the practice," the trainer told www.alankingracing.co.uk.

"I was happy with him at Newcastle, where he just got a bit tired after the last and was run out of it for second, but he should be a lot sharper for the race and I'd like to think he will keep on progressing. He has been in very good form at home and, though we could well think about stepping him up in trip one day, I still have the Champion Hurdle very much in mind."

Fighting Fifth sixth Duke Of Navan is sent south from Cumbria by trainer Nicky Richards, and the field is completed by the Paul Nicholls-trained Sametegal, who was a very respectable second to Dell' Arca when conceding a lot of weight in the Greatwood Hurdle, and the rank outsider Chapel House.