The talented but injury prone 2009 Champion Hurdle winner Punjabi will not be seen in action again until the 2012/13 campaign at the earliest having suffered yet another setback that requires him to take things easy, much as he did last term when sidelined for the whole of the campaign, writes Elliot Slater.

The gelded son of Komaite hasn’t been seen in competitive action since finishing last of the 11 runners in the Rabobank Champion Hurdle at Punchestown in April 2010, having finished ninth behind Binocular in the Champion Hurdle at Cheltenham five weeks earlier when attempting to defend his crown. Following his dismal Punchestown effort it became clear that Punjabi was suffering from a problem, and whilst that resolved itself after 12 months recuperation he has now sustained a different injury that rules him out of making his eagerly anticipated debut as a novice chaser. Anyone following the 2012 Cheltenham betting will have been looking forward to seeing him back in action.

According to connections, Tony McCoy had been down to Henderson’s yard only recently to put the Raymond Tooth-owned nine-year-old through his paces over the larger obstacles and had been very impressed with the horse, suggesting he could prove to himself a smart performer over fences granted an injury-free preparation. That unfortunately was not to be, and there must be some doubt whether all concerned with the horse will persevere with their former star for whom beginning a novice chasing career at the age of 10 would be asking a lot. He will not be seen in the Betfair Cheltenham festival 2012 betting, and it seems unlikely he will be back in action at the highest level any time soon.

A winner of 12 of his 35 career starts, Punjabi won five times on the Flat at distances between a mile and a mile-and-a-half before establishing himself as a top notch hurdler, winning Kempton’s Adonis Hurdle and the Grade 1 Ballymore Properties 4-Y-O Hurdle at the Punchestown Festival in 2007, then landing the ACC Bank Champion Hurdle back at Punchestown the following May. His greatest moment came in March 2009 when under a great ride from Barry Geraghty Punjabi got the better of the classy Celestial Halo in a memorable last flight duel for the hurdling crown.

Sam Waley-Cohen very nearly blew his big race mount on Long Run in the Grade 1 William Hill King George VI Chase at Kempton Park on Boxing Day when picking up a ban at Fakenham on Monday for taking the wrong course on his father’s Otage De Brion in the New Year’s Day Racing at Fakenham Handicap Chase, an error of judgement that incurred the wrath of the stewards at the Norfolk track, writes Elliot Slater.

Waley-Cohen had been in front from flag fall in the two-mile-five-furlong contest when he went the wrong side of the rails and took the wrong course, immediately pulling his mount up and dismounting the 9/1 chance who had appeared to still be going well at the time. With a wide range of penalties at their disposal there had been concern that the popular rider might be ruled out for a long period that would include the big Kempton race where the amateur is set to partner the hot favourite Long Run, on whom he won last season’s renewal before going to a famous triumph in March when beating both the now retired Denman and this season’s chief rival Kato Star in a race that will live long in the memory. Those looking at the Park betting odds will have held their breath over the steward’s decision.

Waley-Cohen insisted that he had not taken the wrong course and had in fact taken the gelding off the track having heard him make a loud noise that suggested him might well have swallowed his tongue – something that had happened to the nine-year-old on a number of occasions in the past, something people who follow the  horse betting may have been aware of. After some deliberation the stewards handed the amateur pilot a 12-day ban to start on January 1, 2012, meaning that he remains free to partner Long Run, the current ante-post 6/4 favourite in the King George, the race that has all the sport on the edge of their seats in anticipation.

The news that all racing fans had hoped to hear has finally been confirmed and now Paul Nicholls’ great horse Kauto Star will take his chance in the King George VI Chase at Kempton Park on Boxing Day and bid to confirm the form of his Betfair Chase triumph against Gold Cup winner Long Run, writes Elliot Slater.

When Kauto Star, a four-time previous winner of the King George, trailed in a well beaten third in last year’s renewal of the Christmas showcase event having been seriously walloped by the five-years-younger Long Run, most people assumed that was the end of the line in the race the horse had made his own for so long. Even a terrific effort when third to Long Run in the Cheltenham Gold Cup 11 weeks later didn’t suggest he would be back at Kempton in December, and his final run of the term when pulled up at Punchestown made many question whether it wasn’t time for the former dual Cheltenham Gold Cup winner to ride off into the sunset.

A stunning reappearance effort at Haydock when slamming Long Run by eight-length in the Grade 1 Betfair Chase last month however proved to the doubters that Kauto Star still has what it takes to mix it at the very highest level, and even though he was undoubtedly fitter on the day than Nicky Henderson’s charge it is clear that the outstanding performer can still mix it at the very highest level. The betting reflects this.

Nicholls and the 11-year-old’s owner Clive Smith will now be doubly represented in the race with former dual champion chaser also set to take his chance against Long Run in what is shaping up to be a classic.

Bookmakers still rate Long Run a solid 6/4 favourite in the  horse racing prices, Kauto Star has been trimmed to 9/2, and Master Minded is 5/1. They go 8/1 bar.

Kauto Stone, half-brother to the four-time race winner Kauto Star, was not amongst the declarations at the latest forfeit stage for the Grade 1 King George VI Chase at Kempton Park on Boxing Day and has duly been removed from the ante-post list for the race with most firms, writes Elliot Slater.

As short as 14/1 in the King George chase betting prior to the news of his absence from the three-mile Christmas showcase event, Kauto Stone won at Sandown on Saturday when chasing home the impressive Sizing Europe in the Tingle Creek Chase over two miles, having a few weeks earlier made a winning British debut when hacking up in Grade 2 company over half-a-mile further at Down Royal.

It should come as no real surprise that the five-year-old will not be asked to line up at Kempton with the yard already represented by the Clive Smith-owned pair of Kauto Star and former dual champion chaser Master Minded. Doubtless Nicholls will already be thumbing through the racing calendar to plan the next step for the young horse and the news will feature on an online Horse racing website as soon as the announcement is made.

A best priced 25/1 shot for the Queen Mother Champion Chase over the minimum trip at the Cheltenham Festival in March, many believe that the more realistic target for Kauto Stone could turn out to be the Ryanair Chase, but it remains to be seen where and when the horse will next be seen on the race course.

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Philip Hobbs’ smart performer Planet of Sound ran a fine race to be third in the Grade 1 Betfair Chase at Haydock 12 months ago and hopes are high that the nine-year-old can put up another good display in the race in this year’s renewal on November 19, writes Elliot Slater.

Planet of Sound was restricted to just two outings last term having begun the season with a rock solid effort in finishing a nine-length third to Imperial Commander in the Betfair Chase before finding Long Run at his brilliant best just too good when fifth to Nicky Henderson’s star performer in the rescheduled King George VI Chase at Kempton in January. Those looking at the Betfair Chase betting odds will be wondering if he has progressed since then.

An intended runner in the Cheltenham Gold Cup a couple of months later, Hobbs’ Kayf Tara gelding suffered a leg infection only days before the big race itself and had to miss his chance, indeed he wasn’t seen again on the racecourse last term, his handler deciding not to rush him back and wait for this season.

At his best Planet of Sound is a very capable chaser as his victory in the Grade 1 Punchestown Gold Cup in April of 2010 demonstrates. On that occasion he got the better of the admirable veteran War of Attrition by a length, having earlier that season won the Grade 2 Haldon Gold Cup at Exeter and finished second to Albertas Run in the Grade 2 Amlin 1965 Chase at Ascot. Those betting horse racing money will be keen to see if he has more to offer.

Reportedly fully recovered from last season’s leg ailment, Planet of Sound has improvement to find to get closer to hot favourite Long Run, but with many of the other runners in the race being within seven pounds of each other on official ratings there is still plenty to compete for. Hobbs’ charge is a best priced 40/1 shot in the ante-post lists for the Betfair Chase.

We could not agree more!