THE GOOD Christmas fairy was handing out gifts with a vengeance back in mid- December 1979. Simply Dashing, who has run two cracking races in defeat this term, is the alternative.King George declarations: Challenger Du Luc (M Pipe); Coome Hill (W Dennis); Cyborgo (M Pipe); Escartefigue (D Nicholson); Go Ballistic (D Nicholson); Imperial Call (R Hurley); Mulligan (D Nicholson); See More Business (P Nicholls); Simply Dashing (T Easterby); Super Tactics (R Alner); Teeton Mill (Miss V Williams); The Grey Monk (N Richards).Betting (William Hill): 2-1 See More Business, 7-2 Teeton Mill, 4-1 Imperial Call, 5-1 Simply Dashing, 8-1 Escartefigue, 12-1 Challenger Du Luc, 20- 1 others. But if he gets his ground he can give his young rider, Joe Tizzard, the perfect Christmas present. The nine- year-old seemed to have the chasing world at his feet when he beat Rough Quest in the Gold Cup two years ago before succumbing to a series of physical problems. But his career has blossomed again in the hands of his new young trainer, Raymond Hurley, and jumped particularly well when he beat Dorans Pride at Punchestown two weeks ago.Last year’s winner, See More Business, a workmanlike bay, has not yet captured the public imagination.

The former hunter-chaser looked potentially top class when he ran away with the Hennessy Gold Cup off a light weight last month.Twelve horses were declared at yesterday’s five-day stage when Cyfor Malta was a surprise absentee. With his stablemate Cyborgo a failure at Ascot yesterday, Martin Pipe will rely on last year’s runner-up, Challenger Du Luc. Of the leading protagonists – most of whom have the alternative of the Ericsson Chase at Leopardstown two days later – See More Business and the Irish raider Imperial Call are suited by soft and Simply Dashing prefers it faster.Imperial Call is attempting a comeback of Lazarus proportions. His snowy statue now greets the Boxing Day throng as they arrive through the gates.And the baton he passed to the much-lamented One Man is due to be picked up on Saturday by another dashing white charger, Teeton Mill.

But in recent decades racegoers have somehow become used to a white Christmas. Desert Orchid notched an unprecedented four-timer in 1990 and it is impossible to calculate the pleasure that the silver darling gave during the time he jumped the fence that divides racing’s aficionados from the wider public. Such was his heart that he failed by only a length to give 21lb to Dormant, but the race marked the end of his career.The highlight of the Seventies must be Captain Christy’s victory in 1975. The previous year he had beaten the dual winner Pendil by eight lengths, but his second win, in then record time by 30 lengths from Bula, was a solo tour de force unmatched in the race’s history.Wayward Lad became the first triple winner when he bettered Combs Ditch by a neck after a stirring battle. Error was followed by tragedy; the fences which Galloway Braes treated with such hair-raising lack of respect got him in the end; he fell fatally in the 1956 race.The two giants of the Sixties, Mill House and Arkle, each had their name on the roll of honour.