COLIN Tizzard and his team have enjoyed a Christmas to remember with winners aplenty, quality and quantity.

Thistlecrack proved the real Christmas cracker, coming home clear in the King George at Kempton on Boxing Day from stable companion Cue Card in second place.

Thistlecrack, last season's World Hurdle winner, had already headed the Timico Cheltenham Gold Cup market, but many firms are now going odds on already after this impressive performance.

Tom Scudamore was again on board and was overcome with emotion as he was congratulated by his rivals. He said: "He's on his own. Between myself, my father and grandfather we've had about 3,000 winners and he's the best one of the lot."

Tizzard, whose one-two in the race took him past £1m in prize money for the season, looked the coolest man on the track.

"You should put your hand on my heart," said the Dorset trainer. "That was the most nerve-racking thing I've ever watched, especially when they came together like that from a fair way out.

"I thought 'here we go', but in the end it was just lovely. A fantastic performance – by both horses. Cue Card stuck his head out to finish second.

"They've done very well. Good boys," added Tizzard. "I've sat on the fence for six weeks, but you've all seen what Thistlecrack is capable of. It was just a matter of his jumping – it was brilliant when he was long and brilliant when he was in tight."

Scudamore let Thistlecrack jump ahead at the fence in front of the stands – much to the delight of the crowd – and his mount again stood ridiculously long off the open ditches to draw 'oohs' and 'aahs' from the packed stands.

Paddy Brennan asked Cue Card to give Thistlecrack something to think about down the back straight, but his challenge foundered on the rock that is Thistlecrack, who was still swinging along in Scudamore's hands as the other four were flat out into the home bend.

The acclaim had started as Scudamore corrected him to shorten into the last before popping over safely and being eased on the run-in to win by three and a quarter lengths.

Cue Card gamely took second from Silviniaco Conti, who had dropped back to a detached last of the five on the home turn but stayed on to nearly snatch the runner-up spot.

Tizzard's immediate thoughts were to send Thistlecrack for more experience in the Betbright Trial Chase (formerly the Cotswold Chase) at Cheltenham next month, while saving Cue Card for the Gold Cup rematch with his stablemate.

Thistlecrack, already the World Hurdle winner, seemingly has the chasing sphere at his feet.

The following day it was Native River's turn to be in the limelight, producing a fantastic weight-carrying performance to land the Coral Welsh Grand National at Chepstow.

Champion jockey Richard Johnson rode a positive race from the off, initially settling Native River in behind the pacesetting Emperor's Choice before taking over the lead with a full circuit still to race.

The market leader jumped well in the main to keep up the momentum and produced a huge leap four fences from the finish to propel him clear of the field.

Johnson said: "It's unbelievable. I wasn't happy for the first mile and I think he definitely wants better ground, but he's such a trier. After four or five fences he started to get into his rhythm.

"I was worried beforehand as I didn't want to make all, but I had to get him going. It was like he was being over-cautious, so I had to get him going like in the Hennessy. Once I did that, he had a lovely time.

"The Gold Cup is always about top-class chasers that stay really well. He's got that in abundance – to win a Welsh National off top weight is a hell of a performance.

Tizzard said: "He's a beautiful young horse. He's only six, after all, and it took me a long time to get them (owners) to run him. I had to think of the reasons why we should run.

"It hadn't rained and there were no horses carrying 10 stone in it. That's when the top weights are vulnerable, but there was only just over a stone in the handicap and there was nowhere else to go.

"He won't do any more than he's got to. As soon as he got out in the country, he got better and better in the race.

"He's a lovely stayer. Any other season, without the likes of Thistlecrack and Cue Card, he'd be anyone's champion.

"He's a stayer, so there's nowhere else he can go apart from the Gold Cup."

The jumps season has really caught fire and is so exciting; you can only imagine how Colin Tizzard feels about it.