UK Horse Racing Tips

By Harvey Mayson

The Grade 1 King George VI Chase is one of the top races of the National Hunt season and is the highlight of the Christmas meeting at Kempton Park.

The race is held on Boxing Day each year and is second only to the Cheltenham Gold Cup in terms of prestige. The race will forever be associated with two of the leading steeplechasers of all time in Desert Orchid and Kauto Star. The flying grey won the race four times between 1986 and 1990 but was surpassed by Kauto Star’s five victories between 2006 and 2011.

Trainer Paul Nicholls won the race for the ninth time when Silviniaco Conti recorded his second successive King George success 12 months’ ago.

Don Cossack is the early market leader for Gordon Elliott following an impressive reappearance at Down Royal in October. The eight-year-old easily accounted for his three rivals in the Grade 1 Champion Chase.

The son of Sholokhov was third in the Ryanair Chase at the Cheltenham festival before romping to a 26-lengths win at Aintree. That remarkable victory over Cue Card was followed by beating Gold Cup runner-up Djakadam by seven lengths at Punchestown and the King George looks the obvious target.

Vautour did not impress everyone when beating Ptit Zig in receipt of 5lbs at Ascot in November. The Willie Mullins-trained gelding only had a length and a quarter to spare but jockey Ruby Walsh was delighted with the performance. He felt that the horse was some way short of his peak and is expecting a big improvement at Kempton. Vautour is yet to race at three miles but this flat track should give him every chance of lasting home.

Cheltenham Gold Cup winner Coneygree needs to be supplemented for the race after an apparent computer glitch prevented his entry from going through. He looked good on his first run of the season but missed the Hennessy Gold Cup after losing a shoe in training. Several bookmakers are offering a special “with a run” price for Mark Bradstock’s gelding.

Cue Card looked right back to his best when winning the Betfair Chase at Haydock following a successful breathing operation. Jockey Paddy Brennan could scarcely believe how easily he beat Silviniaco Conti that day, saying that he felt as though he had 20lbs in hand. Cue Card was runner-up in this race in 2013 but faded to finish fifth last season. He is still only nine years of age and trainer Colin Tizzard has already confirmed him a definite starter at Kempton.

Silviniaco Conti is likely to be fitted with blinkers after his disappointing defeat at Haydock. He cannot be ruled out as he was only third at Haydock before winning his first King George in 2013. Former stable companion Al Ferof has finished third in the race for the past two seasons and made a winning start for Dan Skelton in the Peterborough Chase at Huntingdon.

Hennessy Gold Cup winner Smad Place is still a possible runner, although Alan King is thought to be favouring the Cotswold Chase at Cheltenham as his next target. The race is due off at 3.10 on Saturday 26th December and will be televised live on Channel 4.

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