Another sensational year of racing looks set to draw to a pulsating conclusion over the Christmas period as the 2011 King George VI Chase at Kempton prepares to serve up one of the most enthralling races in living memory.
The National Hunt season’s midwinter championship is always a thoroughly intriguing affair, but this year’s race looks particularly enticing and fans of the sport can look forward to the perfect Christmas present on Boxing Day.
Ladbrokes continue to offer our readers a free £50 bet on the race and punters are sure to have a very different opinion on how they think the action will unfold.
A field of eight will contest a vintage looking renewal of the Grade One and while Long Run is a strong favourite at the head of the betting, public sentiment will undoubtedly ride with legendary chaser
Kauto Star (7/2,
William Hill).
King Kauto will be back at Kempton in search of a remarkable fifth King George success and the finest National Hunt horse since the mighty Arkle will face the greatest challenge of his illustrious career. After widely being written off and with calls for his retirement ringing loudly in the ears of Paul Nicholls, Kauto Star and his masterful trainer recently proved all their doubters wrong with a spellbinding victory in the Betfair Chase last month.
There wasn’t a dry eye on course as he entered the winner’s enclosure at Haydock but the raucous ovation he received on Merseyside would be eclipsed by the celebrations at Kempton if he could regain his King George crown. Kauto’s followers will be keen to stay loyal to the battle-hardened superstar, but there will be plenty happy to rule with head over heart and side with last year’s winner Long Run.
Nicky Henderson’s Gold Cup winner was imperious in the rearranged 2010 King George and he was equally as impressive at the 2011 Cheltenham Festival when he appeared to expose the waning powers of some of the game’s more established names.
The French import is a best priced 11/8 (
Paddy Power) for Kempton’s showcase race and for those who believe he was not fully fit when beaten into second in the Betfair Chase, it is a price that will make plenty of appeal.
Long Run certainly appeared to be a bit rusty at Haydock and once again his jumping was far from fluent. If it hadn’t been for some pretty alarming mistakes at the tenth, eleventh and twelfth fences, he would have been a lot closer to Kauto Star and it was testament to the amount of ability he possesses that he managed to finish just eight lengths behind his arch rival.
It is likely Henderson will have him back to his brilliant best on Boxing Day and if the champion is in the same form as last year then he will be a formidable opponent for those looking to take his throne.
Racing fanatics will be hoping that Kauto Star will be the one to expose any chinks in Long Run’s armour, but it could be his ultra-talented stablemate
MASTER MINDED (7/1,
William Hill) that rises to the challenge and the dual Champion Chaser is more than capable of leaping to another Grade One success.
The participation of Master Minded in this year’s race only adds to the hype surrounding the contest and the steeplechaser has all the class and quality to come out on top as he enters unknown territory over three miles for a titanic dual with the two market principals.
With three Gold Cups and five King Georges between Long Run and Kauto Star, Master Minded really will be thrown into the deep end when he takes on the trip for the first time, but he tackles the distance after plenty of consideration from Nicholls and it could be that the race is made for him.
If the multiple Grade One winner is going to get three miles, then it will be around Kempton and the flat track will suit the eight-year-old perfectly. Nicholls has always believed that the King George would suit Master Minded’s considerable powers and he is sure to be fully fit and tuned up for the big race.
Earmarked as his long term target ever since he cruised to an awesome victory in the Melling Chase at Aintree in April, there is nothing quite like seeing the selection in full flow and his superb jumping will stand him in good stead at Kempton.
Economical at all his fences, his jumping is assured and done with minimum fuss while the amount of gears and pace he has means that he has all the tactical pace to deal with whatever the race throws at him.
Add that to the fact Master Minded has never been beaten when completing a race on a right-handed track and it is clear he has plenty in his favour ahead of the big day. With a two mile trip now far too sharp for him, it is clear that he needs more ground to impose his superiority and after he bounced back to form with a workmanlike success over Somersby in the Amlin 1965 Chase last month, he should be spot on for the King George.
True, most people would happily wave goodbye to any of their winnings to see Kauto Star land an unbelievable fifth victory in the race, but it could be that the old warrior had his big day at Haydock and he obviously isn’t getting any younger. It is worth noting that Paul Nicholls believes Kauto is a much better horse than he was last year, but he will still have his work cut out to confirm Betfair Chase placings with Long Run.
If Long Run is in the same some sort of form that saw him land the National Hunt season’s two major chases in 2010/11 then it is highly likely that he will win, but you can take him out of the picture and back Master Minded in the ‘without Long Run’ market at a massively appealing 4/1 (
William Hill).
Master Minded is also 7/1 (
William Hill) in the outright market and it is a price that could be made to look incredibly big come Boxing Day as eight of the sport’s most popular and talented chasers go to war in the Kempton Christmas cracker.
Nick Wilby’s selection:
Master Minded (in the w/o Long Run market) – 4/1 (
William Hill)
