King George VI Chase

The centrepiece of the Christmas racing programme is the Grade 1 King George VI Chase at Kempton on Boxing Day and this year it is an intriguing renewal.

Champion trainer Paul Nicholls is bidding to win this for the 13th time on what will be, coincidentally, the 30th anniversary of his first ever Grade 1 win in the UK. 

Who is the favourite for the King George? 

The race itself tends to be a key trial for the Cheltenham Gold Cup in March and the betting is headed by Bravemansgame, who was installed as the clear 2/1 favourite following a sparkling return in the Charlie Hall Chase at Wetherby. 

A Grade 1-winning Novice Hurdler, Bravemansgame isn’t favourite here by default, as his only defeat over fences to date was at Aintree in April when not at his best, where Lucinda Russell’s Ahoy Senor levelled the score between the pair. 

Otherwise, his chasing career has been pretty flawless, winning his first four starts impressively, with the highlight being his victory in the Grade 1 Kauto Star Novices’ Chase last Christmas over course-and-distance when defeating Ahoy Senor by seven-and-a-half lengths. He has been targeted at this illustrious festive prize ever since.

Whilst his final run last season didn’t end in the way many had hoped for when last of four, he did things very smoothly on his return in the Charlie Hill, where his accurate jumping, cruising speed, and pace was exemplary, winning by three and a half lengths on the bridle from the staying-on Eldorado Allen, with Ahoy Senor trailing home last of five. 

For sure, it was a great performance, but the form lacked a bit of substance given the 3rd and 5th were both beaten comprehensively at Aintree in the Many Clouds Chase next time. 

Clearly, the way he goes about his work on a racecourse is impressive and there is no doubt he is a top-class chaser but are his odds legitimate value in what will be his toughest test to date plus he will most likely be facing more than four rivals for the first time in this sphere. 

Paul Nicholls has been under no illusion that he hasn’t been able to find a horse as good as Kauto Star and Denman but Paul holds Bravemansgame in the highest-regard and he might well be the horse to rectify the solution to possible Gold Cup prospects and wrestle back his crown from the Irish here. 

This seven-year-old would need goodish ground to be seen to best effect as anything on the soft side would ask more of him as his only previous run on ground that was described as heavy saw him well beaten in a bumper, though he’s clearly improved leaps and bounds since. 

With stable jockey Harry Cobden preferring the claims of favourite Bravemansgame to Nicholls’ other intended runners, he is clearly the main hopeful for the stable and clearly has a good chance but his odds aren’t overly-appealing from a value perspective in my view. 

L’Homme Presse is a worthy opponent 

That said, however, another runner who has a similar profile to the favourite is L’Homme Presse who some might argue that he should be favourite, especially given the fact he’s won two Grade 1’s over fences and won six of his seven chase starts. If conditions turned soft or worse, he would have to be considered the one to beat. 

He went from strength to strength last season as a novice, winning five times in succession which included victory in the Brown Advisory Novices' Chase at Cheltenham in March, though his chances were assisted by the late fall of Farouk D’Alene. 

He too disappointed at Aintree likewise to Bravemansgame in the same race when below-par in 3rd but bounced back in some style, producing a great-weight carrying performance to defy a mark of 164 in the Rehearsal Chase at Newcastle last month.

He appears to handle most ground, jumps well and while he’s never run at Kempton before, he has three wins going right-handed to his name which is a plus. 

Venetia Williams trained Teeton Mill to win this back in 1998 and if L’Homme Presse brings his best form to the table, there is possibility she will lift the trophy again all these years later. The conclusion about him is that the general 9/4 on offer, being the current second-favourite, seems a fair price about his chances. 

Hitman and Frodon cannot be taken lightly 

Whilst Paul Nicholls’ main hopeful is Bravemansgame, ridden by Harry Cobden, he could be joined by stablemates Hitman and Frodon. Hitman, who’s available at 9/2, is only six and has achieved quite a lot in that time plus he is only rated four-pounds lower than the former and has more to come. 

He is going into unknown territory over three-miles but his Ditcheat-based handler is convinced he’s ready for the step up in trip which could unlock further improvement and the way he powered through the line to score in good style at Haydock last time was impressive. 

While his opponents were entitled to finish behind him last time, he won by 11 lengths and looked as though he would relish a step up in trip. 

Sam Twiston-Davies, who rode Clan Des Obeaux to victory in the first of his two wins in this race previously, has been booked to ride in spite of Harry opting to stick with the favourite and his mount surely has to enter the reckoning here. 

Frodon would probably need a new personal best to regain his crown but you can never write off this wonderful servant who is a fan favourite and wears his heart on his sleeve. 

He was a distant 4th in this 12 months ago. Horses older than nine tend to struggle to win but I thought he ran quite well in the Betfair Chase to finish 3rd considering the track doesn’t play to his strengths. 

This race might cut up to six or seven runners but if you can get three places, which is possible on the day with some firms unless eight or more are declared, he might be the value angle to reach the frame at 16/1. 

As is normally the case, horses who have won or run well in this before have a tendency to keep running well in this race and given his trainers wonderful record in this, he is hard to rule out, especially if Bryony Frost can get herself fit to ride him.

Envoi Allen an interesting participant for the Irish 

At one stage in his career, it looked like Envoi Allen (8/1), had the world at his feet and he would never get beaten having won his first 11 starts for former trainer by Gordon Elliott. 

He has met a few bumps in the road since those days though, ever since he took an uncharacteristic fall in the Marsh Novices’ Chase 2021 (now the Turners) when sent off 4/9 favourite. 

However, this two-time Cheltenham Festival winner has still managed to chalk up two Grade 1 events for Henry de Bromhead and took his Grade 1 wins to seven in total when winning the Champion Chase at Down Royal on his return. 

He jumped, travelled and found loads when challenged to see off a decent field, though his chances were assisted by Galvin who underperformed, plus Conflated and Kemboy needed their return too. Even so, the eight-year-old looked back to something near his best and looks tailor-made for this race. 

He ran well to finish 3rd in last season’s Champion Chase over an inadequate trip and I have always thought he would be a better horse over three-miles. 

This three-time Grade 1-winning chaser over fences has clearly been aimed at this event and given his back-class and the fact he’s still only eight with his limit not yet reached, this talented Irish raider could be a big player. 

Value Ante-Post bets for the King George

Given the bullish reports from the de Bromhead team, I cannot help but feel as though ENVOI ALLEN (best price 8/1) has a great each-way chance when factoring in his obvious class which has seen him win Grade 1 events in his career to date.

He should be suited to the way this race will be run and connections wouldn’t be coming over to the UK with him for this event without good reason. He should also really like the flat track and he’s ground-versatile, so at an each-way price he makes plenty of appeal here.

As a second option, however, Nicholls’ HITMAN (best price 9/2) could relish his first try at three-miles against his stable companions. The fact that Paul is supplementing him for this on his first go over this trip gives you confidence he will stay as the champion trainer rarely gets these decisions wrong.

This six-year-old is yet to finish out of the frame in all completed starts for the champion trainer and has lots of graded form to his name for a youngster.

Sam Twiston-Davies takes the ride too, who rode Clan Des Obeaux to victory in the first of his two wins in the race, and his presence can only be recognised as a positive towards his chances.