What racing fan doesn’t look forward to the William Hill King George VI Chase at Kempton on Boxing Day?
Most racegoers maybe full of mince pies and sherry but they will still show their appreciation of top-class jump racing and the annual battle with bookmakers over cash otherwise destined for the New Year sales.
King George VI Chase History
The King George VI Chase was first run at Kempton in 1937. The race was named in honour of the new King, who himself was an enthusiastic follower of National Hunt racing. But the race didn’t immediately capture the public’s imagination – the first two runnings only attracted four runners and the Second World War then intervened. Kempton Park was used as a POW camp so racing was suspended.
But the King George resumed on Boxing Day, 1947, and has been run on the day after Christmas since, weather permitting. Since 1949, the race has been televised and it’s become one of the jump season’s highlights as a result. It’s the mid-season championship for staying chasers, though the form doesn’t always translate to the Cheltenham Gold Cup in March. Some say that Kempton is an easy course in nature but the King George is a real test of staying power as the ground invariably rides soft on Boxing Day – plenty with stamina limitations have been found wanting in the past.
Past winners include Arkle, Desert Orchid, Wayward Lad, Best Mate and Kauto Star and Silviniaco Conti is bidding to write his name into the record books this year with a third successive victory.
King George VI Chase Trends
This is very much a race for French or Irish-bred chasers. There has not been one ‘home-grown’ winner since the turn of the century which may well count against the well-backed Cue Card (currently a best 4/1). Colin Tizzard claims that his star chaser has benefited from new facilities at his Dorset base and he beat defending champion Silviniaco Conti and Ballynagour in the Betfair Chase at Haydock. Though surely the 9/1 with Paddy Power and others against Silviniaco Conti is too big given his fine record in the King George VI Chase – Ballynagour (as big as 100/1) has had more runs this season than his rivals and looks outclassed.
Vautour (only a best 10/3 with the sponsors), Irish Cavalier (50/1) and Al Ferof (20/1) look worth opposing on stamina grounds. The former has never raced beyond 2m5f and though the latter has finished third in the last two renewals he didn’t really last home on either occasion and is better over shorter and, how 10, is outside the ideal age range – six to nine produces most winners.
Most of the recent winners scored on their previous outing so Ballynagour and Irish Cavalier get crossed out a second time. Silviniaco Conti and Valseur Lido (a best 25/1) were only second last time and the latter is the least fancied of the Willie Mullins runners.
Smad Place (available at 9/1) may have been impressive against handicappers in the Hennessy but has never won a Grade 1 over fences and that is another pre-requisite for the King George V Chase. He will also do well to wrest the lead from Cue Card.
DON COSSACK is the only one who really ticks all the boxes and can be backed at 5/2 with 888sport. He readily picked off Cue Card in the Melling Chase at Aintree in the spring and has won all three starts since with his defeat of Djakadam in the Punchestown Gold Cup now looking a very good run. Gordon Elliott’s charge can lay down a marker for Cheltenham with victory, though he has been disappointing in two previous trips to The Festival.
