Our man at Kempton and Timeform expert David Cleary with his paddock notes and observations after two fascinating days of racing.
I have a friend – no, really – who every year gives me a running commentary on how his Christmas shopping is going. Family are usually all bought for by the end of August, friends not long after and everything is wrapped, labelled and marked for delivery by mid-October at the very latest. Totally baffling.
But then I have always been eager for Christmas to be over, so that Boxing Day can take place and we can enjoy the Ladbrokes King George VI Chase at Kempton, a superb test for a three-mile chaser and one of the finest races in the entire calendar.
The latest running, featuring two previous winners of the race, Clan des Obeaux and Frodon, as well as the Cheltenham Gold Cup winner Minella Indo, promised much but didn't fully deliver. Part of the reason for that was the ground – the only time Kempton gets properly soft is if there is plenty of rain in the day or two before the meeting and that was the case this year. With the exception of Long Run's second win, in 2012, the ground was softer than for any running of thee race since the all-weather track was installed.
The second main factor in the outcome was the tactics. When Frodon won last winter, the expected contest for the lead failed to materialise, Bryony Frost controlling things beautifully, aided by excellent jumping from her partner. This time round, Frodon was taken on by Minella Indo, sporting cheekpieces, somewhat surprisingly, and it did neither of them any good.
Minella Indo was a paddock negative, a bit dull in his coat and starting to get warm as the preliminaries progressed, but his performance was still a shocker. He came off worse when he attempted to eyeball Frodon and was on the retreat with a mile to run. It would be foolish to judge him just on this run, but the fact connections felt the need to try headgear is a worry.
The other main point from the paddock was the well being of Clan des Obeaux and Saint Calvados, both making their reappearance. Both looked in really good shape and on good terms with themselves, and both obviously ran fine races in defeat.
As in 2020, Saint Calvados probably wasn't seen to best advantage. Although he settled better behind a stronger pace, his rider Gavin Sheehan made a rapid forward move to the front four out, which seemed to use energy rather wastefully, though it's possible that Saint Calvados might not have stayed anyway. Either way, he has a big race in him at some stage this season.
The move on Saint Calvados, rather forced Harry Cobden on Clan des Obeaux to go for home earlier than might have been ideal. Clan des Obeaux had had a prep run in the three previous seasons before running in the King George; this time he was having his first outing since the spring. Paul Nicholls rued the rain afterwards, and perhaps Clan des Obeaux, first time up, would have seen the race out better on less testing ground.
The race, of course, was a Mullins triumph. Trainer Willie would certainly have had the one-two had Asterion Forlonge not fallen at the last – his tendency to get in close to a fence a constant worry at this level – and jockey Danny timed his move to perfection on the unconsidered winner Tornado Flyer.
This was a career-best, obviously, from a horse that hadn't appeared to stay three miles when tried last season. The way Tornado Flyer finished the race would encourage hopes that he would get the Gold Cup trip, but he was seen to very good advantage and he wouldn't be top of the Gold Cup pecking order on this form.
Although Epatante was back for the Christmas Hurdle – she looked likely to be a fair bit more impressive two out than she was at the line, but that might have been the ground – the chief support on the day seemed likely to be the Kauto Star Novices' Chase. This featured Ahoy Senor and Bravemansgame, first and second in the Sefton over hurdles and both already promising to be even better chasers.
However, having been so impressive at Newbury, Ahoy Senor wasn't able to match that effort. He isn't a totally polished jumper, yet, though the main issue was the pace set, which was a fair bit slower than that Frodon and Minella Indo set in the King George an hour later. Given that he won both the Sefton and at Newbury through galloping his rivals into the ground it was a surprise Derek Fox didn't choose to go faster. It's still very early days with Ahoy Senor, however, and hopefully he will be back on track next time.
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Bravemansgame would have been a hard nut to crack, even so. A rangy, athletic sort who was on his toes beforehand, Bravemansgame is much more the finished article in terms on how he goes about things. His jumping is slicker than Ahoy Senor's and he showed more speed when required. Which one will prove the better in the long term is still an open question.
The main draw on the second day of the meeting was obviously the Desert Orchid Chase and the reappearing Shishkin. He looked as if there was a bit to work on beforehand and there was a brief moment going to three out when he needed to be reminded what he was required to do. However, the response was excellent and the manner in which he made the Tingle Creek winner Greanateen and a pair of good handicappers in Sky Pirate and Before Midnight look pedestrian was impressive, though without being in any way flashy. Energumene might trouble him, not sure anything else will.
Finally, the introductory juvenile hurdle is worth a mention. This featured a couple of once-raced winners from France and a handful of above-average Flat recruits. Both the winners, Illico des Places and Iceo were wearing hoods first time and it was clear why. Illico des Places, who was the best type in the field, was geed up beforehand and way too free in the race; it will take plenty of work to channel his ability more fruitfully.
Iceo isn't such an impressive sort, physically, but he clearly has bags of ability, almost as free as the leader but the only one in the field to see the race out. Quite what the form is worth is hard to say, as most of the ex-Flat runners were facing a completely new test, involving jumping, more emphasis on stamina and much softer ground. However, it's probably wiser to go high than low in evaluating the performance.
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Discover Sporting Life Plus BenefitsOf the ex-Flat runners, Restitution would be the one to take from the race. He has a fair bit about him physically and he shaped at least as well as the runner-up Rewired, just paying for a move in the back straight to cover the leaders. He's likely to reach at least the level over hurdles that he did on the Flat.