Ladbrokes King George VI Chase preview: Horse-by-horse tips

BLACK OP

Tom George's Grade One winning novice hurdler is yet to scale the same heights over fences and was a shade disappointing when finishing ninth in the Ladbrokes Trophy at Newbury last month.

The scopey son of Sandmason achieved a reasonable level of form as a novice last season, including when chasing home Slate House in the Grade One Kauto Star Novices' Chase over this course and distance last December. However, he has plenty to find with the principals in this and it's hard to see him playing a major role.

CLAN DES OBEAUX

Dual King George VI Clan Des Obeaux won last year's renewal by no fewer that 21 lengths and clearly saves his very best efforts for this place.

The eight-year-old made a solid return to action when chasing home the Haydock loving grey Bristol De Mai in the Betfair Chase last month. His conqueror that day was aided by his ideal conditions and although Paul Nicholls was adamant that his charge was fitter than ever before his seasonal reappearance, the top-class son of Kapgarde was always going to improve for that outing with this race being his major target for the entire season.

The presence of multiple rivals who like to race prominently suggests that stamina will very much come into play on Boxing Day which may well favour Clan Des Obeaux given that his chief market rival, stablemate Cyrname, will have no hiding place and needs to see out every yard of the trip.

CYRNAME

He was perhaps feeling the effects of his titanic tussle with Altior when chasing home Clan Des Obeaux in 2019 and will attempt to avenge that defeat after proving his stamina for the trip in the Bet365 Charlie Hall Chase at Wetherby.

The highest-rated horse in training ran out a comfortable winner in October and has had plenty of time to prepare for this contest. He also proved that he doesn't have to lead at the West Yorkshire track which provides Harry Cobden with some tactical flexibility.

Clearly this will be a much sterner test than he faced at Wetherby. However, we know that he is ultra-effective on right-handed tracks and has been brought to the boil for this contest, as opposed to last year when he had to be fully wound-up in November. Clearly a huge player, he may be about to announce his arrival at the top of the staying division.

FRODON

It's fair to say that there aren't many horses in training who are more popular than 2019 Ryanair Chase hero, who demonstrated that the fire still burns as brightly as ever when defying a mark of 164 over three-miles-and-one-furlong at Cheltenham's Showcase Meeting in October.

Subsequent easy Ladbrokes Trophy scorer Cloth Cap was back in third on that occasion and I would be inclined to put a line through his subsequent disappointing effort in the Many Clouds Chase at Aintree as he was undoubtedly inconvenienced by the dolling-off of fences - just as he was in the 2019 Old Roan Chase at the same track.

Winner of the 2019 Cotswold Chase at Cheltenham, Frodon certainly seems to stay better these days and is another contender who could go very well under an attacking ride. However, there is a suspicion that he may be vulnerable to a stouter-staying rival in this grade.

LOSTINTRANSLATION

He was sent for wind surgery after pulling-up in this contest last year and bounced back with a hugely creditable third placed finish in the Magners Cheltenham Gold Cup in a week during which the Tizzard horses notably failed to fire.

However, last year's Betfair Chase winner faded tamely in defence of that prize last month and the form of his stable as a whole has been puzzling this autumn. We know that he is a very classy operator on his day and clearly possesses the ability to make his presence felt if returning to the peak of his powers but he has a few questions to answer now.

MONALEE

The Irish raider was beaten a head in the Grade One Savills Chase at Leopardstown last December before running a mighty race to place fourth in the Magners Cheltenham Gold Cup when again displaying both his relentless determination and deep reserves of stamina.

Henry De Bromhead's nine-year-old could only finish third behind a race-fit Presenting Percy and a well-supported Kemboy on his seasonal reappearance at Thurles last month. However, the son of Milan often improves significantly for his seasonal bow and his prominent style of running could see him go very well at a track that often rewards fluent fencing.

REAL STEEL

Real Steel ran a very eye-catching race when travelling with menace to the penultimate fence in March's Magners Cheltenham Gold, only to empty on the hill and eventually finish sixth behind Al Boum Photo. It was an effort that suggested that three miles on a flat track may suit him ideally and, having been transferred from Willie Mullins to Paul Nicholls during the summer, he is most certainly in the right yard in regards to this race.

The talented seven-year-old was no match for the deeply progressive Imperial Aura on his seasonal reappearance in Grade Two company at Ascot last month but there is no shame in that effort as Kim Bailey's exciting Cheltenham Festival winner had the benefit of a run and is now vying for Ryanair Chase favouritism alongside this year's winner Min.

Real Steel boasts form-figures over fences of 1121141P3 on right-handed tracks in comparison to F66 going left-handed. He's an intriguing contender in this.

SAINT CALVADOS

Saint Calvados missed his intended seasonal reappearance after developing septicemia from an infection. However, he boasts form-figures of 111312 following an absence of 56 days or more so being fresh is not an issue for him.

Clearly connections wouldn't dream of pitching their Ryanair Chase runner-up into such competitive company if they weren't 110% sure that he was ready for such a race. However, any slight setback rates a huge negative in this company and he is yet to race beyond an extended two-miles-and-four-furlongs. Others make more appeal.

SANTINI

Clearly connections felt that is was worth stumping-up the supplementary fee for last season's Gold Cup runner-up at the five-day stage, which is interesting given that they have often stressed that a course such as Kempton would not play to his strengths.

His third placed effort in the 2018 Kauto Star Novices' Chase certainly seemed to confirm that theory but maybe his team have taken into account the likely pace in this race and feel that it is worth chancing their arm.

Santini fell victim to Lake View Lad in the Many Clouds Chase on his seasonal reappearance at Aintree although it's hard to know what to make of that contest given the sheer number of dolled-off fences. Clearly the Seven Barrows inmate is a top-class stayer and his presence should not be overlooked.

WAITING PATIENTLY

Connections of Waiting Patiently decided to side-step Sandown's Tingle Creek Chase and instead head to Kempton fresh, in the hope that their charge can prove his effectiveness over this trip having only once raced beyond two-miles-and-five-furlongs, when being badly hampered and unseating Brian Hughes early on in this very contest in 2018.

Ruth Jefferson's talented nine-year-old has only visited the racetrack three times since, achieving form-figures of 233 in competitive Grade One heats. He is undoubtedly an interesting proposition over this three-mile trip and could easily have have plenty more to offer with just 13 starts to his name in a career that stretches back to the autumn of 2015.

Obviously Waiting Patiently has had his problems but he displayed his class when landing the Grade One Ascot Chase in 2018 and his form-figures after a break of 52 days or more read 1111U23 so don't let a 385-day absence put you off.

VERDICT:

The presence of Frodon and Monalee virtually guarantees that this race will be run a true gallop, which will naturally place an increased emphasis on stamina. That isn't sure to suit Cyrname, who will face a much sterner examination of his than he did at Wetherby, for all that he won comfortably on that occasion.

However it will suit his Kempton loving stablemate CLAN DES OBEAUX, who ran out a ready winner of this contest in both 2018 and 2019 and looks the one to beat once more.

Paul Nicholls eight-year-old always improves markedly for his seasonal reappearance an given his dislike for Cheltenham, this is his major target this season. He'll be trained to the minute.

Santini is an intriguing contender given that connections felt it worthwhile stumping-up the supplementary fee. However, this track is clearly far from ideal and he hasn't been trained with this race in mind, which does temper enthusiasm.

Real Steel could be well suited by the conditions of this race and makes the most appeal of those at bigger prices.