Boxing Day racing preview: Betfair ambassador Paul Nicholls on his team

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Kempton

12:40 - Flic Ou Voyou

He won three on the bounce before running probably a career best at Haydock last time when he would have gone close again in a decent race but for a costly mistake at the second last. The winner has franked the form since and I expect Flic Ou Voyou to go well again at a track that will suit him.

13:15 - Getareason

He has been knocking on the door in two starts since joining us and I tend to blame myself for running him a bit too soon at this course after his promising debut for us at Sandown. I’d say he has a good chance with a bit of cut in the ground in a competitive race.

13:50 - Enrilo

He was always going to make a chaser, is progressing well over fences and won tidily over this trip at Exeter last time early in November. Enrilo might have a few pounds to find on some of these because he hasn’t run since then but I’ve deliberately kept him for this race as he is brilliant fresh. He could easily be a lot better than his currrent mark of 140 and with ifs and buts about some of his opponents I think he has a great chance with Shan Blue the one to beat.

14:25 - Diego Du Charmil

He has been running consistently well in these top hurdle races, picking up decent prize money, but he is a hard horse to place and is obviously up against it here having to give 7lbs to the Champion Hurdler Epatante.

15:00 - Clan Des Obeaux

I’ve won this great race eleven times and am hoping to make it twelve on Saturday with four contenders which is the most I’ve ever run in the King George. Clan Des Obeaux has won it in style for the past two years and comes here with every chance of completing the hat-trick. While it looked as though he had a hard race in heavy ground when second to Bristol de Mai in the Betfair Chase at Haydock he has come out of it very well. It was as good as he has ever run first time up, he looks great and is definitely ready to go.

It’s fair to say Clan had a better preparation than Cyrname ahead of last year’s King George when he beat him by twenty one lengths. This time Cyrname has had the better preparation and the way I see it there is nothing between them going to Kempton.

15:00 - Cyrname

He wasn’t right last season in several ways after his stirring defeat of Altior in their epic duel at Ascot. Both horses gave their all that day and were not the same afterwards. So this season I was keen to run him at the end of October to ensure that he had a nice break of nine weeks or so before Kempton. I was thrilled with his impressive victory in the Charlie Hall Chase at Wetherby where he jumped as straight as an arrow and sprinted up the run in with his head in his chest.

He has had a fantastic preparation for the King George compared to last year and is a totally different horse this time. People seem to want to crab Cyrname but I couldn’t be happier with him, he’s bouncing at home and he goes to Kempton in top shape. He is bound to run a big race and will certainly not be beaten twenty one lengths.

I can’t split Clan and Cyrname to the point that if you gave me £500 to back one of them I wouldn’t know what to do.

15:00 - Frodon

He has been a fabulous flagship for the yard and achieved a career best with a superb victory at Cheltenham two months ago. You can put a line through his last run at Aintree because jumping is his greatest asset and they took out all the fences in the straight. Although he loves Kempton and seems in good form I suspect he has it all to do against his two stable companions.

15:00 - Real Steel

I felt he needed the run at Ascot in November on his debut for us and has improved for it. He should enjoy the track at Kempton and if you look at replays of last year’s Gold Cup he moved up there going as well as any of them on the run to the last fence before fading out of things on the hill as his stamina ebbed away. So three miles round Kempton should be ideal for Real Steel who could well run into a place.

15:35 - Ecco

He got lucky last time at Doncaster when he was awarded the race when the winner weighed in light. But it was still a good run by Ecco whose jockey Lorcan Williams suggested he wants further which is why we are now stepping him up in trip. He ran tidily on this day a year ago and is on the same mark as at Doncaster.

15:35 - Switch Hitter

He won gamely at this track early in November from Malinello who then hacked up next time. Switch Hitter looks nicely handicapped off a mark of 123 and is a likely contender in this but he does want good ground so I am hoping they don’t get too much rain at Kempton.

Wincanton

12:59 - Cill Anna

She is a lovely mare who progressed well last season over hurdles but has found ground conditions against her in two starts this campaign. She is one of mine who loves the mud and as a point-to-point winner she wants to go chasing. Her schooling has been good ahead of this first start over fences and I expect her to go close.

14:45 - Southfield Harvest

He’s a nice prospect who was keeping on stoutly on his seasonal debut when beaten three lengths by Shang Tang at Ascot. I thought it was a terrific run by Southfield Harvest who just needed the outing and is better off with Shang Tang this time with Lorcan Williams also claiming a handy 3lbs allowance. It should be much closer between them at Wincanton.

15:50 - Kandoo Kid

Going to Ascot he wasn’t as sharp as some of my bumper horses this season so I was delighted to see him lead two out there and keep on to be a close fourth. He learned plenty from the experience just over a month ago, has improved for it and is bound to go well.

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