Ladbrokes King George VI Chase preview and tips: Horse by horse guide to Kempton feature

Ladbrokes King George VI Chase

When: 2.30, Tuesday December 26

Where: Kempton Park

First prize: £142,375

Going: Good to soft

TV: ITV & Racing TV

ALAHO

• Trainer: W P Mullins
• Form: 21111/1

Brilliant in recording back-to-back victories in the Ryanair Chase before missing the majority of last season following a setback. Reappearance win in the Clonmel Oil taught us nothing new and he ran around a stone below his peak Timeform figure but there’s a chance he can get back to it with that outing under his belt and they might not see which way he goes if he does.

BRAVEMANSGAME

• Trainer: P F Nicholls
• Form: 1123-22

Last year’s winner of the race and Paul Nicholls was making bullish noises earlier in the week ahead of this ‘home fixture’. The worry is he hasn’t been at his very best so far this campaign at Wetherby and Haydock and he’ll need to be right on his A Game to repel the Irish raiders.

FRODON

• Trainer: P F Nicholls
• Form: 33539-3

Won this in 2020 and fourth and third in the last two renewals but nothing in his recent form would suggest he’s about to roll back the years and bring the house down again on Boxing Day.

GERRI COLOMBE

• Trainer: G Elliott
• Form: 11121-1

Will he or won’t he run? Connections have seemed in two minds in the build-up but he’s the second season chaser on the upgrade and did well to win on his Down Royal reappearance given how the race developed. Would need to improve again if Allaho is on-song but there’s every chance he will although clearly there’s something at the back of someone's mind about Kempton not being his ideal track.

HEWICK

• Trainer: J J Hanlon
• Form: U1F1-40

Wonderful servant to connections and a fantastic story in himself but all the evidence points to him being in a tad too deep here.

ROYALE PAGAILLE

• Trainer: Miss V Williams
• Form: 55/26F-1

Outstayed Bravemansgame to win the Betfair Chase at Haydock last time but seemed to find this too much of a speed test when behind the same horse in last year’s King George and probably needs one or two to underperform.

SHISHKIN

• Trainer: N J Henderson
• Form: P/3121-R

You can certainly see the argument he’s overpriced but that’s factoring in his antics at Ascot last month when he refused to jump off in the 1965 Chase. Connections had hoped to give him a spin at Newcastle or Sandown before this but the weather intervened and no they’re reduced to removing the cheekpieces and crossing their fingers. Nicky Henderson had voiced concern about the King George start being positioned in a very similar spot to the one at Ascot too. That said If he does consent to go then he’s a big player.

THE REAL WHACKER

• Trainer: P Neville
• Form: 2/0111-P

Beat Gerri Colombe in game style to land the Brown Advisory at Cheltenam last March – his third successive victory of the campaign at Prestbury Park, a run that also included landing the Dipper. Pulled up in the Paddy Power Gold Cup on his return but was struck into and returned lame. It’s good he’s here but others look more solid.

Conclusion

A fascinating renewal. All eyes at the start will be on Shishkin and his price on the exchanges will collapse if he faces the tape and jumps off with the others, but even if he does he might be forced to play a supporting role.

Bravemansgame has been the subject of glowing reports from his camp this week but needs to leave two slightly dull runs this term behind, Gerri Colombe is the improver but if on-song ALLAHO could blow this apart.

True, the jury is out as to whether he can recapture his brilliant best after last season’s setback but Paul Townend’s decision to head over to England rather than convert a penalty a kick or two at Leopardstown speaks volumes.

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