2013 King George Chase Thread

[mayo]

If I have missed please merge.

Done me conkers on Simonsig antepost but think Al Ferof might do it for the greys. Views?

[Yeehaa]

Al ferof is the pricewise tip.

[mayo]

Wonder if Sprinter missing out yesterday may bring Simonsig back into play?

Hardly going to run both Simonsig and Sprinter in the Victor Chandler so needs to find another race for one of them. The Desert Orchid is another option.

[Yeehaa]

Hobbs going to run one of Menorah/Captain Chris.

"There's a lot of talk about him needing the run. I'm sure he will come on for it, but he did win first time out at Ascot (last season) and he's just a very big horse," he said.

"If everything goes well, he will probably go to the King George."

Hobbs also has Menorah in the Kempton reckoning, although the eight-year-old is unlikely to lock horns with his stablemate.

Off the track since finishing second to Champion Court at Cheltenham in April, Hobbs has an alternative date in mind for Menorah.

"Menorah will run in the King George if Captain Chris doesn't," he said. "There's a new two-and-a-half-mile chase at Kempton in January that he could run in otherwise."

[Old Vic]

How many wil actually run ?

7 fairly definite

Cue Card
Dynaste
Al Ferof
Silvi Conti
Captain Chris or Menorah
Long Run
Mount Benbullen

------------
Couldn't be sure of anything else looking at Betfair ?

No Rides for AP, Ruby or Geraghty ?

[mayo]

racing post youtube preview

[1833]

Al Ferof for me. Hasn't really done anything wrong in his career apart from flattening one in the Arkle. Nicholls know how to win this too

[Old Vic]

The trainer said: "Captain Chris has come out of the Peterborough Chase very, very well indeed, so we definitely intend to run him and we're probably going to leave Menorah in as well. We'll see about him nearer the time.

"For Captain Chris it's only a two-week gap. He couldn't run in the Amlin Chase, so we lost a bit of time, but the signs are very good. The handicapper's dropped him 4lb, so he thinks he performed below par, but I'm not sure he did. Maybe the run would have brought him on anyway."

[Yeehaa]

Soft ground slog going to suit the french breds ?

How it used to be when Doumen owned the race. Kauto a frenchie too .

Al Ferof or Lond Run por moi.

[Yeehaa]

Al Ferof tipped by Tony McFadden from Timeform

It could be worth keeping things simple when assessing this year's King George. Cue Card is Timeform's second highest-rated horse in training, inferior only to the truly exceptional Sprinter Sacre; he is a worthy favourite. Al Ferof hasn't quite hit the same heights but that could be down to opportunity rather than ability. Free of injury and faced with three miles for the first time, Al Ferof is expected to take a significant step forward and launch a stern challenge. At twice the odds of Cue Card he offers the value.*

[Yeehaa]

And Alex hammond

Regardless of all of that, I'm a big fan of Al Ferof. The grey came back from injury with a win in an uncompetitive race at Ascot, but at least that showed us that all was well with him physically and mentally. That race appeared to take little out of him so he should still be fresh and well for this. His trainer Paul Nicholls has a couple of chances to take this prize as he also runs Silviniaco Conti who was third in that Betfair Chase behind Cue Card and Dynaste. He was second here in the Feltham a couple of years ago so the track holds no fears. The rain that has been around will be right up his street as it will make this more of a test of stamina and he should have improved for his Haydock outing.

[1833]

Captain Chris ruled out.

[1833]

Kauto Star and a few others

[Old Vic]

DEcs and links to individual horse tracker threads with video form

3 112-31 Cue Card33 7 11-10 Colin Tizzard67 Joe Tizzard 174 117 184
9 11F3-3 Silviniaco Conti33 7 11-10 Paul Nicholls50 Noel Fehily 173 159 179
4 1121-2 Dynaste33 7 11-10 David Pipe30 Tom Scudamore 169 131 179
6 13P22- Menorah253 8 11-10 Philip Hobbs67 Richard Johnson 169 166 176
1 43/1-1 Al Ferof33 8 11-10 Paul Nicholls50 Daryl Jacob 168 141 176
5 132-54 Long Run33 v1 8 11-10 Nicky Henderson50 Mr S Waley-Cohen 168 88 178
8 646-1 Riverside Theatre14 hb1 9 11-10 Nicky Henderson50 Barry Geraghty 163 154 172
7 4141-U Mount Benbulben54 8 11-10 Gordon Elliott42 Danny Mullins 160 134 165
2 251-72 Champion Court14 8 11-10 Martin Keighley83 Ian Popham 157 159 165

[Old Vic]

Ruby Walsh tips Cue Card on his Paddy Power blog.

I know there haver been whispers about his well-being but if I had the choice I’d love to ride Cue Card in the King George VI Chase on December 26th.

The King George is either a mid-season highlight in the UK or an end-of-year finale – depending on your point of view. But whatever way you slice it – it’s still a cracking race.

I’ve heard some pundits say that Cue Card disappointed in the race last year. Anyone can be forgiven an off day.

I was impressed by his win at Haydock last month and he proved he’s plenty of pace by winning last year’s Ryanair Chase at Cheltenham over 2m 5f. But his pedigree screams stamina to me. He looks the perfect type for Kempton and I think he’ll uphold the form with Dynaste.

David Pipe’s runner was a run-away winner of last season’s Feltham Chase and is a genuine Grade One horse. But I just can’t see where he will make up the ground to reverse the form with Cue Card. Silviniaco Conti may well improve on his run at Haydock behind the pair but that might just be enough to get him past Dynaste.

If there’s a potential Cheltenham Gold Cup winner in the field then Silviniaco Conti could be it. The stiffer test at Cheltenham might suit him best. Gordon Elliott sends Mount Benbulben over from Ireland but jumping has been his achilles heel in the past. Kempton’s fast, flat-track doesn’t reward poor jumping.
Al mighn’t be Ferof

I would have ridden last season’s Paddy Power Gold Cup winner Al Ferof if I had still been riding for Paul Nicholls. He could give Cue Card most to do.

They’ve crossed paths before and there’s very little between them.

Cue Card was a 40/1 shot when beating Al Ferof in the 2010 Champion Bumper at Cheltenham
Al Ferof won the Supreme Novices the following year with Cue Card back in fourth.
Neither could match Sprinter Sacre in the 2012 Arkle but Cue Card finished second to Al Ferof’s fourth.

Their careers have gone in different directions since but Cue Card has won a Grade One chase over 3m. Al Ferof has hinted he could do the same – Cue Card just gets the nod.