Allaho, Gerri Colombe and final yr’s winner Bravemansgame are amongst eight confirmations for the Ladbrokes King George VI Chase at Kempton on Boxing Day.
Willie Mullins sprang a shock within the race two years in the past with Twister Flyer however that was his first triumph within the race since Florida Pearl in 2001 and in Allaho he has robust claims of a second success in three years.
A twin Ryanair Chase winner, Allaho was being aimed on the three-mile contest final yr however picked up an damage which dominated him out of the entire marketing campaign. He returned to motion with a win within the Clonmel Oil Chase.
Gerri Colombe has solely met with defeat as soon as in his profession, finally season’s Cheltenham Pageant behind The Actual Whacker, and the 2 may conflict once more, though Gordon Elliott additionally has the choice of working Gerri Colombe within the Savills Chase at Leopardstown on December 28.
Allaho will lead the Irish problem at Kempton
Solely a brief head separated them at Cheltenham however their fortunes have differed wildly since, with Gerri Colombe successful two Grade Ones at Aintree and Down Royal, whereas The Actual Whacker was pulled up within the Paddy Energy Gold Cup – having struck into himself.
Paul Nicholls’ Bravemansgame is and not using a win since his victory 12 months in the past – he went out on his defend within the Cheltenham Gold Cup when second to Galopin Des Champs however has been surprisingly overwhelmed within the Charlie Corridor and Betfair Chase this season.
He will likely be joined by secure companion Frodon, winner of the race in 2020 and third final yr when Royale Pagaille, who can be entered once more for Venetia Williams, was second.
Bryony Frost wins the 2020 King George at Kempton on Frodon
Shark Hanlon’s Hewick can be set to take his likelihood, whereas Shishkin is the unknown amount within the subject after refusing to begin at Ascot just lately. He proved his stamina for 3 miles at Aintree within the spring however the lack of a latest run is a priority for his coach Nicky Henderson, who withdrew his cost from the Combating Fifth Hurdle at Sandown earlier this month as a result of floor.
Henderson mentioned: “I’ve been saying all along I don’t see how you can win a King George without a race and the answer is you can’t. On the other hand, we have got nowhere else to go as there isn’t another race until the Cotswold Chase.
“If I ran him at Sandown I might have bottomed him and he would not go to the King George, so due to this fact I needed to take him residence and run him straight on this.
Shishkin (yellow and black) whips spherical and refuses to race within the 1965 Chase at Ascot
“Having said that he has been going, for him, really well, and his schooling the other morning was fantastic. I’m not going to sit here and tell you he can win a King George, but I do think he can run very well.
“He’s the kind of forgotten particular person within the race, and nobody has talked about him. The one factor I might say is do not decide him on this as a result of I feel it is vitally unfair coming right into a race like this and not using a run.
“It doesn’t mean there aren’t bigger and better things to come. He might run very well and not quite get home [in front].”
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Nico de Boinville says they’ve ‘tried all the things’ to organize Shishkin to begin within the King George
Henderson is assured there will likely be no repeat of his Ascot antics down firstly of the King George after taking steps to make sure an identical situation won’t happen.
The Seven Barrows handler added: “George (Daly, assistant trainer) will go down to the start with him as he knows him really well. We can’t do anything else.
“Charlie Brooks talked about a looking horn, however Barney (Clifford, clerk of the course at Kempton) will not let me rise up a tree and blow it!”
