King George VI Chase - Boxing Day, Kempton

Much as I'd love to see Cue Card win, a 'white Christmas' would be really good for racing as it would make the headlines in a positive way.
 
can still get 11s which is not bad really. would have him around the same price bracket as cue card & conti.
 
If Smad does get to the front, I agree, JamesRB - and I think Ruby will be perfectly happy to take a tow.

FWIW, any residual concerns I may have had about Vautour's stamina, have pretty-much evaporated. He will get the trip easy on breeding, and the way he uses his energy in a race (generally jumping fluently, and easy to settle in front or midfield) makes me think he will be able to go any kind of gallop they try to set.

We'll find out soon enough.
 
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Highly likely Smad will try and use same tactics as the Hennessy. Would be mad not to try it.

Though the likes of Don, Vautour and CC will be smoking their cigars in behind.
 
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"Don Cossack worked very well on Wednesday and I'm really looking forward to running him in the King George," Elliott says.
"He will do one more bit of work and then travel over to Kempton on Wednesday. He has won and run well around Aintree which is a flat track like Kempton so I think it will suit him over there. It is going to be a very competitive race."
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I don't think Smad will be good enough. Honourable 3rd maybe.

Am the opposite of Grassy on Vautour. Hugely positive initially but now only lukewarm after increased doubts about the trip (listening & reading too much stuff most likely…) the unimpressive(ish) reappearance, going right handed and the strength of opposition

Cue Card has gone the other way (had written him off like most) and have bought into “he’s a different horse this year”. Big ew bet with Don the danger
 
All Cue Card's best form is left handed. He won a Victor Chandler at Ascot only because Captain Chris belted one in the straight. He's a very poor price.

I have double figure odds about Conti and have covered on the Don. I feel as confident I can do about collecting on a race I haven't backed the winner of since the 90s.
 
Can't see Cue Card being beaten due to going right handed. I mean he looked home and hosed a couple of years back.
 
10 remain left in.

Al Ferof
Ballynagour
Cue Card
Don Cossack
Irish Cavalier
Road To Riches
Silviniaco Conti
Smad Place
Valseur Lido
Vautour
 
JamesRB said:
can still get 11s which is not bad really. would have him around the same price bracket as cue card & conti.
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As admirable as Smad Place I can't have it that he is of a similar chance to Conti
Just like King had SP primed for Newbury, Nicholls will have Conti right on the money for a track that he loves
He might fall just short of the win but he's the animal to be on outside of the top 2 in the betting imo.
 
Agreed the win looks beyond Conti this time but I'm confident he'll put up a decent show and happy to be on each way at a double figure price. Would like to have seen better from Vautour at Ascot and he looks the most vulnerable of the top 3 to me


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It's very hard to oppose Don Cossack.3rd in the Ryanair in what was one weird race he hasn't put a foot wrong

He slammed Cue Card and followed up by doing the same to the Gold Cup runner up.

He deserves to be heading the market.

Would love to see Cue Card win but history tells us this is not his race and he is vulnerable round here to a strong finisher.

His two wins this season while impressive were against a has been and a never will be I have to by pass him.

Vautour looked really special when winning the JLT and this is a huge jump up in class.

However WMP produced Vautour spot on for the Supreme and then again for the JLT when he put up 2 devastating performances
I can think of no reason why he can't do the same again for his most important test to date.

As much as I love Cue Card I might place lay him

My Idea of the result:

1.Vautour

2. Don Cossack

3 Al Ferof
 
i don't think it's a "huge" jump up in class for vautour. apache stronghold, ptit zig & valseur lido are decent yardsticks and he absolutely thrashed them. the step up is in trip and also for me his ability to show his very best form away from cheltenham, which he may need to if he is to win this.

going back to wpm's comments after the jlt he said it took him all season to get him to peak last year. with that and his iffy ascot re-appearance in mind there's just too many q's for me to back him but unless i decide to back something else i'll be hoping he can show that form again as i think on his day he's got more ability than anything else in the race and could be very special.
 
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Perpetual said:
Exactly, and the year before that he walked through the first
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Cue Card is interesting this year. I wouldn't normally give him a second thought at this stage. However, still not entirely convinced he didn't get home in 13 (most likely I know), but he stopped in a heartbeat then actually held the distance with Conti in last part of race.
If the breathing has made some difference, and his form this season really is to be believed then he could get involved here.

Actually of the two it's Conti I have more reservations about. I know that was his 1st chase start this season last time but he had had a prep over hurdles. Nicholls didn't actually sound like there was more to come. He said he might be able to eek out a little more improvement. Not convinced myself.
 
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Frankel said:
Cue Card is interesting this year. I wouldn't normally give him a second thought at this stage. However, still not entirely convinced he didn't get home in 13 (most likely I know), but he stopped in a heartbeat then actually held the distance with Conti in last part of race.
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Sustained a stress fracture of the pelvis
 
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