King George VI Chase

Grasshopper

Grasshopper

Senior Jockey
Joined
Nov 14, 2006
Messages
16,012
Been having a think about this race the last couple of days, as the market seems a bit of a basket-case to me.

I'll assume that Allaho doesn't go (though Corals & Ladbrokes still quote him - the chiselling gits), and I'm still sceptical about Galopin Des Champs running. I don't think Hitman will go either, as Nicholls will have both BGM and Frodon for the race, and he'll want to use that bullet elsewhere I reckon. So that's two (or three) of the top four in the market I want to be swerving.......and probably all four, as BGM is too short for my tastes at 11/8 - though his chance is obvious.

Protektorat has already been ruled-out by Skelton, I can't have it that Tornado Flyer will have the race fall into his lap again this year, and the track is all against Royal Pagaille - comments which also apply to Ahoy Senor - which rules out another four.

Envoi Allen won what I thought was a very poor Grade 1 in Down Royal, and I think his jumping will come under pressure, with the clip they go in a King George. That's another one ruled-out.

So, I have this whittled down to two runners; L'Homme Presse (BP 15/2) and Eldorado Allen (BP 25/1).

Given the latter's profile, I think he is a solid each-way bet. Whilst he was well-beaten by BMG at Wetherby, he was conceding 3lbs, and never quite managed to get himself into the race, I felt. He is possibly just a bit tripless - not quite fast enough for intermediate G1s, and maybe not a strong enough stayer at 3m and beyond - but Kempton can often suit a horse with that sort of profile. He can jump to his left at times, but it isn't so marked a trait that I'm concerned about it, and he ran a great race to finished second behind Mister Fisher here over 2m4f as a novice. He is thoroughly genuine, will run his race, and I can definitely see him placing.

My main bet will be L'Homme Presse. He is rated right up there with BMG (OR 164), and his three performances going right-handed as a novice last season, were all exemplary - jumping well, and hacking-up each time. Again, he can go a little bit left, but like EA, it's not anything that particularly concerns me. I know he's entered-up everywhere, but I'd actually like Venetia to send him straight to Kempton without a run. He's won FTO from breaks of 773 and 223 days, and whilst this would be a marked step up in class for a season-opener, the horse clearly goes well fresh, and my preference would be for him to do exactly that.

The Payout window is that-a-way. :lol: :thumbsup:
 
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Yeah....maybe....who cares? I wouldn't fancy him in a scrap, even if he did stay 3m. He's won at Haydock as he was entitled to - beating horse rated a stone or more inferior. I'm not at all jazzed about that run.

Nicholls said something like "Harry needs to make up his mind", but for me, there's no way he gets off BGM to ride a horse that's never tried the trip, never been round the track, and has been beaten in all his runs going right-handed (fell once). I can't have him, even if he does run.
 
I heard him say yesterday that he thinks Hitman is a horse who could run in 3 or 4 KG's

I'm going to take the opposite view to you and say that I was really taken with his performance at the weekend and see Kempton suiting him for the benefit that the step up in trip brings

I have a thing for horses who are capable at middling distances but then get better when stepped up - see Sizing John and Kicking King

I don't see Harry getting off but don't see that as enough justification for 6/4 v 7/1
 
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I'm not convinced. Pumpkin is obviously confusing him with Clan Des Obeaux! :lol:

Hitman has basically run to his handicap mark at Aintree, and then more-or-less again at Haydock (maybe a little bit better, but not massively so). I also think he is a bit of a twicer......dominates inferior horses, but always finds one or two too good, when he runs at the top level.

He doesn't win often enough for my tastes either, but each to their own, PJ! :)
 
Twicer is a new word for me

Envoi didn't impress me either and highly unlikely GDC travels

Fun fact - BMG is a year older than Hitman

I do like PFN so won't reference him as Pumpkin (even though it does always make me laugh) - he should of tried Hitman over further earlier
 
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If BMG (11/8f) is the most likely winner of the King George (I don't agree but it's what the market is saying) then it's a sorry state of affairs.

The market appears to have reacted to Mullins's negativity [re coming over] about GDC. He's out to 6s.

Surely there are four or five better than BMG in the field?
 
L Homme Presse and Tornado Flyer the two for me at the moment. Although I haven't backed anything yet.

I'll hopefully see L Homme Presse at Gosforth Park Saturday aswell.
 
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L'Homme Presse must be very doubtful at the price they are offering. Galopin Champs would be evens if he was going to run.

I reckon Evoi Allen has got over what's been bothering him and makes normal improvement after his recent win he is the most likely winner
 
I don't trust Envoi Allen that's for sure.

He's 4/4 at Down Royal, looks to be a completely different horse there to anywhere else.
 
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I wouldn't have minded the chance to cash out or lay back but the bookie never offered the former and the exchange never priced - that I could see - the race.

Oh well, we move on...
 
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This race surely needs L Homme Presse to run to make it the spectacle it rightly deserves to be.

I for one really hope some rain gets to Kempton nearer the time.
 
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Anyone have access to the Racing Post article that recently went up on their site about Galopin? Does Willie give an update on Tornado Flyer aswell?
 
Marb said:
Anyone have access to the Racing Post article that recently went up on their site about Galopin? Does Willie give an update on Tornado Flyer aswell?
Click to expand...

TF out for the season after a setback (2nd hand info but I assume that the person I got it from can read).
 
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