Best Mate poised to take his revenge in Sunbury showdown
Last year's runner-up Best Mate is the hot favourite to go one better in the £150,000 contest at the Sunbury track after taking the Tote Cheltenham Gold Cup and the McCallum Corporate Consulting Peterborough Chase on his two subsequent starts.
The Henrietta Knight-trained seven-year-old impressed on his reappearance in the Peterborough in November, turning in a great round of jumping to romp home.
The gelding was immediately promoted to favourite for the King George after his eight-length victory over French challenger Douze Douze.
Apart from a minor error at the second-last fence Best Mate scarcely put a foot wrong unlike his French rival who made a series of jumping errors.
At the time Miss Knight remarked. "This is not really his ideal course. He really wants a stiffer test with a bit of a hill to climb.
"If the ground is all right he will go to Kempton for the King George. But last year it took two months to get him right after Kempton because it was a bit jarring."
Brian Clifford, Kempton's clerk of the course, has predicted good to soft ground for the big day so there should be no going worries for Best Mate's connections this time.
Best Mate has recently pleased connections with a workout away from Miss Knight's Wantage stables and is reported "in great form" and he looks a worthy favourite.
Miss Knight, who could also run Lord Noelie, is aware of the task facing her star. She said: "Best Mate and Lord Noelie are both well. I don't think a victory is clear cut and it will be a very competitive race. Bacchanal will pose a big threat as well as Native Upmanship and Florida Pearl.
"I think Douze Douze could run a big race over three miles."
French trainer Guillaume Macaire has confirmed Douze Douze on target for the King George.
"It's logical to think that Douze Douze has improved from the Peterborough which was his first contact with British jump racing," he said.
Douze Douze will meet Best Mate on 10lb worse terms in the King George and the task of reversing places may be beyond him.
Bacchanal, third in last year's King George, could be a big danger having boosted his claims with a successful reappearance over hurdles at Newbury and his trainer Nicky Henderson could also run Marlborough.
"You know why we were here today, it was to give him a run," said Henderson after watching Bacchanal trounce Indian Emperor by five lengths. "But what a way to do it!
"His time chasing has taught him how to jump hurdles better but you are never going to stop him from going right occasionally. It's just what he does.
"The plan is to go for the King George as it is the big chase that I think he has the best chance of winning. The right-handed track obviously helps him.
"We will be praying for rain all the way, the softer it is the better the chance he has."
Bacchanal has recently been schooling particularly well on the Lambourn gallops.
"The one risk at Newbury was that by running him over hurdles we might be undoing his jumping," Henderson said.
"But, in fact, since then you've never seen him jump better.
"The King George is probably going to be his Gold Cup. He cannot make it enough of a test and soft ground is crucial to him.
"If it came up soft he would have a chance of taking the speed out of Best Mate.
"He's still got to jump, still got to get it right jumping is less natural to him than it is to Best Mate.
"Mick's got to get him into a rhythm and a roll. If he does then I think we've got a chance."
Native Upmanship booked his ticket for Kempton by winning the John Durkan Memorial Chase for the second time in three years at Punchestown.
Patiently ridden by Conor O'Dwyer, the 5-4 shot quickened nicely approaching the home-straight to defeat Rince Ri by three lengths and First Gold another length and a half back in third.
"If I have Native Upmanship as well as Kempton I'll be happy," said trainer Arthur Moore.
Moore had little hesitation in nominating the trip to Kempton for his stable star.
He said: "It is lovely to have one good enough to go there with a chance. He will like the ground and the track at Kempton."
Native Upmanship has never won over the King George trip of three miles and at this level his lack of stamina may give way.
The same comment could also apply to champion two-miler Flagship Uberalles whose presence in the field will add further spice to an already intriguing contest.
An early mistake ruined Flagship Uberalles' chance of recording a fourth successive victory in the Tingle Creek Trophy earlier this month.
And trainer Philip Hobbs said: "Flagship Uberalles is in very good form and we hope he'll run a big race. We'll have to see whether he stays three miles as he's never run over that distance before.
"He's absolutely fine after his fall at Sandown we thought he'd be stiff because he went right down. It's a shame because he doesn't have many runs a year.
"If he'd won the Tingle Creek at Sandown Park he'd have gone straight for the Champion Chase, but now he needs a run and so he'll go to Kempton."
Last year's King George winner Florida Pearl had a hard race when fourth on his reappearance at Down Royal in November and was then forced to miss an intended engagement in the John Durkan Punchestown Chase having disappointed in a gallop, after which he did not scope clean. But Mullins now reports his stable star in "great form" and he looks sure to go well.
In conclusion the King George looks a rematch between last year's principals.
A back-to-form Florida Pearl will take all the beating but he may just lack the sharpness to peg back a super-fit Best Mate, who can take his revenge and land this prestigious contest for Miss Knight's Wantage stable.
