Confident Taaffe banking on a kicking King George
The six-year-old was the impressive winner of the John Durkan Memorial Punchestown Chase last time out to earn his position at the top of the betting for the Kempton race, for which 13 stood their ground at yesterday’s final declaration stage.
“There should be loads of pace so we’d have no complaints. If they go a gallop I would be very happy,” Taaffe said.
“We’ll ride him according to the way the race is run on the day.
“Some of the papers say he’s got to make it, but he never has to make it. He was held up in the middle in the Arkle (when second to Well Chief).
“I’m sure if there is plenty of pace there will be no need to be up there, but if there isn’t he might be up there.”
It was only on Wednesday afternoon that Nicholls decided to let Azertyuiop take his chance in the King George rather than Wetherby’s skybet.com Castleford Chase the following day.
Nicholls said: “It just seemed the obvious thing to do with the weather forecast. At the moment the ground is decent at Kempton and while it’s like that we’ll go.”
Nicholls also runs Le Roi Miguel.
The six-year-old, who had a breathing operation over the summer, easily took the Peterborough Chase on his return at Huntingdon last time but his jockey that day, Ruby Walsh, has opted to ride his stable companion.
Paul Carberry has stepped in for the ride on Le Roi Miguel, who ran in the King George last year.
Henrietta Knight has taken out triple Cheltenham Gold Cup winner Best Mate, who is due to run at Leopardstown on Tuesday, as well as Impek, and is set to rely on last year’s winner Edredon Bleu.
Francois Doumen runs First Gold, who has a good record in the race, having won it in 2000, finished fourth the following year and third last season.
Champion trainer Martin Pipe, who has yet to win a King George, runs Seebald, Therealbandit and last year’s runner-up Tiutchev.
Timmy Murphy had a seven-day suspension reduced to one day at the Jockey Club today, leaving the rider available to take the mount on Therealbandit.
Richard Johnson, who had been on standby, will partner Tiutchev.
Nicky Henderson also has two runners, with Calling Brave and Fondmort in the line-up.
Victor Dartnall has decided to let Lord Sam, who was just a length behind Calling Brave at Sandown, take his chance.
Ex-hunter chaser Kingscliff faces a stiff task on his first start since finishing second to Artic Jack in the Peter Marsh Chase at Haydock in January.
The field is completed by Mark Pitman’s rank outsider Hot Shots.
