Kalahari King set to bypass George date
The Middleham handler had been considering the Christmas showpiece for last year’s Arkle runner-up having missed early season targets at Kelso and Huntingdon.
However, Murphy does not want to lock horns with the likes of Kauto Star over a trip further than he has run over before.
“It would be a big ask first time out, especially with Kauto Star, the form he is in and the way he operates around there and Imperial Commander too,” said Murphy.
“There is going to be a mad gallop on so we are not going to do that.
“We’ve had discussions with Musselburgh and they might put on a race in February, an open handicap, and hopefully he’ll run there and that will decide where we’ll go at Cheltenham with him.
“He’s very versatile with regard to trip, otherwise we wouldn’t have entered him in the King George, he jumps so well and you can put him to sleep out the back.
“With Twist Magic winning the Tingle Creek, Big Zeb not firing and Forpadydeplasterer not going on the ground, it threw the Queen Mother open a bit, especially (with) the doubt about Master Minded.
“That makes it exciting for everybody. The ultimate be-all and end-all for two-mile chasers is the Queen Mother and to have one good enough to be competitive is brilliant.
“That is the way we are aiming and the owners are keen too, which makes my job easier,” he told At The Races.
There were no other real surprises among the scratchings for the race, with Voy Por Ustedes, Well Chief and Monet’s Garden taken out too.
A total of 20 remain, including Kauto Star, Imperial Commander, Madison du Berlais and Cooldine.
Totesport have Kauto Star as their 4-6 favourite as he bids for an unprecedented fourth successive victory in the race with Imperial Commander at 6-1 and Madison du Berlais at 7-1.
King George VI Chase – totesport bet: 4-6 Kauto Star, 6-1 Imperial Commander, 7-1 Madison du Berlais, 10-1 Albertas Run, 12-1 Cooldine, 14-1 Nacarat, 16-1 Barbers Shop, 20-1 Schindlers Hunt, 25-1 bar.
