Exceptional eight remain in King George
Although lacking in quantity, the quality could hardly be higher for the Festive highlight as Kauto Star goes for a remarkable fifth victory in the race.
Last year’s winner Long Run, trained by Nicky Henderson, bids to reverse placings with Kauto Star on last month’s run in the Betfair Chase at Haydock.
And Henderson feels it is his job to ‘dethrone Kauto Star’.
“Over the past year we could beat Kauto Star easily, as simple as that,” Henderson told the Guardian.
“But Kauto wasn’t anywhere near his prime in those two races. Now that Paul Nicholls has got him back to his best, and Kauto beat Long Run at Haydock last month, we’re in for one hell of a race.
“Even last year everyone else wanted Kauto to win. We really wrecked the party. That’s why the Haydock reception was phenomenal. People always want the old champion to come back and defeat the young pretender.
“Of course the public might not want me to do it but it’s my job to dethrone Kauto Star.”
Kauto Star’s owner Clive Smith and trainer Paul Nicholls have a second major candidate in Master Minded, with the dual Champion Chase winner stepping up to three miles for the first time in his career.
Henrietta Knight is set to saddle her stable star Somersby, with Diamond Harry representing Nick Williams.
Philip Hobbs’ Arkle winner Captain Chris is another trying three miles for the first time while Nacarat and Golan Way complete the stellar line-up.
Hobbs confirmed Captain Chris a definite runner – as long as the ground does not turn testing.
“He worked very well this morning and I’ve just got to school him tomorrow,” Hobbs told At The Races. “He’ll run providing the ground isn’t soft.”
Hurricane Fly meanwhile remains on target to make his seasonal return over the Festive period as he features among nine preliminary entries for the Istabraq Festival Hurdle at Leopardstown on December 29.
The seven-year-old was unbeaten in five starts for Willie Mullins last season, landing the Irish Champion Hurdle at Leopardstown, the Champion Hurdle at Cheltenham and the Rabobank Champion Hurdle at Punchestown.
He missed his intended seasonal reappearance at Punchestown last month as the champion trainer was not 100% happy with his charge, but a return to the racecourse appears imminent.
In Hurricane Fly’s absence, stablemate Thousand Stars took full advantage to land Punchestown’s Morgiana Hurdle. He is also a possible runner.
Jessica Harrington’s Oscars Well, the Dermot Weld-trained Unaccompanied and Voler La Vedette from the Colm Murphy yard are other major contenders in the two-mile affair – although the latter is also engaged in the woodiesdiy.com Christmas Hurdle over three miles 24 hours earlier.
There are nine entries for that Grade Two event, with So Young, Mourad and Karabak in the mix.
