Azertyuiop gets King George call-up

Paul Nicholls has confirmed that Azertyuiop will run in Sunday’s Stan James King George VI Chase at Kempton.

The champion two-mile chaser will step up in trip to tackle the St Stephen's Day feature rather than wait for the Castleford Chase at Wetherby a day later.

The seven-year-old Azertyuiop will be attempting three miles for the first time and he will be partnered by Ruby Walsh.

Walsh had initially been due to partner Le Roi Miguel in the Grade One showpiece but Irish ace Paul Carberry now comes in for the ride.

“The decision to ride Azertyiuop was down to Ruby. I was under the impression he would ride Le Roi Miguel but Andy Stewart (Le Roi Miguel’s owner) has sportingly agreed to allow Ruby to ride the champion chaser,” Nicholls told Teletext.

“I still have the option on Sunday of declaring Azertyuiop for the Castleford Chase at Wetherby on Monday but at the moment he is bound for Kempton along with Le Roi Miguel,” he explained.

Azertyuiop comes into the race on the back of a second to Moscow Flyer in a thrilling finish to the Tingle Creek Chase earlier this month while Le Roi Miguel was an impressive winner of the Peterborough Chase on his last start.

He added: “I must say that both horses are in great form and personally I could not split them.”