All systems go at Kempton
Kempton clerk of the course Barney Clifford reports the track to be in good nick as preparations continue apace for Saturday’s William Hill King George VI Chase.
The Grade One showpiece has been held over since Kempton were forced to abandon their two-day Christmas fixture due to the cold snap.
That delay meant Paul Nicholls’ Kauto Star has had to wait three more weeks to bid for a fifth success in the three-mile race, but all is set fair for his record-breaking challenge.
“It’s good to soft, soft in places at the moment. We’ve had 31 millimetres of rain in the last 72 hours, but we’ve now been dry since yesterday afternoon,” Clifford said this afternoon.
“The forecast is a little unsettled for this week with about three bands of rain due to move through with a possible 15-25mm of rain forecast over the entire week.
“That would really just keep us where we are at the moment, or perhaps it might just go soft, good to soft in places but I’m really pleased with the condition of the track.
“To be honest, we were starting to get a bit quick as we had nine centimetres of snow on the track but that equates to 9mm of rain when it’s all melted which isn’t really a lot.
“There is a six-metre strip of fresh ground that hasn’t been raced on since last February to use so the track is in good shape.”
The race has been delayed once before in recent years, with the 1995 running actually taking place at Sandown on January 6, 2006.
Officials at Kempton were eager to keep the race themselves this time, however, and the scheduled Lanzarote Hurdle card provided an ideal opportunity.
“The King George really is the iconic race at Kempton so it was important to us that it was run here,” Clifford explained.
“I know the three-week delay was not ideal but it was very important to all involved that the race was reprogrammed here.
“It looks like being an excellent race too, not least with Kauto Star going for his fifth win.
“The delay may have just helped Long Run a little as the ground is a bit easier now and while Planet Of Sound prefers better going, he can handle the soft too.
“It looks like being a great race.”
