McCoy: Long Run the one to beat at Kempton
Tony McCoy believes defending champion Long Run will be the one to beat in the William Hill King George VI Chase at Kempton on St Stephen's Day.
Champion jockey McCoy does not have a ride in the race, but did partner Kauto Star in last season’s renewal, where the younger legs of Long Run seized the day in impressive fashion.
Kauto Star gained revenge for that defeat, and a reverse at the hands of Nicky Henderson’s six-year-old in the Cheltenham Gold Cup, when recording an emotional success at Haydock last month.
However, Henderson had been keen to stress Long Run would improve for that run, while Paul Nicholls said beforehand he had Kauto Star trained to the minute.
Speaking in a www.williamhill.com podcast, McCoy said: “It would be nice if I had a ride in the King George, but it’s going to be a good race nonetheless and I’m looking forward to it.
“It’s one of the highlights of the season and this year is no different with Kauto Star, Long Run, Captain Chris and Master Minded. It’s a race to look forward to.
“Long Run was a very good winner last year of the King George and was impressive in doing that. He went and franked the form again in the Gold Cup to prove it was no fluke.
“Kauto’s win in Haydock was a great spectacle for horseracing. He’s been an amazing horse, he’s won four King Georges and is just an absolute superstar.
“There’s no doubt he’s going to give Long Run plenty to do, but I just feel that those Nicky Henderson horses have all been improving for each run that they’ve had and I think Long Run will be no different.
“I saw him schooling (on Friday morning), he jumped fantastic, and as much as Kauto is as good a horse as we’ve ever seen, I just think he has probably got it all to do to beat Long Run again.
“He didn’t jump at all at Haydock and obviously Kauto Star jumped brilliantly. He (Long Run) is probably going to be physically and mentally sharper for having a run at Haydock.
“The way Long Run improved last year from his first run to his second, if he makes the same improvement again – his first run this year was a lot better than his first run last year. If that’s the case he is going to be very hard to beat.
“Kauto Star has been a superstar for racing, a great advert for the sport. He’s probably the best horse that I have seen in my lifetime, he’s something that every racegoer wants to see perform.
“He very rarely lets them down, but I just think Long Run being a six-year-old and him being an 11-year-old, the younger horse might prevail this time.
“It (a Kauto Star win) would be great for horseracing, it would certainly raise the roof. The only people that wouldn’t want to see that is Nicky Henderson and the Waley-Cohens (owners) and that is understandable.
“I think Long Run will probably go head-to-head with Kauto Star – Golan Way is probably a front-runner and will probably try and get in the mix with them, but I think Long Run will be challenging from a very early stage.
“Any horse that wins the Cheltenham Gold Cup has to be the ultimate stayer and I think Long Run will be putting his stamina to good use at Kempton.
“If Kauto Star doesn’t perform, I could see Captain Chris giving Long Run most to do. I’m not sure about the trip for Master Minded, I think the three miles might be beyond him against really good stayers like Kauto Star and Long Run.”
Asked which horse he would like to ride, McCoy said: “You’re heart probably says Kauto Star, but I think the head would say Long Run.”
Barry Geraghty is out to spoil the party for the big two, having picked up the plum spare ride on the Nick Williams-trained Diamond Harry.
The eight-year-old has run just once since winning last season’s Hennessy Gold Cup, when fourth behind Kauto Star and Long Run in the Betfair Chase.
Writing on his At The Races blog, Geraghty said: “It was good to get a the spare ride on Diamond Harry in the King George VI Chase – he’s a horse I’ve seen a bit of as he beat myself and Burton Port in the 2010 Hennessy at Newbury.
“I’m under no illusions about the task in hand but his last run when he was fourth to Kauto Star at Haydock was his first since Newbury and I’m expecting a better performance now. We have solid claims to getting a place – and be ready to pounce on any errors.”
Geraghty is perfectly placed to assess the claims of the Sam Waley-Cohen-ridden Long Run, as he is number one jockey to Henderson.
He said: “As for the winner, well I’m with our ’home’ team and Long Run. Although he was beaten by Kauto Star at Haydock I am convinced that there was a lot of improvement in him.
“I saw him school on Friday morning and he was very good – just as important, he looked great, too.”
While all the talk is about Kauto Star and Long Run, Nicholls has a powerful second string to his bow in Master Minded, also owned by Clive Smith.
The big question mark is whether the dual two-mile Champion Chase hero will stay the three miles, but in a Betfair preview video, Nicholls said: “It’s the first time over three miles and it’s open to debate whether will stay or not, but he’s got two and a half round Ascot twice, and I’m very hopeful he will stay.
“If he does he will have an outstanding chance. He’s in really good shape, every run he’s got fitter and better this season and I’m very, very happy with him. I think he will run a really big race.”
