The King George VI Chase is one of the most prestigious Grade One chases in the National Hunt calendar. Widely regarded as the pinnacle of the festive racing, Kempton’s flagship event has seen the likes of Wayward Lad, Desert Orchid, Best Mate and Kauto Star all grace the Surrey turf with their hooves, and while the calibre of three mile chasers around now perhaps would struggle to lay a glove on those, the excitement of the contest remains fully intact.
As we approach the festive period, GG Tipster Matty Sutcliffe previews the race and unearths a 10/1 tip for the Christmas feature.
Last Five Renewals
2023:
Winner – Hewick (8yo)
Official rating – 167
Season – Seasonal debut
Season prior – Fell in the Gold Cup, 1st in G2 Oaksey Chase, 4th Auteuil G1, 14th Galway Plate.
Previous course record – Course debut
Record around right handed tracks (fences) – 12111
Record in Grade One company – 1F4
2022:
Winner – Bravemansgame (7yo)
Official rating – 164
Season – 1st G1 Charlie Hall Chase
Season prior – 1st Newton Abbott C2 Chase, 1st Haydock Graduation Chase, 1st G1 Kauto Star Novices’, 1st Newbury C3 Novice Handicap, 4th G1 Aintree Mildmay Novices’
Previous course record – 1
Record around right handed tracks (fences) – 1
Record in Grade One company – 13214
2021:
Winner – Tornado Flyer (8yo)
Official rating – 161
Season – 5th G1 John Durkan
Season prior – 2nd Punchestown Handicap, 2nd G1 John Durkan, 5nd G1 Saville’s, 4th G1 Dublin Chase, 2nd G1 Ryanair
Previous course record – Course debut
Record around right handed tracks (fences) – 325
Record in Grade One company – 314325435
2020:
Winner – Frodon (8yo)
Official rating – 168
Season – 1st Cheltenham C2 Handicap, 4th G2 Many Clouds Chase
Season prior – 3rd G2 Old Roan, 3rd G1 Betfair Chase, 1st G2 Silviniaco Conti Chase, 4th G1 Ryanair
Previous course record – F11
Record around right handed tracks (fences) -1F112323
Record in Grade One company – 8F3534
2019:
Winner – Clan Des Obeaux (7yo)
Official rating – 169
Season – 2nd G1 Ladbrokes (Down Royal) Champion Chase
Season prior – 4th G1 Betfair Chase, 1st. G1 King George, 1st G2 Denman Chase, 5th G1 Gold Cup, 2nd G1 Aintree Bowl
Previous course record – 21
Record around right handed tracks (fences) – 512
Record in Grade One company – 6534
Notable Ten Year Trends
- The official ratings of the last ten winners were 160-174 (The Novice, Thistlecrack, was yet to be allotted an OR over fences when winning it in 2016).
- Just 1/10 were making their seasonal debut, which was Hewick last season.
- 3/10 contested the Cheltenham Gold Cup the season before (Hewick, Bravemansgame, Silviniaco Conti).
- 5/10 were trained by Paul Nicholls
- 6/10 were having their second start of the season.
- 6/10 were 8yos
- 7/10 had won at least once going right handed over fences (but course form not essential).
Leading Market Contenders
I’ll begin with the two Irish challengers who need supplementing, and they’re Fastorslow and Fact To File. The former is tailor made for Kempton, a flat, strong test of jumping is what he thrives on and if connections pay the supplementary fee, then he’s likely to go off no bigger than 3/1. He could’ve been a bit more competitive in the John Durkan which he had won last season, but he weakened late on in the manner of one needing the run as opposed to being ready for the race, though market support may have suggested otherwise. He does ticks plenty of the trends, 8yo, OR, Gold Cup, G1 Performer, second start of the season, right handed etc, and could be one of the more obvious bets come the day.
Regarding Fact To File, I thought the race fell apart a little bit for him in the John Durkan on seasonal debut and I’m not sure it told us a whole lot else about him. He was second in the Champion Bumper in 2023 so we know he has the innate speed to drop back to 2m3f, but whether he has the ability to compete over three miles in open company against proven performers at the grade/trip remains to be seen. At around 2/1, he wouldn’t be my ideal selection at the prices at this stage.
Of those officials entered, Corbetts Cross tops the market at a general 6/1. Last years National Hunt Chase winner has already proven himself in and around this trip in open company, having ran to an RPR of 169 when beaten two lengths behind Gerri Colombe and a peak Ahoy Señor, despite not jumping well throughout. He was well beaten on chase debut/seasonal debut last season, so it wasn’t entirely surprising to see him beaten seven lengths by Heart Woof at Wexford when a huge drifter before the off. He was giving just over a stone to him, so the 15lbs he had in hand can be accounted by the seven length deficit on that basis and it probably wasn’t as bad a performance as some made out. The well backed Heart Wood was arguably an unlucky loser in the Drinmore next time out, too.
Envoi Allen supposedly had excuses when completely bombing out in this race in 2022, but since then he has form figures of 1432241, with the only two ‘poor’ efforts coming in April, adding to his ‘PU’ and 14L defeat in that month. He matched his career best RPR of 167 last month when taking the Ladbrokes Champion Chase, though it’s plausible to suggested that Gerri Colombe failed to give his running on ground quicker than ideal. Hewick, though, certainly gave his running and that’s solid enough form in the context of a King George. My only concern with Envoi Allen is given he’s a ten year old going eleven, was Down Royal his Gold Cup? I’d be inclined to suggest so, and perhaps he’ll fail to give his running again here before a final tilt toward the Ryanair.
Grey Dawning has come in for recent support after Dan Skelton said he’d reportedly come out thriving after his second to Royale Pagaille in the Betfair Chase at Haydock. I thought it was a huge performance from Grey Dawning to be beaten two lengths by the 165r Royale Pagaille, who as I outlined in the column that day, was the one who’d be tuned up the most for it. Harry Skelton may have gone too soon there, but Grey Dawning undoubtedly cemented himself as a genuine Grade One open chaser and the ten lengths he put between himself and Bravemansgame backs that up.
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Outsiders To Consider
While he’s not an outsider in terms of his price, I have to mention L’Homme Presse, who was sent off favourite for this race in 2022 before unseating Charlie Deutsch after the last. He was arguably beaten there for all we know Charlie Deutsch’s style can often be deceptive, but also he was supposedly injured throughout the race – and if that was the case, it was an excellent performance (RPR’s back that up). I also thought he bumped into Bravemansgame at the peak of his powers that day. The fact that the winner was able to be beaten seven lengths behind Galopin Des Champs in the Gold Cup next time out backs that up, and I would’ve fancied L’Homme Presse to have finished ahead of Bravemansgame in the Gold Cup had he not been injured. There’s been very little noise about him, but if Venetia can get Royale Pagaille back from a serious shoulder injury to win the Betfair Chase first time up, I’d have little worry that she can get L’Homme Presse to do something similar.
Il Est Francais’ connections haven’t entirely ruled out the King George despite pulling up with a suspected heart issue last time out. We shouldn’t forget his eleven length romp in the Kauto Star Novices’ Chase last season. He posted an RPR of 168 and the time backed up the visual suspicion that had he replicated that in the King George proper, he might’ve won it. He’d become the first six year old to win the race since Clan Des Obeaux in 2018, with the next being Kauto Star in 2006, but we’re merely trusting this reoccurring issue won’t crop up again.
Ginny’s Destiny is in there at 50/1, which is possibly a touch insulting given his form with Grey Dawning. He was clearly not right after pulling up when 3/1F for the November Gold Cup, but there was a suspicion that connections thought he’d win that before going on to bigger and better things. He raced exclusively over 2m4f last season, with form figures of 711122, and in three of the five contests he showed up in, the comments all note how he ‘kept on’. He’s likely to go for the Peterborough Chase this weekend, but that may prove a handy stepping stone for this and I’d fancy him to run a big race at the odds.
December Gold Cup Ante-Post Tips – Fugitif Can Break Clear for Back-To-Back Successes
After two very near misses with his last two ante-post selections, Matty Sutcliffe is backing a familiar name to get the job done in the December Gold Cup… Headline Tip – Fugitif 8/1 1pt WIN The December Gold Cup has a habit of throwing up a winner at a nice price, with the shortest SP…
Wed 04 Dec 2024Verdict
L’Homme Presse 10/1 1pt WIN
In truth, I found this tricky to nail my colours to the mast. The two at the top of the market need supplementing, Corbetts Cross isn’t a sure thing to compete, neither is Grey Dawning. I wouldn’t chance Envoi Allen as he’s likely to be tuned up for March again, and then it’s 10/1 bar.
We already lost a point playing L’Homme Presse ante-post for the Charlie Hall, but in fairness I did note it was between the Venetia Williams’ pair and we recouped profit when playing Royale Pagaille on the day, and that’s mentally prepared me to chance L’Homme Presse first time up here.
Hewick won this fresh last season so we know it can be done, and L’Homme Presses’ record fresh for Venetia reads 1111, from breaks of 773 days, 223 days, 232 days and 391 days. Those included winning the G3 Rehearsal Chase off top-weight en-route here, and he beat the subsequent Ryanair winner two lengths latterly at Lingfield.
Though I thought he’s a better animal going left handed, his record right handed over fences reads 111UR2. He was still bang there when leaded on the turn for home in the Gold Cup, and he ran an excellent race considering he was coming off the back of an injury interrupted season. I’m happy to play a point at 10s in a tricky race to weigh up at this stage, as it’s a murky picture regarding those likely to turn up on the day, but should a peak L’Homme Presse turn up, there isn’t many better than Venetia Williams to get them ready.
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