Tag Archive for: Ladbrokes King George VI Chase

Emmet Mullins concerned over lack of watering at Kempton for Corbetts Cross

Emmet Mullins has warned that Corbetts Cross may not run in the Ladbrokes King George VI Chase if the ground continues to dry out.

Any forecast rain is likely to be minimal and unlikely to have any lasting effect on the ground at Kempton Park on Boxing Day.

The ground was described as good, good to soft in places on Monday – and should it dry out any further, Mullins may be forced to think twice about running his JP McManus-owned Cheltenham Festival winner.

“I’m very excited, he’ll be a first runner in the King George for me, so it will be a big day,” said Mullins, speaking on a press call organised by the Jockey Club.

“With Mr McManus having Fact To File for the Leopardstown race, I think he just wanted to cover his options and spread them out a bit (over Christmas).

“I thought his first run was satisfactory, the same horse (Heart Wood) beat him on his comeback last year as well. We’ve had a good enough prep and we’re nearly there now.”

Emmet Mullins (right) with Corbetts Cross after his Cheltenham win
Emmet Mullins (right) with Corbetts Cross after his Cheltenham win (David Davies/PA)

However, when asked if the possibility of good ground was a concern, Mullins said: “Very much so. With these 17 hands chasers, you don’t want them running on good ground.

“At the Cheltenham Festival, everyone seems on board with getting it started on good to soft ground. I’d be very worried about good ground. Especially given the facilities there with the lake, there doesn’t seem to be any sign of any watering.

“There’s a chance he might not run, we have a championship chaser and they are not designed to run on good ground.

“Good to soft would be OK but it’s tightening up already and I see there’s no rain in the forecast for the next few days, so that will be a worry and I think it’s going the opposite way.”

Reflecting on his season to date, Mullins said: “He wasn’t fully wound up at Wexford but it was great to get that run under his belt.

“We had been thinking of the Betfair Chase but to go into a championship race, you need to be 100 per cent and even with the Wexford run, it hadn’t brought us on enough, so the extra few weeks helped and I think we’re nearly there now.

“My long-term aim with him is the Gold Cup and that will be the day he’ll be 100 per cent, hopefully.”

Clerk of the course Barney Clifford confirmed there are no plans to do any watering.

Packed stands on King George day at Kempton
Packed stands on King George day at Kempton (Steven Paston/PA)

“It’s lovely ground really. Good, good to soft in places and there’s a drop of rain due to come through tonight.

“The going stick, which is consistent at Kempton, indicates a mixture of good and good to soft, so a drop of rain tonight would be lovely, but I think we’re set for a top-class going description for the King George.

“I think there’s a band coming tonight, which is minimal, only a couple of millimetres, then it will be bright, sunny and mild. I don’t think we’ll be far away from a good ground King George.

“Good ground is fine, I guess one or two would maybe like conditions a little bit easier, but I think because the way the forecast has been, I haven’t been able to change anything, so I won’t be irrigating to make it any slower than what it currently is.

“There’s plenty of moisture underneath. If you go back to November 28, we had an inch of rain in about half an hour and it was under water. It’s been steadily drying out, we’ve had 6.5mm this week, so I’m very happy.

“This is my 25th King George, my 24th in charge and I’d say this is probably the most competitive race I’ve seen, looking at it.”



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Skelton sees Grey Dawning as ticking plenty of King George boxes

Dan Skelton is confident Grey Dawning will be able to cope with quicker ground and a faster pace in the Ladbrokes King George VI Chase at Kempton Park on Boxing Day.

The seven-year-old was a top novice last term, claiming the Turners at Cheltenham among three victories in his first campaign over fences.

He returned to action at elite level in open company and put in a most encouraging performance to finish second behind Royale Pagaille in Haydock’s Betfair Chase, when just outstayed late on in testing conditions.

Cheltenham Festival 2024 – St Patrick’s Thursday – Cheltenham Racecourse
Grey Dawning and Harry Skelton after winning the Turners Novices’ Chase (David Davies for the Jockey Club).

With Kempton currently described as good to soft, good in places, the weather forecast being favourable for early next week and a decent-sized field expected following 14 confirmations, the King George promises to be a much faster-run affair from the outset.

Regarding ground conditions, Skelton said: “I think we’d all probably like it to be simple good to soft ground over the whole lot. That’s probably not going to be the case, but given how much rain there’s been over the winter and how wet it has been, even though it’s been dry for a while now, I still think there’s plenty of moisture underneath.

“I think it will be a very safe surface. If anything, it could just be a little sticky, as drying ground can just get a little sticky, so it could be a little harder work than good to soft, good suggests, but I don’t have any concerns about it.

“After running on really, really slow conditions last time, I think he’s probably going to look forward to being on better ground, to be honest.”

As for a strong early pace, Skelton added: “I think from a jumping perspective, he’ll be better off. Because obviously the other day, on that really slow ground, every time he landed, Harry (Skelton) had to take him back.

Betfair Chase Day 2023 – Haydock Park Racecourse
Grey Dawning in action at Haydock (Nigel French/PA).

“We couldn’t afford to use up too much energy over the jumps and then obviously be too forward through the race between the jumps. So actually I think on better ground, going a faster gallop, I think his jumping will be better.

“Yes, it’s going to be a totally different race to Haydock but he’s raced predominantly over two and a half miles in novice company, and they went a fair old lick round Cheltenham at the Festival, so I don’t have that fear.

“The speed they go in the race is relevant to their jumping and he jumps like a comfortable horse at that speed, so I think that’s a positive. With a few more runners, maybe we can just tuck him in there a little bit more and that will help him along the race as well.

“I do feel that the way he went through the race at Haydock, this type of test, a flat track and a bit better ground, should really, really suit him.”



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‘Next couple of weeks’ key to King George plans for Il Est Francais

A tantalising Ladbrokes King George VI chase bid is still on the cards for Il Est Francais if Noel George and Amanda Zetterholm’s star chaser can prove his fitness prior to Kempton’s Christmas showpiece.

The six-year-old lit up the Sunbury venue with an electric performance in the Kauto Star Novices’ Chase last year, with his 11-length victory whetting the appetite for a Kempton return and King George tilt this Boxing Day.

Il Est Francais was firmly among the market leaders heading into the season and his position towards the top of the market was cemented when making a winning return at Auteuil in September.

However, he is now a 10-1 chance with the sponsors and as big as 14-1 in places having been pulled up in the Prix la Haye Jousselin back at Auteuil, with subsequent thorough testing failing to provide a definitive reason for the below-par display.

The exciting chaser is now back in work with Kempton still on the agenda, as long as the Chantilly-based training team are satisfied with his well-being.

George said: “He’s been to the biggest vet clinic in France and we’ve scanned and X-rayed his lungs, heart, everything. Obviously there was something that stopped him, but there is nothing that isn’t fixable or overly dramatic.

“He’s back in work just ticking over at present and we’ll know our plans in the next couple of weeks when he does a serious piece of work.

Il Est Francais was a Kempton winner last year
Il Est Francais was a Kempton winner last year (Steven Paston/PA)

“It’s not ideal going there on the back of his performance last time but if he works well at home and is in good form, he will be coming to Kempton.

“He’s spectacular when he’s good but is capable of putting in a bad run. If we get him right on the big day, then I think we’re bang there with a great chance.”

As well as Il Est Francais, George and Zetterholm’s General En Chef could enter the King George equation depending on the outcome of his appearance at Newbury in the Coral Gold Cup on Saturday.

The eight-year-old is proven at Grade One level in France and was third in this year’s Grand Steeple-Chase de Paris.

George added: “I think if he’s competitive at Newbury, we will definitely consider a King George. He’s got an entry for Kempton and he’s a nice horse.”



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Shark has King George attack on the radar for Hewick

John ‘Shark’ Hanlon is gearing Hewick up for a crack at the Ladbrokes King George VI Chase, providing conditions at Kempton prove suitable over the Christmas period.

The Boxing Day feature has an open look to it following the Betfair Chase defeat of Bravemansgame and Nicky Henderson’s struggles to get Shishkin a prep run and as such, Hanlon is keen to throw Hewick’s hat into the ring having been successful on raiding missions in the past.

The eight-year-old, who was famously picked up for just €850, has won the American Grand National on his travels before, as well as progressing from winning the Durham National to win land both the Bet365 Gold Cup and John Oaksey Chase at Sandown in the past two seasons.

John ‘Shark’ Hanlon with Hewick at his stable in Bagenalstown
John ‘Shark’ Hanlon with Hewick at his stable in Bagenalstown (Lorraine O’Sullivan/PA)

However, ground conditions will prove crucial in deciding where Hewick lines up for his seasonal reappearance, with Leopardstown’s Savills Chase (December 28) also on the radar.

“He’s entered in the King George which looks a possibility at the minute,” Hanlon said.

“A lot will depend on the ground and with the weather the way it is at the minute, if we don’t have goodish ground I won’t run him. He wants good ground.

“We’re after getting a month of rain in the last fortnight and meetings are still being called off in England this week.

“If the ground is anywhere near good at Kempton he will go to Kempton. With the results over there in the last couple of weeks you would have to think he would have a real chance.”

Hewick was running a massive race in last season’s Cheltenham Gold Cup when taking a crushing fall at the second-last and another shot at the blue riband is central to the gelding’s plans this season.

His Christmas outing at either Kempton or Leopardstown could be the only time Hewick is sighted before March, with his handler keen to arrive at Prestbury Park with a horse at the peak of his powers.

Hewick (right) in action at Sandown in the Oaksey Chase
Hewick (right) in action at Sandown in the Oaksey Chase (Steven Paston/PA)

“He’s in real good form and we’re kind of training him for a Gold Cup, that’s the plan,” continued Hanlon.

“He ran very well in it last year and he will go fresh to it this year. He will probably only have one run before he goes and I would love to go to Kempton, but we’re kind of dependent on the ground and it is the same with Leopardstown, wherever the ground is best he will go.

“We’ll put him away then and have a crack at the big one.”



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