Kauto Star has to be the pick for Boxing Day's King George Chase at Kempton after his amazing performance in the Betfair Chase at Haydock Park.
Although it's reasonable to harbour the odd doubt - given that he had been trained to the moment and that his trainer Paul Nicholls may have seen this as his star's Gold Cup - there's no way his supporters (and others) should desert him now.
With
bet365's free £200 bet offer still being snapped up by our readers, there will be plenty of punters looking to Kauto and Nicholls has remained bullish about him since the start of the season and there are more than enough doubts about Long Run's jumping to ensure that, despite him being the country's top chaser on a mark of 182.
Nicholls himself has declared the Gold Cup winner a quite outstanding horse, but whether he will be fully ready for his Boxing Day showdown with Kauto is the big question.
Captain Chris as an each way prospect - at big odds - and Diamond Harry are the other runners to create interest, although Master Minded, going over three miles for the first time, is not one to get hugely excited about given the strength of the opposition.
Nicholls though won't hear of such talk declaring: "Yes, it's his first time over the distance but if he's going to get it then I think it will be at Kempton Park."
Somersby is the other who enters calculations but it really is difficult to see him entering into calculations as a winner and he looks of each way interest only.
bet365 are now Non-runner No Bet on the King George VI Chase. Betting for the Kempton showpiece has Long Run at 5/4, Kauto Star 3/1, Master Minded 6/1 & Captain Chris at 13/2.
bet365 are also Best Odds Guaranteed on the King George, so make sure you take the price with us - as if the SP is bigger, we'll pay you out at the bigger odds!
