The King George showdown is on
THE showdown is on after both Cue Card and Thistlecrack featured among five declarations for the 32Red King George VI Chase at Kempton on Boxing Day.
The duo are trained in Somerset by Colin Tizzard, who has enjoyed an incredible run of fortune so far this season with Cue Card’s Betfair Chase victory and Native River’s Hennessy win two particular highlights.
Thistlecrack has made an immediate impact in the chasing ranks with last season’s World Hurdle hero winning each of his three outings over the larger obstacles this term.
He won a Grade Two event at Newbury on his most recent run last month but is facing a huge leap in class as he tackles this Grade One contest.
It will be a major shock if one of the two market leaders does not win, but lying in wait is a former dual winner of the race in Silviniaco Conti.
His trainer Paul Nicholls has won the Christmas showpiece nine times already, with five of those victories coming courtesy of Kauto Star.
Josses Hill was supplemented by owner Alan Spence after trainer Nicky Henderson built his confidence back up.
He chased home the ill-fated Vautour in the 2014 Supreme Novices’ Hurdle, but failed to set the world alight in his first season over fences, winning just once in three starts last term.
However, Josses Hill has won both of his outings this campaign, with his Peterborough Chase win last time out booking his ticket for this event.
Tea For Two chased him home at Huntingdon and is expected to be suited by the step back up to three miles having won the Kauto Star Novices’ Chase on the card last year.
The two horses not declared were the Gigginstown House Stud-owned pair of Road To Riches and Roi Des Francs. ■■Noel Williams will campaign Briery Queen sparingly ahead of a possible tilt at the OLBG David Nicholson Mares’ Hurdle at the Cheltenham Festival.
The Blewbury handler has earmarked a potential outing in a Listed contest at Warwick on February 11 for the seven-year-old before potentially taking aim at the Grade One prize.
After signing off last season with victory in a Listed race at Newbury, the daughter of King’s Theatre picked up where she left off when making a victorious seasonal reappearance at Cheltenham earlier this month.