Bravemansgame leads Nicholls’ chase for 13th King George crown

Hitman and Frodon complete strong Kempton squad.

Paul Nicholls saddles a third of the field as he bids to add a remarkable 13th Ladbrokes King George VI Chase to his trophy cabinet.

The Ditcheat handler’s name is the one constant on the roll of honour for Kempton’s Boxing Day feature in modern history and the race’s most successful trainer – who has won three of the last four and saddled the second, third and fourth when drawing a blank 12 months ago – is well represented at the top of the market once again.

Headlining the Nicholls trio is Bravemansgame, who has been earmarked as a King George winner since his novice hurdling days and now gets the chance to fulfil his trainer’s prophecy following a winning return in the Charlie Hall at Wetherby.

“He looks in good shape and we have had a great preparation with him,” said the 13-times champion trainer.

“He went to the Charlie Hall and he was probably ready enough to run as he did, but he wasn’t fully wound up. He travelled well and jumped well and won nicely.

“We have done a lot with him since then as we want him ready for his life on Monday. He has had a great preparation and looks fantastic. He has got plenty of condition on him.

“He used to go a little bit light on us after Christmas, but we found out he had problems with ulcers and we are on top of that now. We have changed the feed this season which has been big plus all across the board and the horses look great.”

Joining Bravemansgame on the teamsheet is Hitman, who has always threatened to make his mark in Grade One competition and threw his hat into the ring with a bloodless victory at Haydock in November.

Trainer Paul Nicholls with his King George candidates (left to right) Frodon, Bravemansgame and Hitman during a visit to Manor Farm Stables
Trainer Paul Nicholls with his King George candidates (left to right) Frodon, Bravemansgame and Hitman during a visit to Manor Farm Stables (David Davies/PA)

Nicholls continued: “Hitman is rated 160 which is only 4lb behind Bravemansgame, which isn’t a long way. He has been placed in a Tingle Creek, Haldon Gold Cup and other Grade One races and he is only six years old.

“Clan (Des Obeaux) won the King George for the first time as a six-year-old rated 160, so he is on the right sort of lines. He was always going to improve as he got stronger and better and he has achieved a lot for a young horse.

“He ran well in the Old Roan the first time when needing the run. He ran very well at Haydock the last day, just having a canter round but he jumped brilliantly. I think three miles will bring plenty of improvement in him. You can see he is a fine, big chaser.”

It is a former King George hero that completes the Ditcheat collective, with 2020’s shock 20-1 champion Frodon out to cause another surprise in the hands of ever-willing pilot Bryony Frost – who has recovered from injury in time to continue her long association with the popular 10-year-old.

Bryony Frost riding Frodon (left) clear the last to win the King George VI Chase at Kempton in 2020
Bryony Frost riding Frodon (left) clear the last to win the King George VI Chase at Kempton in 2020 (Alan Crowhurst/PA)

“He will have had a nice gap between Haydock Park and Kempton and he never stops surprising you at his age,” Nicholls added.

“Whether he has got the legs of the younger horses is debatable, but he will be there or thereabouts and he will give Bryony a fantastic ride.

“He has been there done it and got the t-shirt and he is certainly as good now as he has ever been. It would want to be a near career-best for him to win, but you never know with him.

“You have to respect him as he is a previous winner of the race, but he has got plenty to do against those younger lads as he is 10 going on 11. But look at Kauto Star – he won it as an 11-year-old.”

Disputing favouritism with Bravemansgame is Venetia Williams’ Cheltenham Festival scorer L’Homme Presse, who tuned up for this with a weight-carrying masterclass in the Rehearsal Chase at Newcastle.

However, Williams, who won the race in 1998 with Teeton Mill, is doubly represented in the Grade One contest with course-and-distance scorer and Cheltenham Gold Cup fifth Royale Pagaille, who is set to make his seasonal bow at the Sunbury track.

“We hoped to have him out a lot earlier than this, but he had a small setback with his wither in the middle of November so he has missed a bit of time,” said Joe Chambers, racing manager to owner Rich Ricci.

“It was either here, the Welsh National or the Rowland Meyrick and as much as we are very happy to run in a Welsh National and in handicaps off top-weight, we didn’t think three-miles-six first time up was going to be the right thing to do with a view to the rest of the season.

Royale Pagaille, here running in the Denman Chase at Newbury, has been handed an assignment in the King George VI Chase at Kempton on Boxing Day
Royale Pagaille, here running in the Denman Chase at Newbury, has been handed an assignment in the King George VI Chase at Kempton on Boxing Day (Steven Paston/PA)

“Then when you look at the King George versus the Rowland Meyrick, he is a course-and-distance winner and the prize-money goes a bit deeper, so we thought we may as well go to familiar territory and get the season started there.

“The rain is coming which will suit him, but you would love to be going into this year’s King George with conditions the way they are and the field the way it is with a run behind you, but unfortunately we don’t.

“You can’t win unless you have a ticket for the game. Hopefully he can put his best foot forward and then we can crack on from the race for the rest of the year.”

Envoi Allen is the sole Irish representative in the field as he looks to follow up Tornado Flyer’s victory for the raiders last year.

“I think it was a proper Grade One performance last time. It was a good race and it is always a hard race to win, but he did it well in the end,” said trainer Henry de Bromhead of the eight-year-old’s Down Royal victory in November.

“He has got a really high cruising speed, but it was lovely to see him run through the line like he did and it looks like three miles really does suit him.

“It is great to see him back over a more realistic trip for him. The trip was unknown at Down Royal. but it was great to see him do it as well as he did.”

Lucinda Russell’s Grade One-winning novice Ahoy Senor, Alex Hales’ Millers Bank and Joe Tizzard’s Eldorado Allen complete the line-up, with the latter runner-up in both the Charlie Hall and Betfair Chase this term.

“He seems in really good form and we’ve been chuffed with his couple of runs so far this season,” said Tizzard.

“It’s a hot King George and we would need a bit of a surprise to go and win it, but he has run well there in the past and proven he stays three miles well this year, so I see no reason why he can’t run into a place.

“He seems like he’s in good form at home and if he runs a lifetime best, he will have a nice each-way chance.”

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