Frodon springs big surprise in King George
Frodon and Bryony Frost sprang a 20-1 shock to win the Ladbrokes King George VI Chase at Kempton Park. Frodon, previously successful under Frost at this Grade One level when they won the Ryanair Chase at the Cheltenham Festival last year, was delivering a 12th victory in the Boxing Day showpiece for trainer Paul Nicholls. You can find the full story here.
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King George Chase (Kempton 3.00pm) result
1 Frodon (Bryony Frost) 20-1
2 Waiting Patiently (B S Hughes) 12-1
3 Clan Des Obeaux (Sam Twiston-Davies) 85-40 Fav
9 ran
Also: 14-1 Saint Calvados 4th
King George Chase (Kempton 3.00pm)
And they’re off ... Clan Des Obeaux has gone off favourite in the end ... Frodon jumps into an early lead and all clear the first two fences well ...Santini, as expected, is prominent in second over the third ... Saint Calvados is keen in third place ... Lostintranslation is in fourth as they turn into home straight for the first time ... No mistakes yet ... Frodon still leads with a circuit to go ... Real Steel at the back makes a mistake ... Santini being niggled along and makes a mistake ... Clan Des Obeaux is being ridden along and Lostintranslation is in big trouble and last ... Frodon in the lead on the home turn aith Clan Des Obeaux challenging and Cyrname pulled up ... Frodon still leads and jumps the last well ... it’s the King George for Bryony Frost!
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King George VI Chase (Kempton 3.00pm) betting
- Cyrname 5/2
- Clan Des Obeaux 5/2
- Santini 5/1
- Lostintranslation 17/2
- Waiting Patiently 12/1
- Saint Calvados 18/1
- Real Steel 18/1
- Frodon 22/1
- Black Op 100/1
- Full betting here at Oddschecker.
Aidan Coleman has just been interviewed on ITV Racing about the shock defeat of his mount Epatante in the Christmas Hurdle. He said: “I was quite happy [with Epatante] till halfway down the back but from there that wow factor wasn’t there. She ran an OK race but I knew from six furlongs to go that that speed wasn’t beneath me. She will be back. That made no difference [the mistake down the back].”
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King George VI Chase (Kempton 3.00pm) preview
Cyrname has another go at his stablemate Clan Des Obeaux but the outcome of Saturday’s King George VI Chase may be the same as last year, with Clan set to win the midwinter championship for a third consecutive year. Odds of 2-1 are not at all bad for a horse who is so obviously suited by this course, distance and time of year but reflect the fact that Paul Nicholls has made a determined effort to improve Cyrname’s chance this time.
While he emptied himself in beating Altior in his prep race last year, Cyrname had a less taxing round in the Charlie Hall this time and has had longer to recover. But the exuberance he showed in the early part of that race looks like part of the problem, that he doesn’t settle well enough to see out three miles in a top-class contest. Conversely, Santini needs more of a stamina test, while Lostintranslation has plenty to prove after his Haydock flop. Saint Calvados makes some each-way appeal at 16-1 on the strength of his narrow Ryanair defeat to Min.
Christmas Hurdle (Kempton 2.25pm) result
1 Silver Streak (Adam Wedge) 13-2
2 Epatante (Aidan Coleman) 1-5 Fav
3 Ballyandy (Sam Twiston-Davies) 16-1
5 ran
Also: 22-1 Floressa 4th
Christmas Hurdle (Kempton 2.25pm)
And they’re off ... Silver Streak off in front and looks like this will be run at a decent pace which will suit the long odds-on favourite Epatante who is in second ... Floressa is also prominent in the back straight but Silver Streak still leads ... Epatante still in second and she jumps very fluently ... mistake by Epatante as the hurdle fell down as Silver Streak jumped it in front of her ... Silver Streak leads and Epatante has to be kicked on to get near him ... Silver Streak will win this after jumping the last well and there’s a huge shock for you on Boxing Day as Epatante can’t get near enough to the leader.
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Christmas Hurdle (Kempton 2.25pm) betting
- Epatante 2/9
- Silver Streak 13/2
- Ballyandy 18/1
- Floressa 25/1
- Diego Du Charmil 66/1
- Full betting here at the Oddschecker site
Christmas Hurdle (Kempton 2.25pm) preview
This looks another uncompetitive Christmas Hurdle, a race won by the market-leader five times in the past six years and by Nicky Henderson seven times in the past decade. His Epatante is the unbeatable one in this division just now and the combined grit of Ballyandy and Silver Streak seems unlikely to change that.
Rowland Meyrick Handicap Chase (Wetherby 2.05pm)
They’re off ... and The Dutchman has the early lead ... Snow Leopardess makes a slight mistake in the early proceedings ... Wandrin Star is prominent ... Springtown Lake is within sight of the leaders as is Snow Leopardess with a circuit to go ... and the field is tightly packed ... Snow Leopardess makes good progress ... now into second behind The Dutchman as they enter the home straight ... Canelo now loooks a danger to all ... The Dutchman falls ...Canelo and Snow Leopardess fight it out with Canelo just holding off his rival.
Result:
1 Canelo (Thomas Bellamy) 9-2
2 Snow Leopardess (Jonjo O’Neill Jr.) 10-3 Fav
3 Windsor Avenue (Sean Quinlan) 5-1
8 ran
Also: 9-2 Spiritofthegames 4th
Non Runner: 8
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Rowland Meyrick Handicap Chase (Wetherby 2.05pm) betting
- Snow Leopardess 4/1
- Canelo 9/2
- Spiritofthegames 5/1
- Springtown Lake 11/2
- Windsor Avenue 13/2
- The Dutchman 17/2
- Wandrin Star 10/1
- Beau Bay 16/1
Rowland Meyrick Handicap Chase (Wetherby 2.05pm) preview
Stepping up to three miles looks the right move for Canelo but his best efforts have come on better ground than he gets here. This is a better chance than Spiritofthegames usually gets, as he has been repeatedly sent to Cheltenham, and he gets to run off the same mark as when second in the Paddy Power, beaten only by a well-treated rival who got the run of the race.
Kauto Star Novice Chase (1.50pm Kempton) result
1 Shan Blue (Harry Skelton) 7-4 Fav
2 The Big Breakaway (R M Power) 16-5
3 If The Cap Fits (D A Jacob) 4-1
7 ran
Kauto Star Novice Chase (Kempton 1.50pm)
And they’re off ... Shan Blue takes the lead ... If The Cap Fits has made mistakes ... Kalooki and Shan Blue lead with a circuit to go ... Golan Fortune is in third ... The Big Breakaway is trying to make progress ... Kalooki in trouble ... as Shan Blue goes for home ... The Big Breakaway is trying to challenge ... but makes a mistake at the last and Shan Blue wins.
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Kauto Star Novice Chase (1.50pm Kempton) betting
- Shan Blue 7/4
- The Big Breakaway 10/3
- If The Cap Fits 4/1
- Enrilo 7/1
- Kalooki 14/1
- One For The Team 16/1
- Golan Fortune 40/1
- Full betting here at Oddschecker
Kauto Star Novice Chase (1.50pm Kempton) preview
His only hurdles win was in a maiden contest at Southwell but Shan Blue had some decent form in defeat and has now made up into a top-class novice chaser. He put in a really accomplished round of jumping at Wetherby last time and the runner-up, beaten 16 lengths, won a decent handicap next time. If The Cap Fits has a higher rating but didn’t run to that level in a less challenging contest last time.
Ladbrokes Novice Handicap Chase (1.15pm Kempton) result
1 Killer Clown (Adam Wedge) 9-2
2 Falco Blitz (J McGrath) 7-1
3 Son Of Camas (Nico de Boinville) 13-2
10 ran
Also: 4-1 Fav Alnadam, 10-1 Mr One More 4th
Non Runner: 4
Ladbrokes Novice Handicap Chase (1.15pm Kempton)
And they’re off for the first TV race of Boxing Day ... Hold The Note and Mister One More have the early lead ... Getareason has made a challenge for the lead as they enter the home straight for the first time ... Galahad Quest makes a mistake ... Getareason is first with a circuit to go ... Alnadam is pushed up towards the leaders but makes a mistake ... Hold The Note and Alnadam are being pushed along as Killer Clown takes the lead ... into the home straight ... Killer Clown leads and travels well ... Falco Blitz looks the only danger but won’t catch Killer Clown.
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Here’s the latest from Chepstow where an inspection will take place at 7.45am tomorrow for the Welsh Grand National card because of a forecast for heavy overnight rain.
Clerk of the course Libby O’Flaherty said: “The weather forecast says heavy rain overnight. We’ve got Storm Ella coming in, but until the morning I can’t say anything as I don’t know how much rain we’ll get. We could have 10mm, we could have 20mm. It’s a waiting game to see what happens. At the moment we’re currently raceable. Fingers crossed it blows round us.”
Ladbrokes Novice Handicap Chase (1.15pm Kempton) preview
A couple of Ps are the most recent form figures for Son Of Camas, which will deter some, but one was in a Cheltenham Festival novice hurdle and one was a needed reappearance run. He has always been a chasing prospect and now makes his debut over fences from a handy rating in a race his trainer has won twice in the past decade. This chestnut has plenty more to offer.
You can find all the betting here vis the Oddschecker site.
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Looking ahead it could be that we will see one of the races of the season so far at Leopardstown on Monday, with a big field of 14 declared for a mouthwatering Savills Chase. The three-mile race sees any number of Gold Cup contenders in action, with the Henry de Bromhead-trained Minella Indo favourite to stretch his unbeaten record over fences to three in the hands of Rachael Blackmore.
But dangers abound, including the Gordon Elliott-trained trio of Samcro, Presenting Percy and Delta Work – who bids to defend his crown under Jack Kennedy. Willie Mullins has a team of five – featuring 2018 winner Kemboy, Allaho, Easy Game, Melon and Tornado Flyer. De Bromhead also runs A Plus Tard and Balko Des Flos, with Joseph O’Brien saddling Fakir D’oudairies and Jessica Harrington sending out Jett. Noel Meade’s Tout Est Permis completes the high-class line-up.
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The betting has long suggested the King George will be a fascinating clash between the two stable companions, Clan Des Obeaux and Cyrname, as Greg Wood discussed here. But we now have a new favourite with some bookmakers having, as Big Mac would have put it, flip-flopped. Cyrname is the new market leader with a majority of layers, though many are also finding it impossible to split the two as can be seen on the Oddschecker site. A mybettingsites.co.uk spokesperson said: “Bookmakers are currently going into overdrive to compete as ante post favourite Clan Des Obeaux drifts, creating an entirely different complexion from the picture just hours ago. In the last hour, many bookmakers have swapped the stablemates around making Cyrname the favourite – just.”
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What a start to proceedings ... a 125-1 winner in the very first race of the day!
😲A shock in the opener at Wetherby
— Betfair Racing (@BetfairRacing) December 26, 2020
🏆Ballycallan Fame takes the 11:50 in facile style
📉Betfair Starting Price (BSP) of 177pic.twitter.com/mPoixsWXI3
Welsh National card must pass inspection
Chepstow’s popular Welsh Grand National card will be subject to an inspection on Sunday morning at 7.45am with Storm Bella threatening to dump a lot more water on heavily saturated ground.
The ground is already heavy, after 100mm of rain earlier this week and despite two dry days on Thursday and Friday. An inspection will take place because of a forecast for heavy overnight rain. Monday’s scheduled meeting at waterlogged Fontwell was abandoned on Saturday morning.
Scene setter
There isn’t a great deal that’s pretty much the same this Christmas as it was last year, but the betting for this afternoon’s King George VI Chase, the feature event of the Festive season, seems eerily familiar. Clan Des Obeaux, Cyrname and Lostintranslation were the front three in the betting 12 months ago and they dominate the market again today, with only last season’s Gold Cup runner-up Santini – who was the beaten favourite in the Kauto Star Novice Chase a year ago – to remind us that it is 2020 and not 2019.
Their prices are a little different, of course, as Clan Des Obeaux was sent off at what now seems like the insulting price of 11-2 to win a second successive King George, while Cyrname was the 5-4 favourite with Lostintranslation (15-8) not far behind.
The fortunes of all three have fluctuated since, and Cyrname, oddly for a Grade One chase, is the only runner in the nine-strong field who was a winner last time out. But this is still a very deep and competitive King George, and even his devastating success in the Charlie Hall Chase last time is currently only good enough to make him the second-favourite today at around 11-4, behind Clan Des Obeaux on 5-2.
Santini is an unexpected opponent for all three after being added to the race at a cost of £5,000 five days ago, but this doesn’t really look like his ideal test – he probably needs a bit further on a stiffer track – but that is factored into his price, while Lostintranslation would also be a very credible winner at his best. He’s 9-1 because of his inconsistency rather than any lack of talent.
There are live outsiders to consider too – the ever-popular Frodon and Bryony Frost, for instance, are 25-1 to win despite being only 3lb inferior to Clan Des Obeaux on official ratings. Their army of fans will be kicking themselves all the way to next Christmas if he goes in unbacked. Waiting Patiently, despite a long absence, has the form to outrun odds of around 16-1 too if he’s fit enough to do himself justice.
In fact, the 100-1 shot Black Op is really the only runner who can be ruled out with confidence (and even he is a Grade One winner over hurdles who finished within a length of Santini at Cheltenham three seasons ago). It promises to be quite the spectacle when the tape pings back at 3pm.
It won’t be quite the conclusion that anyone would have hoped for, of course, as Sunbury’s recent move into Tier 4 has meant that spectators will be barred from today’s race. King George day normally has a unique and traditional buzz that it all its own as more than 10,000 folk extend the Christmas festivities into a second day and even the 2,000 racegoers that were anticipated as recently as eight days ago would have been a start. Sadly, it was not to be.
But with three Grade Ones on the card, including the Champion Hurdler Epatante in the Christmas Hurdle at 2.25, there’s still plenty to keep everyone entertained at home. You can follow all the action here as the day unfolds, Chris Cook’s tips for the TV races are here, and it all gets underway at 12.40.
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