The Ladbrokes-sponsored 2023 King George runners see six horses remain on target for the big Kempton Boxing Day feature. With the betting currently headed by last year’s winner Bravemansgame and the Willie Mullins-trained Allaho.
King George Runners 2023 For Kempton On Boxing Day
There are six King George runners left in the big Boxing Day race at Kempton.
One of those topping the list is last year’s winner Bravemansgame, who is yet to win a race since taking the King George by 14-lengths 12 months ago. The Paul Nicholls chaser has returned this season with two shock defeats in the Charlie Hall Chase and the Betfair Chase.
However, he’ll will be back at Kempton – a track he’s 2-from-2 at and yet to lose – and is sure to be one of the King George 2023 favourites with punters.
Plus, trainer Paul Nicholls will be looking for his fourteenth King George VI Chase win.
The Ditcheat handler has won the race with the likes of Kauto Star, Silviniaco Conti, Clan Des Obeaux and See More Business.
While he also took the prize in 2020 with Frodon, who is also one of the remaining 2023 King George runners.
Frodon would be looking to become the first horse to win back his King George title since Long Run in 2012.
Willie Mullins Expected To Be The 2023 King George Favourite
The vibes coming out of the Wilie Mullins yard is that everything is in place for Allaho to make the trip to Kempton too. With this the best online betting sites have seen a flood of money and he’s now expected to be sent off as the King George VI Chase 2023 favourite.
This is looked more likely with the news that Gerri Colombe is now a non-runner.
This Cheveley-Park owned 9 year-old, who has won the Ryanair Chase at the Cheltenham Festival twice, has had his issues in recent years. But returned from a long lay-off to win the Clonmel Oil Chase in early November.
Allaho will head to Kempton having won 8 of his 13 starts over fences and has only lost one of his last eight starts.
Regular jockey Paul Townend is yet to win the King George VI Chase, but if coming over would have one of his best chances of breaking that duck with Allaho.
Willie Mullins has won the King George twice before. The first in 2001 with Florida Pearl and his most recent in 2021 with Tornado Flyer.
Shishkin Unbeaten At Kempton Park
The Nicky Henderson-trained Shishkin is on a recovery mission after refusing to race at Ascot last time out. Connections have tried to get a run into him since to try and iron out the issues, but with called off cards and unrealistic options, Shishkin will head to Kempton without a recent run.
Therefore, his backers are taking a big chance on him repeating his Ascot antics again, but the good news is that should he start, he’s certainly not without a chance.
Why? Well, this former Arkle and Clarence House Chase winner loves Kempton. He’s never lost a race at the track – racing there four times (3 chases) and is yet to lose.
Fitness will be a small worry too for this Joe Donnelly-owned 9 year-old, with his last real run coming back in April, but in a race that could have little depth to it this year is certainly not without a chance.
The Real Whacker The Youngest In The Field
The Patrick Neville-trained The Real Whacker is another confirmed 2023 King George Chase runner and having beaten Gerri Colombe last season in the Brown Advisory Novices Chase at the Cheltenham Festival is a useful chaser.
Aged just 7, The Real Whacker will be the youngest runner in the 2023 field. But last year’s winner was aged 7 and so saw Clan Des Obeaux in 2019, Kauto Star in 2007, Long Run in 2012 and Silviniaco Conti in 2013.
He was last seen being pulled up in the Paddy Power Gold Cup at the Cheltenham November Meeting but had to give a lot of weight away that day (12st) and that was also his first run back for 248 days.
The Real Whacker can be expected to strip fitter this time and with just four career runs over fences is certainly one of the King George runners this year with a lot more scope to improve.
2020 Winner Frodon Is Back For More
Frodon etched his name in the King George record books in 2020 when winning at 20/1. He gave Paul Nicholls his twelfth win in the race that day and we also saw the first female winning rider of the big Boxing Day race in Bryony Frost.
He’s since finished 4th (2021) and 3rd (2022) in the race and warmed up for this with a fine third with a big weight (12st) in the Badger Beer Handicap at Wincanton last month.
Frodon will be the oldest King George runner at 11 and will be looking to join Desert Orchid, Kauto Star and Edredon Bleu as past winning 11 year-olds. But the oldest King George winner remains the first ever hero – Southern Hero in 1937.
We can expect a bold bid from the front again and despite his advancing years is not without an each-way squeak in a race he’s finished 1st, 4th and 3rd in from the last three years.
Former American Grand National Winner Hewick Entered
The final King George 2023 runner is the Irish-trained Hewick for the shrewd John Joseph Hanlon yard.
Hewick is yet to race at Kempton, but is no stranger to running in the UK, with wins at Sandown (bet365 Gold Cup) and was also running well until falling in the Cheltenham Gold Cup in March.
While bargain buy Hewick who cost just €850 and has backed over £450k, has also won the American Grand National (2022) – a race that is actually run over hurdles and over a trip of 2m5f – only in America.
Last seen running down the field in the Galway Plate in the summer but has been freshened up for this with 146 days off. The in-form Gavin Sheehan, who is having a top season, has been booked to ride.
Hewick will be looking to become only the second Irish-trained King George winner since 2006 – with the most recent Tornado Flyer for Willie Mullins in 2021.
King George Runners and Latest Betting from BetMGM
- Allaho 15/8
- Bravemansgame 9/4
- Shishkin 7/2
- The Real Whacker 9/1
- Hewick 11/1
- Frodon 33/1
Note: Odds are subject to change.
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When Is The 2023 King George VI Chase?
📅Date: Tuesday 26th December 2023
🕙Time: 2:30pm
🏇Racecourse: Kempton (3m, Grade 1)
💰 Winner: £142,375
📺 TV: ITV / Racing TV
WATCH: Bravemansgame Winning The 2022 King George VI Chase
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