3 minute read

The 2015 King George VI Chase is shaping up to be a cracker with the likes of Vautour, Don Cossack, Cue Card and dual-winner Silviniaco Conti all being aimed at the race.

Tony McFadden - Silviniaco Conti

Silviniaco Conti was a shade disappointing in the Betfair Chase, readily brushed aside by old rival Cue Card, but quotes of 12/1 for the King George appear generous when you consider his record in the race and the fact that it’s probably the contest his whole season revolves around.

This year’s King George is shaping up to be an all-time classic, much more competitive than the last two renewals won by Silviniaco Conti, but connections of Coneygree, Don Cossack and Vautour have all stated that the Gold Cup is the ultimate aim, so, whilst they will certainly be fit and trying, will they be tuned to the minute, ready to produce the performance of a lifetime? In terms of pure talent, Silviniaco Conti has a bit to find with his rivals – and he’s not improving rising 10 – but he is an admirably consistent, bold-jumping type who saves his very best for Kempton, and he can expose any chinks in the armour of his flashier opponents.

Silviniaco Conti’s tame effort at Haydock is a slight concern, but it’s plausible that he takes a bit more getting fit than used to be the case, and a spin over hurdles may have left him short of absolute peak condition. There will be no excuses on fitness grounds come Boxing Day and Silviniaco Conti is well worth chancing at double-figure odds in a race he has made his own in the last couple of years.

Andrew Mealor – Don Cossack

Don Cossack didn’t quite hit the heights expected in his novice campaign over fences in 2013/14, but there can be no quibbles about his record since. Gordon Elliott’s gelding has won eight of his last nine starts over fences stretching back to the start of last season, with his sole reversal coming in the Ryanair, where he was arguably unlucky having been badly hampered two out. He showed his class with a 26-length drubbing of Cue Card in the Melling Chase at Aintree the following month, and enhanced his standing still further at Punchestown three weeks later with a comprehensive victory over Djakadam and Road To Riches—the placed horses from the Cheltenham Gold Cup—in the Punchestown Gold Cup. The latter success, which cemented Don Cossack’s standing as the best chaser in training currently, is particularly pertinent as regards his King George claims as it showed three miles holds no fears for him.

Don Cossack has returned in fine fettle this term with two facile wins against lesser opposition at home in Ireland, and he should be raring to go on Boxing Day. Whilst respecting the potential of Vautour and form of Cue Card, Don Cossack is very much the one to beat in the King George. He should be favourite for my money.

Adam Brookes – Cue Card

Let’s keep this simple: Cue Card produced the highest Timeform performance rating over fences so far this core season in last Saturday’s Betfair Chase (179) and odds of 9/2 aren’t a fair reflection of his claims.

I know he’s already tried and failed three times in the King George, but his jumping let him down in 2012 and 2014 (his jumping has been good for his two wins this term under new rider Paddy Brennan) and he was given an attacking ride when run down late on by Silviniaco Conti in 2013.

Cue Card’s turnaround from his winless 2014/15 campaign is quite remarkable for one that’s rising 10 and has had physical problems, and it’s perhaps significant that he looks more tractable than ever under Brennan who had the luxury of playing his cards whenever he liked at Haydock, something which hasn’t always been the case with Cue Card. Colin Tizzard’s gelding will head to Kempton in arguably even better form than he did when runner-up in the 2013 renewal and promises to be right in the mix.