Paul Nicholls has as many wins in the Ladbrokes King George VI Chase as trainers’ championships after Bravemansgame delivered him an incredible 13th success in the Boxing Day feature at Kempton.
The 13-time champion almost lost his voice shouting home the winner who executed a long range plan to overcome the 9-4 favourite L’Homme Presse - who was beaten but holding second when unseating jockey Charlie Deutsch at the final fence.
The 11-4 chance won by 14 lengths, with Royale Pagaille claiming second place and Nicholls’s 2020 King George winner Frodon third, to earn a crack at the Cheltenham Gold Cup for which he is 8-1 with William Hill.
Under Harry Cobden, Bravemansgame raced wide for much of the race, not helped by L’Homme Presse jumping out towards him.
“He was all over the shop in the kindest possible way,” said Cobden. “He jumped a bit left at times but I’ve worked out how to ride this horse now, Paul’s got him spot on on the day. He is every bit as much a stayer as I thought he was.”
Bravemansgame joined a roster of only six horses who have contributed to Nicholls’s haul 25 years after See More Business started the sequence which includes five wins by the great Kauto Star.
“I knew we had Bravemensgameh right today. He’s not been the easiest to train up to now.," said Nicholls. "He’s had a few little issues but we’ve got on top of those now.
“He needs to be fresh. He will go straight to the Gold Cup now and we will hope for slightly better ground. He’s a very smart horse when he is right. He’s a King George winner. Look what Kauto did, he won a King George and a couple of Gold Cups. I’m not comparing him with Kauto but horses who win this race do run well at Cheltenham.”
Earlier Constitution Hill produced another exhibition round in the Ladbrokes Christmas Hurdle, defeating stablemate and 2020 Champion Hurdle winner Epatante by 17 lengths at odds of 1-7.
He too could be put away until the Cheltenham Festival in March although the Irish Champion Hurdle will be considered.
Trainer Nicky Henderson said: “You’d have to think about Ireland but it’s nothing to do with ducking and diving. My gut feeling was always that we’d go straight there. Cheltenham and Aintree is what it’s all about.”
