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Liverpool Echo

Sport

Chris Wright

Horse Power: Bravemansgame can win the King George at Kempton

Bravemansgame Paul Nicholls Kempton Constitution Hill King Charles III Venetia Williams Werby

BRAVEMANSGAME can win the Ladbrokes King George VI Chase (GBB Race) (3.05pm) at Kempton Park on Boxing Day.

The seven-year-old can provide trainer Paul Nicholls with a record-extending 13th victory in the Grade One Christmas feature.

The King George is one of the festive period’s top contests and this year’s renewal looks well up to scratch with the rising second season chasers Bravemansgame, L’Homme Presse, Ahoy Senor and Hitman doing battle with the likes of 2020 winner Frodon and Irish raider Envoi Allen. Nicholls trains three of those but it could be a match between his Bravemansgame and the Venetia Williams-trained L’Homme Presse, who have both shown their ability this season with convincing wins in the Charlie Hall Chase at Wetherby and Rehearsal Chase at Newcastle respectively.

Both are improving young chasers who look to have big futures. It will only be the second time they have met, with both playing second fiddle to another Kempton rival, Lucinda Russell’s Ahoy Senor, in the Grade One Betway Mildmay Novices’ Chase at the Randox Grand National Festival at Aintree Racecourse in April. L’Homme Presse was just ahead of Bravemansgame at Aintree in third with the Williams-trained seven-year-old unable to back up his Cheltenham Festival win the previous month.

Bravemansgame was taken out of that race at Prestbury Park due to the testing ground and although there has been rain ahead of the King George, the ground should be ideal for him.

He looks to be a horse who if he gets into a rhythm can eventually jump his rivals into submission much as he is did when he sat off Ahoy Senor in the Kauto Star Novices’ Chase over course and distance last Christmas before scoring by a comfortable seven-and-a-half lengths.

While L’Homme Presse may be a bigger threat in the Boodles Cheltenham Gold Cup in March, this looks like Bravemansgame’s ideal race and he can come out on top to give Nicholls another victory in a contest he has had so much success.

Odds-on Champion Hurdle favourite CONSTITUTION HILL has looked in another league to his two-mile rivals firstly at the Cheltenham Festival last year and in the Fighting Fifth Hurdle earlier this month. And he can continue his road to the Cheltenham feature with another victory in the Grade One Ladbrokes Christmas Hurdle (GBB Race) (1.55pm).

He is not a betting proposition being long odds-on again but he is a horse to watch and savour.

Jonjo O’Neill’s CHAMP can land another victory in the rearranged Grade One Ladbrokes Long Walk Hurdle (GBB Race) (12.45pm).

The race, usually run at Ascot, was lost to the frozen weather last weekend but has been rerouted to Kempton.

Last year’s race saw Champ beat Emma Lavelle’s 2020 winner Paisley Park and it might be something similar again this time despite the change in track.

The Nicholls-trained McFABULOUS was impressive in beating Thyme Hill last time at Newbury and he can make it three wins from four starts over fences in the Grade One Ladbrokes Kauto Star Novices’ Chase (In Memory Of Nigel Clark) (GBB Race) (1.20pm) ahead of another promising young chaser, Dan Skelton’s Ballygrifincottage.

Others who can win at Kempton on Boxing Day are David Pipe-trained PANIC ATTACK in the Ladbrokes Get Your £1 Free Bet Novices’ Limited Handicap Chase (GBB Race) (3.05pm); Nicholls' RUBAUD in the Ladbrokes “We Play Together” Novices’ Hurdle (GBB Race) (3.05pm); and OPTIMISE PRIME from the Ben Pauling stable in the Ladbrokes Fanzone “Your Team Your Game” Handicap Hurdle (3.40pm).

At Wetherby Skelton’s SHAN BLUE can get his career back on track with victory in the William Hill Rowland Meyrick Handicap Chase (Premier Handicap) (GBB Race) (1.35pm).

The eight-year-old won the Grade One Kauto Star as a novice in 2021 and had also scored over course and distance at Wetherby prior to that.

He was going to be a superb winner, again over course and distance, in the Charlie Hall Chase last year when falling four out despite being well clear and seemingly set for a wide-margin victory.

He was then off the track until March, but ran well to be second in the Betway Handicap Chase at Aintree’s Grand National Festival. He hasn’t run since then and has clearly had his problems, but he still remains a horse of plenty of ability and may be be able to bounce back with victory at a track that clearly suits him well.

Sue Smith’s PRIARIE WOLF may get off the mark over obstacles in the William Hill Build #yourodds Novices’ Handicap Hurdle (GBB Race) (1pm) – he made some errors but was a promising third at Doncaster last month and may finally score over hurdles having won two bumpers last season.

Others who may triumph at Wetherby are the Jonjo O’Neill-trained ZABEEL CHAMPION in the William Hill Best Odds Guaranteed Handicap Hurdle (2.10pm); SIR APOLLO in the William Hill Play Responsibly Novices’ Handicap Chase (12.27pm); and Fergal O’Brien’s course and distance winner KARL PHILLIPPE in the William Hill Extra Places Every Day Handicap Chase (2.45pm).

At Wincanton Philip Hobbs’ course and distance winner MIDNIGHT MIDGE can bring up a hat-trick in the John Heathcock Service To Racing Mid Season Handicap Chase (2.03pm) and the Paul Nicholls-trained MILAN BRIDGE can win the Lord Stalbridge “Festive Challenger” Gold Cup Handicap Chase (Challenger Staying Chase Qualifier) (1.28pm).