King George VI Chase: Boxing Day, 1440 GMT TV: Channel Four Commentary: BBC Radio 5 Live Report/results: BBC Sport website Only the great Desert Orchid has ever achieved it, so in his quest for a hat-trick of Stan James King George VI Chase on Boxing Day Kauto Star is seeking a piece of jump racing history. And not such a little piece: the big springtime, end-of-season prizes are the sport's highest profile pots, but the King George is the mid-season championship. Therefore to land it and the Cheltenham Gold Cup - as Kauto Star did in the 2006/7 season - puts the horse right at the top of the jumping tree where he still sits with his 2008 Gold Cup conqueror Denman and champion two-mile chaser Master Minded.  Kauto Star bids for a third straight King George win on Boxing Day |
All are trained by Paul Nicholls, who reports 'Kauto' in fine fettle, and as long as nothing goes wrong, he and jockey Ruby Walsh clearly set an extremely high standard. With the help of Kauto Star and eight race meetings around Britain (and three more in Ireland), Boxing Day continues to be a major shop window for the racing industry, and for punters there's little doubt who is the trainer to follow. Having scooped 12 valuable prizes no less in recent weeks, it has to be Nicky Henderson. He runs The Market Man, who was so impressive last time, in the Nigel Clark Feltham Novices' Chase at Kempton on Boxing Day (1330 GMT). Particularly strong in the potential champion hurdlers department, Henderson sends Punjabi and Afsoun to Kempton's Stan James Christmas Hurdle (1405). Punjabi, a fine third behind Katchit in the Cheltenham Festival's Champion Hurdle last March, made a highly satisfactory return to action when successful at Wetherby early in the month. Henderson has indicated there is not a lot between him and superb recent Ascot winner Binocular on the Lambourn gallops, so this assignment, with stable jockey Barry Geraghty on board, is much anticipated. Traditionally, the Henderson team does well at Kempton's two-day Christmas Festival and all runners should be considered, in particular Petit Robin in the Desert Orchid Chase on 27 December (1515) after his Newbury success in November.  | 606: DEBATE |
Henderson, 58, twice the champion jumps trainer during the 1980s, has made a serious dent in reigning titleholder Paul Nicholls' lead with his recent exploits. He insists that Nicholls has little to fear; however, another prolific run over the festive period, and any reversals for the Nicholls team, and who knows? It will probably be a relief to all of Henderson's opponents that he has no runners in December 27th's Coral Welsh National at Chepstow (1405). The Alan King stable may have an irresistible pair in last year's runner-up and previous winner Halcon Genelardais and Nenuphar Collonges. With his nice low weight, the latter just gets the nod. I also quite liked Abbeybraney. He misses the race but trainer Howard Johnson can still be among the winners. On Boxing Day, Abbeybraney's talented stablemate Tidal Bay, who misses the opportunity to take on Kauto Star, is being aimed at the Skybet.com Rowland Meyrick Chase at Wetherby. A Cheltenham Festival and Aintree winner last season, the three-mile plus distance will suit, and I can see this being a springboard to even more glittering prizes in 2009.
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