Tom’s biblical preview of the King George is an excellent overview of the Christmas showpiece, but I will add my opinion into the mix as we disagree, and have done fervently for the last six weeks or so, on a couple of key issues. Although Tom’s analysis is usually far superior to my own, I think he has been a little bullish regarding Master Minded and the stamina question. Whilst there certainly has to be a degree of doubt regarding the trip, I don’t believe he is a definite non-stayer. Agreed, his victory in the Melling Chase was over rivals who had felt the pinch much more at the Festival, but he put the race to bed with the minimum of fuss and certainly wasn’t stopping at the finish. I also agree that his stride was shortening the last time out when defeating Somersby and Medermit at Ascot. But I’m certain he was no more than 85% fit for the race, as his trainer Paul Nicholls has stated the King George to be his target since the start of that campaign. Ascot was designed to be the final building block in a bigger picture, so his victory was more than adequate enough for me. I was also impressed with the way he cruised past Somersby and made Henrietta Knight’s gelding look distinctly average. Granted, that rival was a little disappointing in the Peterborough Chase next time out, but the sharp nature of the Cambridgeshire track might not have played to his strengths. And as Tom has already mentioned, Medermit ran a blinder the last day at Cheltenham off a mark of 157. If he ran roughly to that figure at Ascot, Master Minded can’t have been far off 165. And that was when he wasn’t fully fit. If he can wing Kempton’s fences with his usual zest, and Daryl Jacob adopts the positive tactics that he stated he would on Wednesday, then Master Minded will have too much speed for the entire field if there is still something in the tank turning for home.
That was my head talking. Although I’m sure Tom will beg to differ. But my heart, as is the case with most racing fans, yearns for one more Christmas where we can all follow the Star. He is, without a shadow of a doubt, my favourite racehorse and will be as long as I watch the game. I’ve grown up with Kauto Star, and it would make my year to see him record his fifth victory in the race. Although his performance at Haydock was scintillating, I’m a little concerned about his overall preparation. I genuinely believe the Ditcheat team had no intention of running Kauto Star in the King George before last month; I reckon they expected him to finish in the frame in the Betfair Chase and then planned to freshen him up for one final showdown up the Cheltenham hill. Regardless of what Nicholls, Smith, Walsh, or Baker were saying, Kauto’s performance must have come as a reasonable surprise. And because he was so well tuned for the race last month, I’m uncertain whether he can reach that peak again in a reasonably short space of time. Of course I want him to, but my money won’t be on his back.
In terms of the other runners, I share largely the same views as Tom. I’m a little sceptical about Long Run, particularly his tendency to give the odd fence a proper belt. I think Captain Chris has plenty of potential, although I can’t see Kempton being his day and I don’t hold in the same regard as Tom does. Somersby is still a young horse with a plenty of talent himself. He looks to have been crying out for a step up in trip. So it will be him, and Master Minded, that carry my Christmas cash this year.
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