King George VI Chase.
Long Run
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The gelding was awesome when equalling Dessie’s feat when coming home in splendid isolation in last season’s renewal, but a fifth consecutive victory in the Grade 1 contest was a bridge too far. It wasn’t to be. Every cloud has a silver lining, though. And the silver lining in the rescheduled King George was the emergence of another potential star in the shape of Long Run. Perhaps it was a sign that age is catching up with Kauto Star, who is now 11. Indeed, the dual Gold Cup hero could not live with the fresher legs of six-year-old Long Run, who was turned over on his reappearance in the BetVictor Gold Cup at Cheltenham but jumped and travelled supremely well at Kempton, and powered clear in the home straight to come home 12 lengths ahead of stablemate totesport Cheltenham Gold Cup in March, while Kauto Star is out to around the 8-1 mark. Last year’s winner Imperial Commander heads the market for jump racing’s blue riband event.
Binocular
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Earlier in the day Henderson’s champion hurdler Binocular confirmed that he will be very much the one to beat at Cheltenham in March when scooting clear of Overturn and Starluck in the William Hill-sponsored Stan James Champion Hurdle at the Festival, with Ireland’s Hurricane Fly next best at around the 9-2 mark and Menorah generally a 5-1 chance. |
