Cue Card holds aces in vintage King George VI Chase

Trainer Colin Tizzard hopes it's a case of fourth time lucky for Cue Card, his rejuvenated chaser who faces an all-star cast in the King George VI Chase at Kempton on Saturday.

National Hunt racing's traditional Boxing Day showpiece has all the hallmarks of being a vintage edition.

Joining Cue Card are Paul Nicholls' hat-trick seeker Silviniaco Conti, runaway Hennessy Gold Cup winner Smad Place, Vautour representing the all-conquering Irish trainer Willie Mullins, and Don Cossack.

The latter trained by Gordon Elliott heads the ante-post market at around 9-4. The highest-rated staying chaser in training warmed up in style in a Grade One at Down Royal in October, his fourth straight success.

He had Cue Card a country mile behind when landing the Melling Chase at Aintree's Grand National meeting, and is seeking to become the first Irish-trained horse to land the Kempton prize in a decade.

Retired jump jockey legend Tony McCoy was on board at Aintree, and believes Don Cossack is the one to beat.
"He's a much better horse on better ground and I think the less rain we have the better for him, but I think Don Cossack will win the King George," he told race sponsors William Hill.

Cue Card has the little matter of 26 lengths to find on Don Cossack on Melling Chase form, but Tizzard's admirable servant lines up seemingly at the top of his game, rejuvenated by an operation to improve his breathing.

Paddy Brennan's mount has been foot perfect in his two outings this season, leaving Silviniaco Conti in his wake last time out at Haydock.

"Cue Card is absolutely fine and it's all stations go to the King George," Tizzard told The Sporting life.

"He has done his last piece of fast work and he will now just be left cantering away until the race.

"He has already won two big races so he is under no pressure as long as he shows up to the best of his ability."
Silviniaco Conti's trainer Paul Nicholls believes there were legitimate excuses for his Haydock defeat -- namely sarcoids, wart-like growths which are uncomfortable when he is tacked up.

"It was all a bit of a rush before Haydock, but I was still pleased with him.

"No excuses, he wouldn't have beaten Cue Card, but I just know we can get him better than he was that day," Nicholls told Racing UK.

Vautour is tackling three miles for the first time, but fairly stormed up the Cheltenham hill in the JLT Chase in March, yet was far from impressive on his winning return at Ascot.

Mullins, seeking his first King George since Florida Pearl in 2001, said: "I'd be hoping he'll stay. He won the JLT Chase last season and the way he came up the hill there didn't look to be any stamina issue.

"He was so impressive at Cheltenham, like he was the year before there. I'd love to win the King George and hopefully he's good enough."

Adding intrigue to a fascinating renewal is the presence of the rapidly improving Smad Place.

He ran his rivals ragged in the Hennessy at Newbury, and his astute trainer Alan King sounds optimistic.

"Smad Place went up 13lb for winning the Hennessy, so, while he is stepping up another notch on the ladder, he came out of Newbury so well and his new rating suggests he would not have to progress much more to be right there in the mix with the big boys," he told his website.

"He is in great shape and we are hoping for the best."
Source: AFP