Talking Horses: L’Homme Presse set to rule in cracking King George | King George VI Chase
It was good enough for the likes of Arkle and Burrough Hill Lad, but a prep run in a handicap before the King George VI Chase has very much fallen out of favour in recent decades with just two horses having won the Boxing Day feature in the last 24 years on the back of an outing in handicap company.
One of them, however, was Venetia Williams’s Teeton Mill, who took what was then the Hennessy Gold Cup at Newbury in November 1998 and followed up at Kempton a few weeks later, and the same trainer’s L’Homme Presse has an obvious chance to achieve a similar feat in the latest renewal on Monday.
The handicap route to Kempton was not, admittedly, the first choice for L’Homme Presse, who was scratched from his intended prep in a Grade Two at Ascot in mid-November due to unsuitable ground and re-routed to the Rehearsal Handicap Chase at Newcastle a week later.
Despite a 232-day layoff, he defied a mark of 164 with something to spare and took his record over fences to six wins from seven starts including the Grade One Brown Advisory Novice Chase at the Cheltenham Festival.
The only reverse on L’Homme Presse’s record came behind Ahoy Senor – one of the outsiders for Monday’s race – in the Grade One novice at Aintree in April, but that was a meeting where several of Williams’s runners were below their best after big runs at Cheltenham.
Bravemansgame arrives with a similar profile to L’Homme Presse (2.30) and will have plenty of supporters as he seeks to give Paul Nicholls a remarkable 13th win in the race, but there is a strong sense that Williams’s No 1 contender may have the greater scope for improvement and he looks an excellent bet at around 7-4 to see off his main market rival.
Kempton Park 12.45 There was little to choose between the veterans Champ and Paisley Park at Newbury last month but the switch of this race from Ascot to the easier circuit at Kempton could just tip the balance towards Nicky Henderson’s runner as Paisley Park generally puts in his strongest work at the finish.
Kempton Park 1.20 The time of Galia Des Liteaux’s debut chase success at Bangor last month was very strong and he could be much too big at around 4-1 against his more exposed market rival, McFabulous.
Quick Guide
Greg Wood’s Boxing Day tips
Show
Newcastle 11.45 Snake Roll 12.15 Rockmann 12.50 Fourth Of July 1.25 Leading Force 2.00 Operation Manna 2.35 Heroique De Maulde 3.10 Nulli Secundus
Wetherby 11.52 Queens Rock 12.27 Espoir Moriviere 1.00 Curley Finger 1.35 Into Overdrive 2.10 Thanksforthehelp 2.45 Karl Philippe 3.20 Bridge Road
Market Rasen 11.55 Lucky Robin 12.30 Chasing Fire 1.05 Fazayte 1.40 Duke Of Luckley 2.15 Light Em Up Nigel 2.50 Jet Plane 3.25 Asta La Pasta
Fontwell Park 11.57 Givega 12.32 Prince Des Fichaux 1.07 Hidor De Bersy 1.42 Teddy Blue 2.17 Aviles 2.52 Jeffery’s Cross 3.27 Blue Shark
Huntingdon 12.05 Loup De Maulde 12.40 Sponthus 1.15 Largy Nights 1.47 Poker Master 2.22 Smoking Pigeon 2.57 Boys Of Wexford 3.32 Range
Kempton Park 12.10 Rare Edition 12.45 Champ 1.20 Galia Des Liteaux (nb) 1.55 Constitution Hill 2.30 L’Homme Presse 3.05 Balco Coastal 3.40 Optimise Prime (nap)
Wincanton 12.18 Tweed Skirt 12.53 Ahorsewithnoname 1.28 Minella Buster 2.03 Dreaming Blue 2.38 West Orchard 3.13 Steal A March 3.45 Beat The Bat
Wolverhampton 1.50 Lord Sam’s Castle 2.25 Conquistador 3.00 Exalted Angel 3.35 Ernie’s Valentine 4.10 Civil Law 4.45 Let Her Loose 5.20 Bugle Major
Wetherby 1.35 A potential boost for L’Homme Presse’s form before the King George as Into Overdrive finished four lengths behind him in the Rehearsal Chase and should be a big player in this valuable handicap off just a 4lb higher mark.
Kempton Park 1.55 Few jumpers in recent decades have progressed so far or so swiftly as Constitution Hill and he will make the fifth start of his career as the clear ante-post favourite for the Champion Hurdle in March. Epatante, his stable companion, is second-favourite but she was swept aside in the Fighting Fifth at Newcastle and it should be much the same story again here.
