King George back in the frame for Charlie Hall winner The Real Whacker but ground is a key consideration

Charlie Hall winner The Real Whacker is back in the frame for the Ladbrokes King George VI Chase after trainer Patrick Neville revealed he was set to supplement his stable star for Kempton.

The Real Whacker, who won the Brown Advisory Novices' Chase last year, was pulled out of last month's Betfair Chase on the day due to the softening ground, and could now head to the Christmas highlight on December 26.

Connections would have to pay £4,600 to add the eight-year-old to the field at the confirmation stage six days before the race.

The King George had originally been suggested after Wetherby before Haydock became the target, but it is on the table again for the in-form chaser.

"He wasn't in the King George because he was on a different route, but he's come out of Wetherby really well and with the form he's in, he could possibly run in it," Neville said.

"We'd have to supplement him but we've looked into it and that could be his next run. He was fourth in the King George last year when they went quick enough and he never got into his rhythm, but he ran very well for a first run in open company.

"It would be ground dependent but we'll have a good idea of that and the weather forecast by then. There's also the race at Wetherby on Boxing Day, but we'll look at the King George because it's a wide-open race."

Patrick Neville and stable star The Real Whacker, fourth in last year's King George

The betting for the King George highlights the race's confusing picture as Fact To File and Spillane's Tower, first and second in last month's John Durkan for owner JP McManus, are quoted high up but need to be supplemented.

Neville had been worried about the King George being too hot a race for The Real Whacker, but with a number of leading contenders falling by the wayside in recent weeks that opinion has changed.

"They'll probably supplement one from Ireland, but the big guns are out of it," he said. "Willie [Mullins] withdrew his eight entries last month and the French horse [Il Est Francais] doesn't look as strong as he did. You can make a case for them all."

Looking towards next year, Neville is still sticking to the intended plan of running The Real Whacker in the Cotswold Chase in January before the big spring festivals.

"We're still thinking of going for the Cotswold and then the Gold Cup, but it will depend on the ground," he said. "You can run him at any track – it's the ground that's key. If the Cheltenham Festival came up as soft as it did last year, we'd go the Aintree route. There's the Bowl and we'll probably put him in the Grand National as well."

Read all about Patrick Neville's team in Straight from the Stable in Wednesday's Racing Post Weekender

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