King George 1-2-3 predictions: who will be the first three home at Kempton?

The Ladbrokes King George VI Chase (2.30) is the feature race at Kempton on Boxing Day. Our experts have looked at the big race and put forward their 1-2-3 selections . . .

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Keith Melrose

1. L'Homme Presse
2. Envoi Allen
3. Bravemansgame

Any objective assessment of the King George would have L'Homme Presse ahead of Bravemansgame as his form is just much stronger. While it is admittedly more through dearth of opportunity rather than lack of ability, Bravemansgame's reputation is only stretching further ahead of what he has actually achieved on the track. In that sense he is the flipside of one-time jumps golden boy Envoi Allen, who has matured on the evidence of his latest win and who I think might edge second at Kempton on Boxing Day.

Charlie Huggins

1Bravemansgame
2 Envoi Allen
3 Eldorado Allen

It is difficult to look past Bravemansgame, who won a Grade 1 on this card last year over the same track and trip and jumped superbly on his seasonal return in the Charlie Hall Chase. Paul Nicholls has long had this race in mind for the ante-post favourite, who can seal a record-extending 13th win in the £250,000 Christmas highlight for the champion trainer.

Bravemansgame clears the water jump on his way to winning at Newbury and gaining 11.73 points to take the stable of Shed The Frog to first place in the Tote Ten To Follow

Bravemansgame: popular among our expertsCredit: Alan Crowhurst (Getty Images)

Envoi Allen bounced back to form to land his seventh top-level success at Down Royal last month and three miles around Kempton looks ideal for the classy performer, who can chase Bravemansgame home. Eldorado Allen has run some big races in defeat, and is bound to nab a major prize at some point, but may have to settle for a staying-on third here.

Jack Haynes

1 Bravemansgame
2 Envoi Allen
3 Millers Bank

Bravemansgame can come out on top in a race that Paul Nicholls has dominated in recent years. You could ask for little more than his return win in the Charlie Hall Chase and his Kauto Star success last year proved this course and distance is ideal.

This could be a sharp enough test for L'Homme Presse so Envoi Allen, who is unexposed at this trip, looks the main threat and Millers Bank, a course winner who should improve for going up in distance, can outrun big odds to fill the places.

James Stevens

1 Hitman
2 Bravemansgame
3 Envoi Allen

Hitman is still very progressive and has already displayed some top-class form, particularly his strong-travelling second in the Melling Chase last season. Three miles on a sharp track looks absolutely ideal and I just expect him to continue to improve.

Bravemansgame clearly relishes it around here and would have to play a prominent role. I would fancy Envoi Allen over L'Homme Presse at Kempton, he looked fairly good at Down Royal but I feel more will be needed here.

Liam Headd

1 L'Homme Presse
2 Bravemansgame
3 Frodon

It’s great to see nine take their chance, but I feel this is going to be a straight battle between the top two in the market, Bravemansgame and L’Homme Presse. Both would be deserving winners given the fact they have both only lost once over fences, but I feel that Venetia Williams’ seven-year-old has the slight edge. He put in a high-class performance off top weight at Newcastle last month and the rain in the forecast will play to his strengths.

Bravemansgame will be in behind, given his course and distance success in a Grade 1 last year, while 2020 winner Frodon can outrun his odds and take third. Bryony Frost is back in the saddle after her injury and she always seems to get a good tune out of the ten-year-old.

L'Homme Presse: the pick of Keith Melrose and Liam HeaddCredit: Edward Whitaker

Owen Goulding

1 Bravemansgame
2 L'Homme Presse
3 Envoi Allen

This is a fascinating field of nine and I think we will be treated to a fantastic spectacle – one that can be dominated by Bravemansgame. He was an excellent winner of the Kauto Star on this card twelve months ago, where Kempton played to all his strengths. The way he jumps and travels lends itself to a track like this, which allows nimble types to steal a march on their rivals.

He should ultimately have too much speed for L'Homme Presse, who will be better suited by the Gold Cup course and distance in March. Envoi Allen relished 3m at Down Royal on his comeback and is the dark horse in the race.

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Introducing the ITV Racing Christmas Festival

The ITV Racing Christmas Festival features six days of top-class action on the channel from 12 different tracks in Britain and Ireland between December 26 and January 1.

Some 41 live races will be shown in all, including eight Grade 1s such as the King George VI Chase, with the Welsh Grand National and Cheltenham's New Year's Day card among the big-race highlights across a spectacular six days of racing on terrestrial television across the festive period.