'He's as good a chance I'll get of winning a King George' - key quotes for Kempton's Boxing Day feature

The great midwinter highlight of the British jumps season, the Ladbrokes King George VI Chase (2.30) has attracted a select field of six who between them have amassed 18 Grade 1 victories and prize-money in excess of £3.8 million. 

Both last year's winner Bravemansgame and the 2020 scorer Frodon are back to attempt a second victory in the race, while Allaho and Hewick form a powerful challenge from Ireland. Add in the enigmatic Shishkin and rising star The Real Whacker, and you have the recipe for a thrilling Boxing Day treat.

'Ground is massive for him' - Nicholls backs Bravemansgame to return to his best

When Bravemansgame won this race 12 months ago he looked to have the chasing world at his feet. While he made Galopin Des Champs go to the bottom of the well in an enthralling Cheltenham Gold Cup, you could argue his failure to win in four starts since last season's King George counts as something approaching underperformance. 

However, Paul Nicholls already has 13 King George trophies on the sideboard and nobody knows more about getting the right horse to peak for Kempton. He is convinced a return to the eight-year-old's favourite venue – Bravemansgame also won the Kauto Star here as a novice – and a sounder surface will help erase the memories of defeats to Gentlemansgame and Royale Pagaille this term.

"To go back to Wetherby, if the ground had been goodish like it was last year, I think he'd have probably won the Charlie Hall," said Nicholls. "The going didn't suit him but he ran a good, solid race as he wasn't fully wound up. 

"Haydock probably came a bit quick but [owner] Bryan Drew was keen to go and I couldn't do a lot with him between Wetherby and that race. Now he's back on full track, I'd say he's working to his best and he looks great.

"The big positives for him are the track and the ground. Ground is massive for him, he's definitely at his best on good going and that's a big plus. I'm very happy with him."

Bravemansgame on his way to King George success under Harry Cobden 12 months agoCredit: Alan Crowhurst

The 2020 King George winner Frodon tuned up for this with a fine weight-carrying effort to be third in the Badger Beer Handicap Chase at Wincanton, and Nicholls is hopeful the veteran will go well again under faithful partner Bryony Frost.

"He's well and he'll love the ground," said Nicholls. "If we can finish as close as we can, that would be the ambition. I see him running a good race and he'll certainly serve it up to them." 

Allaho and Hewick primed for Boxing Day clash

Allaho didn't thrill everyone with a couple of scruffy leaps in his winning comeback at Clonmel last month but Willie Mullins was more than satisfied with the nine-year-old, who had not run since landing the Punchestown Gold Cup in April 2022. 

Mullins said: "This is a tough task but he has been in great form at home since winning at Clonmel last month. Given how he handled the track at Clonmel we think he will be suited by Kempton. He goes here in tip-top order and should be a big player." 

History also suggests the four-time Grade 1 winner is a better horse with a run under his belt, even when there aren't quite so many cobwebs to be blown away as after an absence of 561 days. 

Allaho and Paul Townend returned with victory in the Clonmel Oil ChaseCredit: Patrick McCann

Rider Paul Townend said: "It's a very prestigious race, which I haven't been to before, so it's all new and I'm looking forward to it. Allaho is as good a chance I'll get of winning a King George. It's a class race without it being a massive field. You can make a case for everything in it.

"Allaho is a dual Ryanair winner and a Punchestown Gold Cup winner, so we're hoping he stays and the track suits him. I'm disappointed to be missing some very big rides at Leopardstown, but having a crack on Allaho in this race makes up for it."

Hewick, the other Irish-trained runner, may just be the most versatile horse in training and he doesn't lack for class, for all that his only Grade 1 victory was in the American Grand National Hurdle. 

News of drying ground is music to the ears of trainer Shark Hanlon, who readies Hewick for a first start since finishing midfield in defence of his Galway Plate crown back in the summer.

Hanlon said: "The ground's coming his way. I'd say we're going to have good ground which is a big help. He's in very good form and he's improved a fair bit for the run. I expect a big run. I love when everyone knocks him, because he always seems to come out and win, so the more that knock him the better!"

'He's as fit as I can get a racehorse without a run' – Henderson bids for rare feat with enigmatic Shishkin

There have been almost as many words written about what Shishkin hasn't done this season as about what he might do, thanks to his mulish display at the start of the 1965 Chase at Ascot last month.

The six-time Grade 1 winner has not managed to string two similar performances together over the last 12 months, with excellent efforts on his first try over two and a half miles (the Ascot Chase) and three miles (the Bowl at Aintree) interspersed with a stop-start display in the Ryanair, during which there were times Shishkin looked ready to throw in the towel completely, before belatedly consenting to run on into second. 

Shishkin proved his liking for three miles when winning at Aintree in AprilCredit: Alan Crowhurst

Trainer Nicky Henderson will dispatch his assistant George Daly – who rides Shishkin each morning – to the start to try to eliminate any hiccups on that front. 

He is hopeful rather than confident that the nine-year-old can overcome a lack of match practice and win the King George on his first proper start of the season, having failed to run at Ascot before being declared a non-runner at Sandown two weeks later. 

Henderson said: "He's in great form. Everyone knows what's happened and I'd have liked to have had a run, but we haven't. He's done loads of work and is as fit as I can get a racehorse without a run. 

"He's won over three miles at Aintree, which is the same sort of thing. You have to stay well in a King George, they go a relentless gallop and there are no breathers or easy spots, and we hope he can do that. He doesn't do anything wrong really and we're keeping our fingers crossed about the start."

Asked if Shishkin had been practising the art of jumping off, Henderson said: "There's not a lot you can do as you can't replicate a start at home."

'Sam thinks his jumping will help him round Kempton' - The Real Whacker camp in positive mood

The Real Whacker has come an awfully long way in a short space of time, and this time last year had won just once over fences in a novice chase at Cheltenham. 

The strapping son of Mahler bolstered that record with victory back at Prestbury Park in the Grade 2 Dipper, before inflicting the only career defeat to date on Gerri Colombe in a pulsating Brown Advisory Novices' Chase at the festival. 

The Real Whacker (near) gets the better of Gerri Colombe in the Brown AdvisoryCredit: John Grossick

The Real Whacker was struck into during his comeback run in the Paddy Power Gold Cup, after which Sam Twiston-Davies looked after him, pulling up before two out. 

However, North Yorkshire-based trainer Patrick Neville says those problems are now behind him and he is relishing taking on some established stars of the chasing scene.

"I'm very pleased with him, he's 100 per cent and going there in great form," said Neville. "He's versatile and has no issues at all going right-handed or left-handed. 

"We're looking forward to it and Sam thinks his jumping will help round Kempton. The ground seems to be nice down there, so that'll be another thing on our side."

Read our Boxing Day previews:

12.45 Kempton: 'You wouldn't see a novice jump better' - who expects a big effort from his runner in this competitive handicap chase?  

1.05 Aintree: 'We've had our eye on this since the Royal Bond' - Gordon Elliott takes aim at the British novices with Grade 1 star Farren Glory  

1.10 Leopardstown: 'You'd have to love the way he hit the line ' - Mighty Bandit steps up to Graded company after impressive Punchestown debut  

1.20 Kempton: 'He’s always looked phenomenal' - quotes and analysis on a fascinating Kauto Star Novices' Chase  

1.33 Limerick: Loughglynn bids to emulate the likes of Faugheen and Penhill by landing Grade 2 honours  

1.35 Wetherby: 'He stays and has a nice weight - he must have a great chance' - who expects to dominate a tricky Rowland Meyrick chase?  

1.55 Kempton: Unbeaten superstar Constitution Hill attempts to serve up another Boxing Day treat for racing fans in the Christmas Hurdle  

2.20 Leopardstown: Arkle favourite fancied to make it a perfect ten for Willie Mullins in final ever Racing Post Novice Chase  

Subscribe to Racing Post Members' Club Ultimate Monthly and get 50% off your first three months!

Available to new subscribers purchasing Members' Club Ultimate Monthly using code WELCOME2023. First three payments will be charged at £19.98, subscription renews at full monthly price thereafter. To cancel please contact us at least seven days before subscription is due to renew.