Nicky Henderson: “There is no doubt we have a Christmas cracker of a King George but everything has gone well with our horse and I am very much looking forward to it.”

BOXING DAY

KEMPTON

12:45

Noble Park (Nico De Boinville)

He’s won both his Chase starts in style so is ready for a step up in grade and this trip on Kempton’s good to soft ground will suit well. It’s a competitive race but he’s improving and I’m hopeful he can develop into a smart chaser.

1:55 G1 Christmas Hurdle

Sir Gino (Nice De Boinville)

As has been well documented, we were always going to use this meeting as a starting point for the season, whether it would be over fences or hurdles, that was the question, but as things have panned out, it made sense to switch back to hurdles to give him chance to blow the cobwebs away and, depending on what the outcome is here, we can then regroup and make a decision for what the rest of the season entails.

Everything has gone very well with his preparation and his work and schooling have been electric. We all know what a very good horse he is and I’m looking forward to getting him out again.

2:30 G1 King George VI Chase

Jango Baie (Nico De Boinville)

What he did in the Arkle was extraordinary, but it told us that two miles is definitely too short for him and that was proved correct by the way he won the 1965 Chase at Ascot suggesting he could be even better over further.

Three miles around Kempton, where there is likely to be plenty of pace on, will play to his strengths and I’ve been very happy with his condition coming into this.

It is a very good King George, however, and I was impressed with Ben’s horse (The Jukebox Man) at Haydock the other day and I’d expect him to improve a fair bit, and that’s before we even begin to consider the Mullins battalion!

There is no doubt we have a Christmas cracker of a King George but everything has gone well with our horse and I am very much looking forward to it.

3:05

Ionian (Nico De Boinville)

He ran in an Irish Point to Point before coming to us and is by Blue Bresil, who very sadly passed away last week, so it would be quite poignant should this chap win.

His jumping at home has been very good and he’s quite forward so I didn’t feel the need to go down the bumper route.

This is a typically good Maiden, but he’s a nice horse and will hopefully put up a decent show.

WINCANTON

2:03

Go To War (Robbie Dunne)

He’s very unexposed as a chaser and we’re sticking to three miles and putting a set of cheekpieces on to help him concentrate.

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