2022 King George Tips – 25/1 and 66/1 Ante-post Bets for the Boxing Day Feature

The highlight of the festive period for many National Hunt enthusiasts is the King George VI Chase at Kempton on Boxing Day. A three-mile steeplechase with an illustrious roll call, it never fails to deliver a Christmas cracker.

RideoutRacing on Twitter has done a dive deep into the early ante-post betting market in search of some value and hopefully our 2022 Champion.

 

Allaho the current favourite

The market is currently headed by dual Cheltenham Festival winner Allaho 5/2. The Closutton inmate has been sensational over the past couple of seasons but is by no means a certain runner, and therefore, represents a risky ante-post proposition at his current odds of 5/2.

Willie Mullins is a creature of habit, and I envisage Allaho attempting to defend his John Durkan crown before skipping the Christmas period and waiting for a big spring campaign.

 

Bravemansgame a sold option

Bravemansgame 9/2 sits next in the betting and looks like the standout bet at the top of the market. Paul Nicholls has a wonderful record in the King George, winning the race 12 times, including 3 of the last 4 renewals. He has long touted Bravemansgame as a potential King George horse and his novice chase season would enhance that claim.

Arguably one the best jumpers in training, Bravemansgame recorded 4 wins last season with the highlight being a demolition in the Grade 1 Kauto Star Novices Chase, over the same course and distance as the King George.

He jumped beautifully throughout and came there swinging two from home. Shaken up approaching the last, Bravemansgame effortlessly drew clear of Ahoy Senor to record an emphatic win. He would back that performance up with a comfortable handicap success off a mark of 159 before disappointing at Aintree. He had his excuses that day and Nicholls believes he was probably over the top, having trained him to peak at Cheltenham, where he was a non-runner due to the going. H

e looks every inch a King George horse, with a high-class cruising speed and immaculate jumping. His current odds of 9/2 could represent value after a good comeback run.

 

The Unlikely Runners

I always like to look at a market and highlight horses who are actually going to run in the race. This season’s King George VI Chase market is littered with potential non-runners. Connections of L’Homme Presse 8/1 have already hinted that they will swerve the Kempton showpiece, highlighting the importance of keeping gas in the tank, with a tilt at Cheltenham’s prestigious Gold Cup in mind.

Galopin Des Champs 10/1 sits next in the betting and given his electric performances at Leopardstown last season, I can see connections targeting the Savills Chase for his return to action.

A Plus Tard 12/1 won’t be seen on a right-handed track, whilst connections of Ahoy Senor 16/1 will surely avoid Kempton and keep their star to galloping left-handed courses.

Once you whittle down the rest of the market, including the likes of star two-mile chasers Energumene 20/1 and Shishkin 20/1, you get to a few potential runners.

 

King George VI Each-way Bets

Defending champion Tornado Flyer 25/1 appeals to me at his current odds but his form completely tailed off after last season’s triumph, and I would question the strength of that form. Likely to reappear in the John Durkan, hopefully behind Allaho, he’s one to keep a close eye on.

Clan Des Obeaux 25/1 will bid for a third win in the race, but age isn’t on his side. Now at the grand old age of 10, he is bidding to become just the ninth winner aged ten or over to win the race since its inception in 1937.

Paul Nichols often fires a few darts at the race and Hitman 25/1 looks like value in the current market. Only a six-year-old, Hitman has shown significant promise and is seriously unexposed over staying trips. Second in last season’s Haldon Gold Cup, Tingle Creek and Melling Chase, he is clearly a horse with plenty of class. I believe that class has been getting him through his races and he has the potential to improve plenty for a step up in trip. Officially rated 159, he will need to improve to win a King George, but Clan Des Obeaux was only rated a pound higher when winning his first, also aged six. Nicholls has earmarked a return in the Old Roan Chase at Aintree, a race he used for a certain Kauto Star the year he first won the King George.

Nicholls has never lost faith in Hitman and has often hinted at bundles of improvement. His profile wouldn’t be too dissimilar to that of stablemates Clan Des Obeaux and Frodon earlier in their respective careers. I think Kempton will play to his strengths and 25/1 could represent excellent value come the day.

One other horse caught my eye in the current market at a wild price. Available at 66/1 with Unibet, Shan Blue could be one to sneak into the frame. Having won the 2020 Kauto Star Novices Chase in a time 3 seconds quicker than King George winner Frodon later on the card, we know he relishes the demands of Kempton.

Shan Blue was running a huge race on his comeback run last season when taking a crashing fall three out in the Charlie Hall. He appeared to be tanking that day and was 20 lengths clear at the time.

It was visually an astonishing performance, and I would imagine the plan is to reappear in the same race this season. Given he runs anywhere close to that level, his odds will tumble. Whether he is quite good enough to win a King George remains to be seen, but if connections of Allaho do decide to look elsewhere, he may be the pace angle in the race and could get an uncontested lead. At odds of 66/1 he could be worth chancing each way.

At this very early stage Bravemansgame 9/2 would be my idea of the 2022 King George winner but I think both Hitman 25/1 and Shan Blue 66/1 represent excellent each way value.

 

2022 King George VI Chase Tips

Win bet: Bravemansgame (9/2 with bet365).

Each-way bets: Hitman (25/1 with Paddy Power) & Shan Blue (66/1 with Unibet)

 

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