IT’S akin to Ovett v Coe. Or Denman v Kauto Star. Or Ali v Frazier. Thistlecrack v Cue Card is a Boxing Day treat in the King George VI Chase that not many could have anticipated. The tale of the tape may favour last year’s winner Cue Card. He looked as good as ever in the Betfair Chase where he swatted away the brave Coneygree with ease. He was also given an inspired ride by Paddy Brennan to get up and beat Vautour in the 2015 King George. In fact, Cue Card and Brennan get on like a house on fire and the jockey will be wanting to right the ultimate wrong from the 2016 Cheltenham Gold Cup when they came a cropper three fences from home when travelling well.
Cue Card, I believe, would have won so jockey and horse have unfinished business. The King George is more than just a bonus race to pick up on the way. It is a huge prize in its own right and the second leg of the so-called £1million Triple Crown. Cue Card won leg one, the Betfair Chase, in sensational style last month. The King George has lost some of its lustre with the defection of Coneygree, who failed to sparkle in a recent piece of work and, of course, the ill-fated Vautour.
But the appearance of novice Thistlecrack is truly fascinating. Unbeaten in three chasing starts, it will be mesmerising to see how he copes with this huge step up in class on just his fourth run over fences. Kempton would not have been his ideal track over hurdles and the likely searing gallop will leave little margin for jumping errors. On the face if it his odds look stupidly short. But this is Thistlecrack, who many observers (including this one) believe has the biggest engine of any national hunt animal for many a year.
His jumping was impressive at Newbury last time. Maybe connections have been tempted by the race cutting up slightly but you have to applaud the owners and Colin Tizzard for letting him take his chance. So often you see big trainers go to great lengths to make sure their charges avoid each other. However, on the flip side, sometimes when novices are thrown in against the big boys things can go awry. Think Gloria Victis and Ten Plus.
Bookies struggling to split them
In the King George VI betting market, the bookies are struggling to split them. Cue Card is marginally ahead at 5/4 in most markets with Thistlecrack breathing down his neck. I just favour Cue Card although this is, quite simply, a spectacle to savour. It’s almost tempting not to have a punt.
The fact there are seven runners makes an each-way bet unattractive, But it is interesting that previous winner Silviniaco Conti is so big at 25/1. The one who might be worth a big price poke is Road To Riches especially as Kempton may miss most of the rain that is set to hit much of the country. Road To Riches, at his best (he was third in the 2015 Gold Cup), would bustle up the two main contenders but he needs decent conditions and, at the time of writing, the official ground is good, good to soft in places. Perfect really.
I never thought Josses Hill would be third favourite in a King George. But he is another who will enjoy the decent ground, while Tea For Two and Lizzie Kelly have it all to do.
Be lucky!
I know it seems as though the price for Thistlecrack is extremely short (I work for Coral and we’re currently 11/10 Cue Card and 11/8 Thistlecrack) but I think 11/8 could be a price to jump on before it shortens even more. I believe Thistlecrack will set off as favourite for the King George! Punters seem to love the unexposed at that is exactly what Thistlecrack is. Sure, Cue Card looked better than ever when brushing off Conygree in the Betfair Chase, and of course he’s striving for the £1m Triple Crown. Thistlecrack, however, brings in the element of the unknown. He could be anything. His jumping in his three chasing starts has been almost faultless. I don’t recall seeing many horses that correct themselves when jumping; Tom Scudamore has just sat on board as a passenger and enjoyed the rides.
This is a massive step up in class for the novice, and his jumping will need to be excellent to handle the potentially furious pace and the experience of the other runners in the field. But from what I’ve seen of this truly fascinating horse, he can overhaul Cue Card and take the crown of the Boxing Day special.
I am, and have always been, one of Silviniaco Conti’s biggest fans. The ten year old has been an absolute star for Paul Nicholls and co. and is sure to run his race once again. Unfortunately though, with only seven runners for the King George, each-way betting seems a little too risky with Thistlecrack and Cue Card likely to battle it to get into the winners enclosure. Therefore, I will be opposing my normal betting principles, and I will be leaving Conti alone. I cannot see any other than the top two in the market winning this race, and this is only a testement to Cue Card and Thistlerack considering the extreme talent of their rivals.
But Thistlecrack is the one to be one for me. There is a (huge) element of the unknown for the novice chaser but I believe he could be one of the greatest National Hunt horses we have ever seen. Punters should get on the price at 11/8 or thereabouts before he inevitably shortens even more.
Thistlecrack for the King George!!!
Sean