Long Run Headlines The King George Part 1

Long Run is looking to etch his name into the annals of National Hunt racing with a returning victory in the King George stakes at Kempton tomorrow. The emerging superstar of the jumps racing scene has not been at his most consistent over the past year or so after vaulting to prominence by capturing this race over the beloved Kauto Star two years ago. 

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King Kauto famously returned last year to win this race in an epic renewal - a race which turned out to be his last victory. 

As Long Run looks to take his place next to the aforementioned champion (now embarking on a dressage career), he will also be trying to fit in amongst Desert Orchid, Halloween and See More Business. 

Punters have backed him down as low as 2/1 in what has been a tremendously competitive ante post market. The going certainly makes the race look interesting as it appears as though the Kempton surface will be listed as “heavy” as the wet weather continues to take its toll on a number of other UK & Irish racecourses. Chepstow, for instance, is abandoned tomorrow. 

The conditions underfoot were blamed for the withdrawal of Champion 2m chaser Sizing Europe, who will now look to run at Leopardstown in the Paddy Power Dial-A-Bet Chase or opting for a 3m race a few days later if the ground firms up a bit. His connections have made no qualms about their big plans for him, though they insist he will need good ground to make an attempt at anything at or near 3m. 

At this point, Long Run hasn’t won since last February when he captured the Grade 2 Denman Chase. His seasonal debut didn’t go so well as he ran against a short group of 5 and still finished 2.5 lengths behind the ultimate winner Silviniaco Conti. The upstart Paul Nicholls runner will skip this one, but it’s obvious that they think he has genuine Gold Cup credentials along with plenty of room to move forward.