Long Run Headlines The King George Part 2

It is not so much Long Run that really intrigues in this race as it is more about the cadre of talented up-and-coming chasers who are in the 5/1-10/1 range - many of them look ripe for a serious breakout here and this could be just the race to do it. Long Run must get it exactly right and, with results not really going his way that often, his short prices and piles of support from punters who’ve napped him for months may start to dry up. For many, this may be his final chance to be that genuine superstar that everybody seems to think he really is. 

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The second choice is Cheltenham winner Riverside Theatre who is an eight-year-old son of King’s Theatre. He beat back some of the best in the business when he captured the Grade 1 Ryanair Chase and, prior to that, the Betfair Ascot Chase by three lengths over Medermit. He was ultimately pulled up in the Grade 1 Betfred Bowl Chase. He’s set for a seasonal debut here and that’s likely why he’s taking so much support. It’s clear that he still has room to move forward and it should be noted that he finished second to Long Run in this race back when he toppled Kauto Star in an iteration run on January 15. 

Barry Geraghty is booked for the mount - look for him at 5/1. 

Cue Card is the next best-priced challenger and he’s coming off an impressive debut score at Exeter which saw him romp home by a smashing 26 lengths over Edgardo Sol. Sent off at a competitive 5/6 in a 5 horse field, Cue Card didn’t disappoint - and he’ll enjoy the stretch out in distance here. He finished second to the scintillating Sprinter Sacre in his Cheltenham effort last year and was able to topple For Non Stop in a relatively cheap race at Newbury around last new year. Whiel his top level credentials haven’t been proven quite as much as some of the others, he is only six and will put in a good shift here. 

Grands Crus didn’t really get his season off to the rollicking start that he and his connections will have hoped. He was pulled up at Cheltenham on his seasonal debut and that came on the back of a disappointing run at Bobs Worth in the RSA Chase. He’s 8/1 but it seems a bit overvalued at that price - Grands Crus must step it up in a big way if he wants to factor. 

Kauto Stone is going to be taking a pile of sentimental money for this one but you do have to wonder whether punters will look like geniuses after backing him. While his form has been inconsistent, there is every chance he’s turned a corner this year having conquered the first big Grade 1 of the year - the JNWine Champion Chase at Down Royal.