Scotia It`s getting cold in the Scotland.

Moloney hopes to topple Kauto with Deep Purple

PAUL MOLONEY said there will be nowhere to hide at Kempton on Saturday as he predicted an "endless gallop" to the William Hill King George VI Chase, in which he seeks to topple three-time-winner Kauto Star with the progressive Deep Purple.

Moloney has hit a purple patch of form with the Paul Green-owned chaser, winning six of his last eight starts on the horse, including the Totesport.com Peterborough Chase and the Bet365 Charlie Hall Chase, both Grade 2 contests.

Overall he has a record of 11 wins from 16 starts on Deep Purple and the only time the Evan Williams-trained eight-year-old has failed to complete a chase, in last season's Wayward Lad Novices Chase, Moloney was riding elsewhere.

Deep Purple has done most of his racing over shorter distances but proved himself over the King George trip of 3m when beating Tamarinbleu by a head at Wetherby before showing further improvement to beat Tartak over 2m4½f at Huntingdon.

"He was very impressive at Huntingdon, it was a real good race," said Moloney. "You take Kauto Star and Imperial Commander out of the race and after that it is wide open. He has got the beating of the horses he met at Huntingdon."

Read more in Wednesday's Racing Post - or buy the online newspaper from 9am

Kauto in peak condition for fourth King George

THERE will be "no excuses" should Kauto Star fail to win a fourth consecutive King George VI Chase, but failure was looking a slim possibility on Wednesday when Paul Nicholls confirmed hisjumping heavyweight to be in peak condition for the assignment on December 26.

The mighty reputation of jumping's highest-rated performer was not enough to prevent 12 horses being declared against him for Saturday's showpiece, but Nicholls is offering rival connections little reason for optimism.

"Kauto is in great form and schooled very well this morning - it is all systems go and there really are no excuses," said the trainer.

"We've had a great prep and a nice run at Haydock, where we got the right result. Everything has gone exactly how we wanted since then. He's at his most effective when he is fresh and fit and we've got the right combination at the moment."

Kauto Star's jockey Ruby Walsh has been the man in the saddle for the nine-year-old's three previous King George triumphs and he will again take the reins when Clive Smith's triple Kempton champion attempts to become the first horse to win the Boxing Day classic in four straight years.

After only Roll Along defected at the final declaration stage on Wednesday, ImperialCommander, who came within millimetres of beating Kauto Star in last month's Betfair Chase, heads the 12 rivals facing Kauto Star, while 2008 runner-up Albertas Run is once again in the field, as are high-profile performers Madison Du Berlais, Barbers Shop, Deep Purple and Nacarat.

In late jockey news, Denis O'Regan partners Tartak after trainer Tom George's stable jockey Sam Thomas opted for Nacarat

No weather worries whatsoever' for Kempton


BRITAIN has its first official white Christmas in five years, but there are "no weather worries whatsoever" ford Saturday's King George VI Chase meeting at Kempton Park.

No overnight frost is forecast by the Met Office, and clerk of the course Brian Clifford told racingpost.com at 10.45am on Christmas Day: "Everything is fine regards the weather and we've no worries whatsoever. It's around 2C, and temperatures are due to rise from now on, with 6C or 7C likely by the timewe race."

He added: "We had 1mm of rain overnight to add to the 10mm during Wednesday night, and the ground is good to soft, soft in places. However, there are very, very few soft patches and I may take that out of the equation in the morning when the frost covers are lifted at 7am."

Kauto Star bids for immortality at Kempton

KAUTO STAR bids to emulate the immortal Desert Orchid on Saturday, when he attempts to win his fourth William Hill King George VI Chase.

Even Desert Orchid could not win four runnings of the midwinter showpiece on the trot, but that is what the Paul Nicholls-trained nine-year-old is bidding to achieve against 12 rivals on Saturday.

Kauto Star comes into the race having just managed to make a winning seasonal debut in the Betfair Chase at Haydock in November, the photo-finish printshowing that he had pipped Imperial Commander when many observers thought that he had been defeated.


Ruby Walsh once again takes the mount and he said: "It is an incredible feat by the horse and a credit to his durability and consistency that he is going back to Kempton to have a go at winning a fourth King George and making history. What more can I say? He's a wonderful horse and, hopefully, he will bring it off."

Nicholls has said that Kauto Star is in good form and owner Clive Smith is looking forward to seeing his pride and joy run again.

Smith said: "The news from the yard is he is as good as ever. It would be all credit to a fantastic horse and a great team at Paul Nicholls' yard [if he manages to make history]."

Imperial Commander was well beaten by Kauto Star in this race last year and was pulled up on his only other run on a right-handed track, leading some to believe he is best going left-handed.

Trainer Nigel Twiston-Davies said: "He obviously wasn't right either of the two times he went right handed. He ran a shocker in both of them. Kauto Star does appear to be a better horse at Kempton but I hope our horse will improve as well."

WORTH THE WAIT, MAGIC!

WELL DONE KAUTO STAR A TRUE CHAMPION.

Kauto Star takes fourth King George VI Chase

Report: Kempton, Saturday

William Hill King GeorgeVI Chase (Grade 1) 3m

KAUTO STAR joined Desert Orchid as one of the greatest chasers of all time when landing his fourth consecutive King George VI Chase, a feat achieved by no other horse.

Desert Orchid set the record at four wins in five years, but Kauto Star bettered that on Saturday when annihilating a top-class field to win four in a row for trainer Paul Nicholls, jockey Ruby Walsh and owner Clive Smith.

At a canter, Kauto Star cruised past long-time leader Nacarat rounding the final bend and at a canter he winged the final three fences, leaving the likes of Madison Du Berlais and Barbers Shop trailing in his wake.

Breathless, not from effort, but from admiration for his mount, Walsh said: "Some performance to come back four years in a race and it's even better to win in four in a row - it was some performance.


"Paul, Dan, Clifford, Mick they've all done it. To be on his back is a privilege."

A thrilled Nicholls reiterated his earlier thoughts: "I said he was as well as I every had him, but that's the best he's ever been."

They are just opinions, but the form book will not lie. In 2006 Kauto Star won by eight lengths, in 2007 by 11 and last year by eight again, but in 2009 hismargin of glory will go down as the longest on record as he took it by a distance.

With a quartet of victories to analyse Walsh added: "It was the best King George he's run in with regards to pace.

"When I got to Nacarat he came on the bridle and I looked over my shoulder and Barbers Shop was the only horse I could see.

"The race reminded me of the King George Kicking King won.

"I guess Paul was right when he said he never had him better and it showed. He's an amazing horse."

Great Horse...

Must be the best since Arkle, now the Cheltenham Gold Cup

Kauto 17/10 Denman 5/2

Kauto helps Kempton achieve 22,000 crowd


KAUTO STAR and the William Hill King George VI Chase helped Kempton achieve its best post-redevelopment attendance on Saturday, with a near sell-out crowd of 22,000 people present to enjoy the record-breaking victory of Clive Smith's supreme champion.


Long lines of traffic were still queuing to exit the track as afternoon turned into early evening, the jams a result of Kempton's success in drawing an even larger December 26 crowd than usual.

Managing director Amy Starkey said: "It was a privilege to be part of a monumental day that was great for racing.

"We are still finalising numbers, but we were nigh on a sell out at around 22,000 people. We came very close to putting up the 'house full' sign in the Premier Enclosure, but we don't like to turn people away and fortunately did not have to.

"It'strue that there were more people here in the Desert Orchid days, but that was before the Safety of Sports Grounds legislation was implemented.

"We had a huge number of people here today, but Kempton is an amazing place and can handle an amazing number of people."

For those that missed the race

REPLAY

Thanks again Bob, goosebump material