Nightingale The tip For Saturdays King George - UK Horse Racing

Nic Doggett believes that The Nightingale looks worth a bet in the 'without Kauto Star' market in Saturday's King George VI Chase at Kempton.

Seven of the last eight renewals of the King George have been won by favourites.

Four of these victories were provided by Kauto Star.

In all likelihood he will win it again, breaking Desert Orchid's record number of wins in the race and equalling Golden Miller's record of winning the same Grade One race in five successive seasons.

However if you aren't interested in taking around 5-6 for Paul Nicholls' superstar, then you might be more excited about backing his stablemate The Nightingale to follow him home in second.

The Nightingale, at 7-1 in the 'without Kauto Star' market, looks a very attractive option.

Official ratings

The gelding is joint third highest rated in the race, although that mark is open to debate.

He was rated 148 when beating the 145-rated Roberta Goldback off level weights at Down Royal. Although he was impressive, a 19lb higher mark looks like the assessor has been swayed slightly by his reputation before jumping fences and the high regard in which his trainer holds him.

After winning that grade 2 at Down Royal, Nicholls said: "The Nightingale doesn't mind going right-handed or left-handed as long as the ground is soft. He jumped better than he did at Aintree last time and we worked on that at home."

Essentially there are several key points to be taken from his trainer's comments.

Righthand man

Firstly his right-handed form is stronger than when going left-handed. This is not to cast aspersions on Nicholls' view, who after all knows far more about the horse than any of us, but the evidence is in the form book.

He has winning form going round a left-hand bend, but he wouldn't have had to be anywhere near his best to win at Fontwell a year ago.

When he was beaten at Aintree, his jumping was poor. He was outpaced on quick ground and as a result his fencing was put under pressure and he jumped consistently out to his right.

It would be naive to think that his fencing technique will not be tested in this top class race, but when it is, the feeling is that he will lose less ground going the other way round if he does start to jump to his right.

Running on a right-handed course is not essential; but you'd have to feel that it's to his advantage.

Ground in his favour

The second point to raise from the quotes regards the ground.

"It's good to soft, soft in places at the moment. We've had 31 millimetres of rain in the last 72 hours, but we've now been dry since yesterday afternoon," Kempton clerk of the course Barney Clifford said on Sunday.

"The forecast is a little unsettled for this week with about three bands of rain due to move through with a possible 15-25mm of rain forecast over the entire week.

"That would really just keep us where we are at the moment, or perhaps it might just go soft, good to soft in places but I'm really pleased with the condition of the track," he added.

That looks like very good news for the Graham Roach-owned gelding, and to be honest, fairly bad news for horses such as Riverside Theatre, Nacarat and Planet Of Sound, whose best form has come on quicker going.

The third factor must be his jumping. As alluded to above, his fencing has not always been great. But the fact that Nicholls and his talented team at Ditcheat have worked intensively on his jumping means that he can be backed with more confidence this season. Last year, he looked very much the novice that he was.

But in Ireland he jumped as well as any horse I've seen this season. He was up and down at the obstacles very quickly, and although the fences at Down Royal are on the easy side, Kempton's fences are on a similar level.

Another aspect of Saturday's race is stepping up to three miles for the first time. Although well-beaten on his only other try other more than two and a half miles, that was on good ground, and Nicholls has always felt that he will be better over further, explaining: "I have no doubt he wants a trip and he's bred to stay being by Cadoudal."

On closer inspection, his pedigree raises a couple of question marks. His dam won up to 1m6f over hurdles in France, but has produced nothing else of interest bar The Nightingale. She herself was by Double Spring, who has mainly produced horses effective around 10 furlongs on the flat, the best by far being Jim And Tonic.

Although he sired some decent hurdlers, with Triumph Hurdle winner Snow Drop the most high profile, it should be said that his sons and daughters have basically been more suited by around two miles.

But Nicholls certainly knows about sons of Cadoudal; Big Buck's being a high profile example. Also responsible for Long Run and Lacdoudal to mention but two more, stamina is a trait he certainly passes on to his offspring.

All in all then, assuming the forecast rain arrives, he looks to have a fantastic each-way chance in the race.

However after being tipped up in various quarters, his price of 16-1 means that returns of around 5-2 were he to be placed looks a less attractive bet than just having him to follow his stablemate home in second at 7-1.

With doubts over Long Run's fencing for Sam Waley-Cohen, and the suitability of the ground for Nacarat and also Riverside Theatre and Forpadydeplasterer as both step up in trip, I really do believe that he is the main threat (in this rearranged race at least) to Kauto Star.

Recommendation:

2pts The Nightingale in betting without Katuo Star at 7-1 (William Hill)

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