Champion jockey rides Gold Cup star in the King George Chase
Published:Kauto Star is now a 10/11 favourite for the King George betting after it was announced 15-time champion jockey AP McCoy will ride the two-time Gold Cup winner.
Kauto Star is going for an unprecedented fifth consecutive King George victory and should he do it, it would just add weight to the argument suggesting he’s the greatest National Hunt horse to have ever lived.
Having drifted to 1/1 following the weather conditions, the temperatures at Kempton on Boxing Day are expected to reach 4C at a high, the King George betting market suggests all the confidence is behind Kauto Star.
His nearest rival in the King George betting market is Long Run and the Nicky Henderson-trained five-year-old is a huge prospect and a possible future Cheltenham Gold Cup winner.
But Long Run is as big as 11/2 to win the King George and it seems that it’s Kauto Star’s to lose.
Noel Fehily was booked to ride Kauto Star but will undergo surgery on a wrist injury that’s troubling him and he could be out for up to eight weeks.
McCoy was initially booked to ride Albertas Run, but when offered the ride on Kauto Star he jumped at the chance and the champion jockey will only add weight to Kauto Star’s chances and it’s unlikely that the betting market will see Kauto Star drift between now and Boxing Day.
Dougie Costello will now ride Albertas Run and the horse is a huge price at 33/1 in the ante-post betting considering he was a Cheltenham Festival winner last year .
Albertas Run fell when trying to chase down Master Minded at Ascot last time out and his form since the start of the season is the reason why he’s a big price.
A £10 stake on Riverside Theatre winning the King George would return £110. New customers can sign up here for a free £10 bet.
