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Envoi Allen is the sole Irish challenger for the Ladbrokes King George VI Chase at Kempton on December 26th.
He is set to represent trainer Henry de Bromhead after the horse returned to something like his best at Down Royal.
Bravemansgame heads nine horses still in contention for the three-mile Grade 1.
Paul Nicholls’ charge has been a leading fancy for the race ever since winning the Kauto Star Novices’ Chase on the corresponding card 12 months ago and he certainly did nothing to dampen expectations with a straightforward win in the Charlie Hall Chase at Wetherby on his only outing this term.
Nicholls has two other very strong strings to his bow in Hitman and Frodon, with the Venetia Williams-trained L’Homme Presse, winner of the Brown Advisory Novices’ Chase at Cheltenham in March, a major rival.
As long as the ground is considered soft enough next week, he is expected to line up.
Sam Twiston-Davies has come in for the ride on Hitman with Harry Cobden on Bravemansgame and he will be hoping for the same outcome as when Cobden chose Cyrname over Clan Des Obeaux in 2019.
Previous winner Frodon will be ridden by Bryony Frost after she was given the green light to return from a recent spell on the sidelines with a broken collar bone.
Ahoy Senor will be having his second run at Kempton on this card, having chased home Bravemansgame 12 months ago, if he is allowed to take his chance by Lucinda Russell.
Eldorado Allen, Millers Bank and Royale Pagaille, another possible from the Williams yard, are also engaged.
Four Grade 1 races
The King George is one of four Grade 1s on a blockbuster afternoon, with the rearranged Ladbrokes Long Walk Hurdle another top-level contest.
Paisley Park, Champ, Miranda, Not So Sleepy and the Gary Moore-trained pair of Botox Has and Goshen have been left in.
Perhaps the main attraction for racegoers, though, will be the chance to see National Hunt’s new superstar Constitution Hill in the Ladbrokes Christmas Hurdle.
He has thoroughly impressed in four races to date, including in the Fighting Fifth on his return.
Stablemate and former champion hurdler Epatante was no match for him on that occasion but the abandonment of Cheltenham earlier this month means she has to take him on again.
There are 10 entries with I Like To Move It and Knappers Hill possible rivals.
In the Ladbrokes Kauto Star Novices’ Chase, McFabulous and Thyme Hill could clash again as the pair appear among six entries with Dan Skelton’s pair of Ballygrifincottage and Galia Des Liteaux also possible.
The ground at Kempton was described on Tuesday as good to soft.
Irish entries
Entries for the first two days of the Christmas Festivals are Limerick and Leopardstown were also released on Tuesday. These, along with Down Royal entries, can be found below.
The one-time Derby favourite High Definition has been entered for the opening maiden hurdle at Leopardstown on St Stephen's Day. Now trained by Joseph O'Brien, the four-year-old was only beaten by a neck in a Group 1 race at the Curragh earlier this year but has not actually won a race since his two-year-old days.
Willie Mullins has a strong hand in the Grade 2 juvenile hurdle on the same card. His six entries include recent impressive winners Blood Destiny and Lossiemouth.
Gordon Elliott looks to have the answer to that day's Grade 1 novice chase over two miles. He has four of the nine entries and they are Hollow Games, Mighty Potter, Three Stripe Life and Fil Dor.
Limerick's two-and-a-half-mile Grade 1 novice chase on the same day has attracted 15 entries, including the unbeaten Gerri Colombe, Kilcruit and the aforementioned Mighty Potter.
Gordon Elliott usually has a winner or two at Down Royal's post-Christmas fixture and among his entries this year is The Storyteller in the hunters chase. A Grade 1 winner over the course and distance two years ago, The Storyteller has been racing in point-to-points this season and is unbeaten in three starts.
Facile Vega is the star name among the entries for day two of the Leopardstown meeting. The unbeaten young hurdler is one of nine entries for the Grade 1 novice hurdle. His trainer Willie Mullins has three of the nine entries for the Grade 1 two-mile chase on the same card and they are Blue Lord, Chacun Pour Soi and Gentleman De Mee.
CLICK HERE TO SEE ENTRIES FOR LEOPARDSTOWN ON DECEMBER 26th
CLICK HERE TO SEE ENTRIES FOR LIMERICK ON DECEMBER 26th
CLICK HERE TO SEE ENTRIES FOR DOWN ROYAL ON DECEMBER 26th
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