HENRY DE BROMHEAD is still aiming Sizing Europe for Kempton and another clash with the history-chasing Kauto Star but with doubts rising about a thaw arriving in time to allow the King George VI Chase be run on Sunday or even Monday the Waterford trainer has nominated Leopardstown’s Lexus Chase as a possible Plan B.
The London track was still covered in snow yesterday and with a thaw not forecast to begin until well into Christmas Day, Ladbrokes go 4 to 7 about the big meeting not being on.
That would be a big let down for the Sizing Europe team who remain resolutely fixed on taking on Kauto Star who beat their star performer into second in last month’s JN Wine Champion Chase at Down Royal.
“Everything is fine with us – bar the four inches of snow at Kempton!” De Bromhead joked yesterday. “We are still aiming to run in the King George. Conditions where we are (near Tramore) are not ideal but they’re okay. We’re cantering away. I’m going to check out the beach and see if we can gallop on that in the morning.”
Previous growing optimism about a thaw in Britain faded last night, leaving the Kempton clerk of the course Barney Clifford in a quandary.
“The trouble is the predicted thaw is getting later, Clifford said. “The problem is the volume of snow on the track. Just today I tried to move one section of the covering to check the turf underneath and even that was a massive procedure. We certainly need a thaw to help us. The forecasts are volatile, that’s a problem too.
“So what we are going to do is assess the situation on a 24-hour basis because you can have the best contingency plans in the world but if the weather changes they are useless.”
Such uncertainty is not ideal for either of the Irish King George hopes, Sizing Europe or Forpdadydeplasterer, and De Bromhead is already thinking ahead.
“He (Sizing Europe) is in the Lexus as well and if we have to, we could look at that. It’s there as an option, but there is no guarantee that will be on either,” he said.
Leopardstown is definitely the target for the exciting and unbeaten novice Hidden Cyclone who will take part in Monday’s Paddy Power Future Champions Novice Hurdle after being withdrawn from Saturday’s Grade 1 event at Navan.
John Hanlon was not happy to run his horse on the ground at Navan in the race eventually won by Oscar Wells.
“I was afraid of the ground. He’s a big horse, 16.3, and I wasn’t happy with the ground,” the trainer said. “He’ll go to Leopardstown over Christmas. He’s a lovely horse and I just couldn’t take the chance on Saturday, although it was a golden opportunity for me to pick up a Grade One, but well have to wait.”
As well as Kauto Star champion trainer Paul Nicholls has four of the 14 possibles King George VI Chase runners with The Nightingale, What A Friend and long-term absentee Noland possibles to join their illustrious stablemate. However, Noland is declared to take part in one of Kempton’s ‘bumpers for jumpers’ today.Philip Hobbs’ Punchestown Gold Cup winner Planet Of Sound could also turn out.
