Sizing John will not take up his entry in the 32Red King George VI Chase at Kempton on Boxing Day (Stephen’s Day).
Last season's Cheltenham Gold Cup hero made an impressive reappearance in the John Durkan Memorial Punchestown Chase on Sunday, seeing off old rival Djakadam by seven lengths.
Speaking by telephone at a press conference at The Pheasant pub in Lambourn on Tuesday, trainer Jessica Harrington revealed his only potential target before the end of the year had been narrowed down to the Leopardstown Christmas Chase — formerly the Lexus — on December 28th.
Harrington explained: “If he runs anywhere at Christmas he will run at Leopardstown.
“It is only 16 days from his last run to the King George and there is the travelling and everything else.
“I was absolutely delighted with him at Punchestown. Things were not ideal. The fact the ground was heavy was the main scare.
“I was very happy with him. I was happy before we didn’t go to Haydock. The fact we had an extra couple of weeks we kind of backed off him to get him fresh.
“He is fresh and well in himself.”
