I'm hopeful if we get into our proper rhythm we will blunt Cue Card's speed

Sara Bradstock, assistant to Mark Bradstock, trainer of Coneygree
We're more likely to stay in England and go for the King George than go to Ireland. There'd have to be a reason to go to Ireland as you'd be adding in the travel and if we think he's come on like we're expecting him to and he can win the King George, we'll run in it. If we think he needs a bit more time to come back to his peak we might go to Ireland, or if there was no rain and it was good to firm at Kempton. This week we'll be getting him back to his full work and he came out of Haydock in very good form. He didn't have a hard race as I don't think he ever got into his proper cruising pace. We won't make our minds up just yet, but if everything is even and he continues to please us we'll go to Kempton. He needed to sharpen up and remember what it was all about at Haydock. I'm hopeful if we get into our proper rhythm we will blunt Cue Card's speed. He has speed on us, but the point about Coneygree is he outgallops that speed. It may take a couple of runs to get to full pelt and that's why we might go to Ireland, but the engine is still there.

Joe Tizzard, assistant to Colin Tizzard, trainer of Cue Card and Thistlecrack
Cue Card is in lovely form. He’s as good as he’s ever been. There’s nothing that suggests he’s in any less form than last year. He deserves to be favourite. We haven’t decided whether Thistlecrack will join him in the King George yet. He’ll definitely go to Kempton on Boxing Day, but has the option of the Feltham. It will be down to the owners, Dad and myself – we’ll all sit down nearer the time and have a chat. He’s come out of his Newbury race really well.

Nigel Twiston-Davies, trainer of Blaklion and Bristol De Mai
Both are most unlikely to run. Plans are fluid for Blaklion after his run in the Hennessy on Saturday. Bristol De Mai will have the Rowland Meyrick at Wetherby as his target over Christmas.