Ascot return for King George hope Politologue - but Cheltenham the dream

Politologue is set to skip the Betfair Chase for Ascot on Saturday with owner John Hales hoping the plan tees up his Grade 1 winner for a first try over three miles in the King George VI Chase on December 26.

The Grade 2 Christy 1965 Chase at Ascot over 2m5f is the favoured starting point for the Paul Nicholls-trained chaser, who Hales dreams might be good enough to win a Cheltenham Gold Cup.

“I don’t think there’s anything to be gained running in a three mile race first time out against the King George winner and the Gold Cup winner,” said Hales about his Tingle Creek hero. “We’ll take them on soon enough and all being well we’ll go to Ascot.”

Fourth in the Champion Chase, Politologue relished stepping up in trip at Aintree at the end of last season and connections are positive that a greater stamina test can help the highest-rated chaser in the Nicholls yard climb even higher.

Hales added: “He’s going very, very well and has improved again, so fingers crossed we’ll have a good season with him. If he runs well in the King George it opens up a lot of opportunities. You might go back to Cheltenham at the end of January for the Cotswold Chase and, if he runs well in that, you could be in dreamland.”

Despite Politologue suffering defeat on all four runs at Cheltenham, his owner does not fear returning to Prestbury Park this season, with the Cheltenham Gold Cup the one trophy Hales would love to get his hands on most.

“I believe if a horse is good enough he can run anywhere,” said the owner, who had two cracks without success at the Gold Cup with the brilliant One Man in the late 1990s.

“I always say the hardest race to win in National Hunt racing is the Grand National but we had our lucky day. Having won that, it’s just the Gold Cup. I’ve won everything else I want to win, we just want to win the Gold Cup.”

Politologue could face a rematch at Ascot with the horse he narrowly defeated in last season’s Melling Chase, with the Willie Mullins-trained Min entered alongside stablemate Bellshill.

Christy 1965 Chase card

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