Good ground expected for King George for first time in seven years as drying weather is forecast

The Ladbrokes King George VI Chase could be run on good ground for the first time in seven years as drying conditions look set to quicken the going at Kempton ahead of the Grade 1 race on Tuesday.

The track faces a handful of scattered showers over the weekend, but the forecast one to two millimetres is unlikely to have a significant impact on the ground, which is good to soft, good in places. 

"It's quite drying today and while there are bits and pieces of rain around tonight and possibly tomorrow too, I think it'll probably end up being good, good to soft in places by Boxing Day," said clerk of the course Brian Clifford.  

"It's lovely ground and there's plenty of moisture underneath. I'm glad we had the rain on Tuesday. It's in great condition and while it's drying, it won't be any quicker than good."

The King George was last run on good ground for Thistlecrack's victory in 2016 but Clifford expects more rain to arrive at the conclusion of the Grade 1 card, with softer conditions likely for the second day of the meeting.  

He said: "Whatever we'll have on Boxing Day, if we get the rain forecast that evening I would think it's going to be good to soft, soft on December 27. 

"Overall it's been a pleasurable build-up to the meeting as it can be very difficult with frost covers. This year has been a lot more straightforward and it's great to have milder weather."

More rain is expected at Aintree for its Tuesday card, which features the Grade 1 William Hill Formby Novices' Hurdle.

Clerk Sulekha Varma said: "We're soft, good to soft in places at the moment but we've got some rain coming. It looks like there's a band moving in tonight and Christmas Day could have a few showers. 

"With this wind, only the surface is dry, there's still plenty of moisture in the ground. If anything, I think a bit of rain will help, and I don't think it'll take much for us to be going back to soft all over, even though we can't see anything coming in great quantities at the moment."

Aintree: rain expected ahead of their Boxing Day Grade 1 cardCredit: Edward Whitaker

Ireland's two Graded meetings on Boxing Day face unsettled weather but the biggest concern is at Limerick, where conditions are soft, soft to heavy in places with up to 20mm of rain forecast before Tuesday. 

"We have had six and a half millimetres of rain in total since entries," said clerk Paul Moloney. "The forecast is unsettled and Met Eireann is giving a possibility of up to and around 20 millimetres between now and racing."

Ireland also hosts the Grade 1 Racing Post Novice Chase at Leopardstown, where conditions are yielding, good to yielding on the chase course and yielding to soft, soft in places over hurdles. 

Clerk Lorcan Wyer said: "We had two millimetres on Thursday and not a huge volume since then. The forecast is unsettled and we'll have maybe two to five millimetres on Saturday night into the early hours of Sunday. Tuesday is a bright and dry day, and it is unsettled thereafter."

Read more:

Confirmed runners and riders for the King George VI Chase at Kempton - plus a big-race tip and free bet 

2023 King George pinstickers' guide: David Jennings has his say on the Group 1 runners and riders at Ascot 

Watch: preview and tipping show for the Christmas period with Paul Kealy and Keith Melrose 

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