'Serious money' sees Gerri Colombe take over as King George favourite from Bravemansgame

A significant gamble on Gerri Colombe for the Ladbrokes King George VI Chase on Monday saw the Gordon Elliott-trained seven-year-old slashed into 5-2 favourite for the 3m Grade 1 at Kempton on Boxing Day with Betfair Sportsbook, Paddy Power and Sky Bet, having been available at 10-1 in the morning.

Last year's winner Bravemansgame had been the clear market leader before his defeat in the Betfair Chase on Saturday, while Shishkin's refusal to line up at Ascot further muddied the King George waters, leaving punters piling into Gerri Colombe, who made a successful reappearance in dramatic fashion this month when getting up late to deny Envoi Allen by a neck in the Champion Chase at Down Royal to record his fourth Grade 1 victory.

Elliott landed the same race in 2015 with Don Cossack, who was sent off 15-8 favourite on his next start in the King George, but he fell at the second-last before Cue Card got the better of Vautour in a thrilling finish.

Don Cossack went on to make amends in the Gold Cup later that season and punters seem convinced that Gerri Colombe, a general 4-1 second favourite behind Galopin Des Champs for that Cheltenham Festival's showpiece event, will take his chance on Boxing Day.

Elliott raised the prospect of Gerri Colombe travelling to Kempton on Sunday after watching his novice chaser Imagine win at Punchestown, revealing that the winner could head to the Kauto Star Novices' Chase and Gerri Colombe could join him on the journey over to Kempton to contest the King George.

The Cullentra handler also noted that plans could change and reiterated on Monday that no decision has been made regarding his Gold Cup contender's next assignment, and that all options are still on the table.

Elliott said: "There's nothing confirmed as of yet with Gerri Colombe and we'll keep all options open. With the way things are working out over in Britain, the King George could be a possibility.

"He has plenty of options between Kempton, the Savills Chase at Leopardstown and the Cotswold Chase at Cheltenham in January. We'll wait and see and we won't be making a decision until closer to the time."

Bravemansgame, who suffered his second defeat of the season when chasing home Royale Pagaille in the Betfair Chase at Haydock having also finished second to Gentlemansgame in the Charlie Hall Chase at Wetherby on his seasonal debut, is now a general 11-4 chance.

Royale Pagaille: defeated last year's King George winner Bravemansgame in the Betfair ChaseCredit: John Grossick (racingpost.com/photos)

Shishkin also blotted his copybook when refusing to race on his intended comeback in the 1965 Chase at Ascot and is 6-1 for the King George, before what his trainer Nicky Henderson acknowledges could be a less-than-ideal prep run if he takes part in the Rehearsal Chase at Newcastle. 

Bookmakers appear to be in the dark about the likelihood of Galopin Des Champs turning up at Kempton after he could manage only third behind Fastorslow on his comeback in the John Durkan Memorial Chase on Sunday. The Gold Cup winner is as short as 6-1 with William Hill and as big as 16-1 with Betfair Sportsbook, but his participation in the King George is far from guaranteed with the Savills Chase and Irish Gold Cup potential alternatives.

On the fluctuation in the betting, Lee Phelps, spokesperson for William Hill, said: “The King George market has really been shaken up by the weekend’s results and we can report some serious money for Gerri Colombe, with his odds tumbling from 10-1 to just 11-4.

“Gordon Elliott’s seven-year-old is now only marginally behind favourite Bravemansgame, who has drifted out to 5-2 from 6-4 following his defeat at Haydock on Saturday.”

Gerri Colombe has won nine of his ten starts, with his sole defeat coming when beaten a short head by The Real Whacker in last season’s Brown Advisory Novices' Chase.

The Real Whacker (red cap): also well supported for the King George on MondayCredit: Alan Crowhurst (Getty Images)

The winner of that Cheltenham Festival Grade 1 was cut into 12-1 (from 25) with Paddy Power to bounce back from his disappointing reappearance in another of the King George market moves on Monday.

The Real Whacker was found to have been struck into and lame on his right fore after being pulled up in the Paddy Power Gold Cup, but should benefit from a step up to his favoured trip should he line up at Kempton.

Coral's David Stevens said: "With Bravemansgame and Shishkin fluffing their lines over the weekend, the King George market opened up quite a lot, and that may have increased the chances of Gerri Colombe making the trip to Kempton.”

King George VI Chase (December 26, Kempton)

Sky Bet: 5-2 Gerri Colombe, 11-4 Bravemansgame, 9-2 Allaho, 11-2 Shishkin, 8 L’Homme Presse, Royale Pagaille, 12 Galopin Des Champs, 16 Pic D’Orhy, The Real Whacker, 25 bar

Read these next:

Shishkin entered at Newcastle on Saturday while Constitution Hill set to face maximum of five rivals in Fighting Fifth 

The King George could be Willie Mullins' for the taking - three things we learned this week 

'I was waiting for the big beasts to come from behind and take me' - Royale Pagaille prevails over Bravemansgame

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