Has Thistlecrack got another King George triumph in him?

Tom Scudamore in partnership with his most impressive ally Thistlecrack

Thistlecrack: popular with punters to secure another Kempton victoryCredit: Edward Whitaker

Of course he can win it – he was a wondrous talent and accounted for previous winners Cue Card and Silviniaco Conti when winning in 2016. Whether he will is a different matter.

This is a very different prospect to that five-runner contest and his jumping will be put under much more pressure. He will have to jump better than he did at Haydock – which was just not good enough to compete at this level – and he is yet to show that ability to blow a race apart still remains.

He could certainly win, but given those two pretty big question marks one thing is for sure – he is not value to do so at just 7-1.

Stuart Riley, reporter

Thistlecrack certainly travelled powerfully enough at Haydock to suggest most of the cylinders are still fully revved up in that magnificent engine he displayed in his pomp.

Haydock does not suit every horse and while his jumping lacked the exuberance of his King George win two years ago, it was fine for the most part, if perhaps a little cautious at times.

It would be a lovely comeback story if he won the Christmas feature, but top-level sport often refuses to follow such scripts and I have Might Bite and Politologue above him in my pecking order.

Matt Butler, reporter

It's hard to see why people should be excited by Thistlecrack's recent effort at Haydock. I thought his jumping looked more ponderous than ever, and if he jumps like that at Kempton he's surely got no chance.

When he put in that exhilarating performance to win the King George two years ago, Thistlecrack had the racing world at his feet. That victory was only his fourth start over fences in a relatively short space of time and it was widely expected he would improve as a chaser. But jumping has become his Achilles heel.

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Published on 18 December 2018inNews

Last updated 19:32, 18 December 2018

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