Confirmed runners and riders for King George VI Chase at Kempton on Thursday

A field of six will contest the Ladbrokes King George VI Chase (3.05) at Kempton on December 26 with market principals Cyrname and Lostintranslation clashing for the first time.

Harry Cobden partners the Paul Nicholls-trained Cyrname, who steps up to three miles at a track where he has landed two Grade 2 prizes in two starts.

The Johnny de la Hey-owned seven-year-old, who shares general favouritism with Lostintranslation at 7-4, is the highest rated chaser in Britain and lowered the colours of Altior on his return in the Christy 1965 Chase at Ascot last month.

Confident Cobden: why I had to pick Cyrname over Clan

Nicholls is the most successful trainer in the race’s history with ten victories and also runs last year’s hero Clan Des Obeaux, the mount of Sam Twiston-Davies. The Kempton showpiece is televised on ITV and RTV.

Clan Des Obeaux is a 4-1 chance and finished a four-length second to Road To Respect in the Ladbrokes Champion Chase at Down Royal last month on his first start of the season.

Lostintranslation sealed a second top-level success when defeating Bristol De Mai in the Betfair Chase at Haydock last month and will be ridden by Robbie Power. He will be running at Kempton for the first time and has 4lb to find with Cyrname on official ratings.

Trainer Colin Tizzard is also represented by the popular Thistlecrack, who will be running in the race for a fourth time. The mount of Tom Scudamore, owned by John and Heather Snook, finished second last year having won the festive feature in 2016.

Kicking King was the last Irish-trained winner of the King George in 2005 and Footpad bids to end the barren run.

Footpad: the sole Irish-trained runnerCredit: John Grossick (racingpost.com/photos)

The Willie Mullins-trained seven-year-old, a best price 10-1 with bet365, is an intriguing runner after bouncing back to form with a ten-length triumph in a Listed chase at Thurles in November.

He should be suited by the emphasis on speed around Kempton and is ridden by Barry Geraghty with regular rider Daryl Jacob on the sidelines with a hand injury.

The line-up is completed by the Charlie Deutsch-ridden Aso, who finished fifth in the Peterborough Chase at Huntingdon last time but was second to Frodon in the Ryanair Chase at the Cheltenham Festival in March.

Kempton card on December 26

It is the second lowest field for the £250,000 event in the past decade – five runners lined up in 2016 – and the going was soft at the Sunbury track on Monday morning.

Fusil Raffles, Verdana Blue, Ch’tibello and Elixir De Nutz are among ten runners in the Ladbrokes Christmas Hurdle (2.30) on the undercard, while Black Op, Master Tommytucker and Slate House feature in the seven-runner Kauto Star Novices’ Chase (1.55).

King George VI Chase field

1 Aso Charlie Deutsch/Venetia Williams
2 Clan Des Obeaux Sam Twiston-Davies/Paul Nicholls
3 Cyrname Harry Cobden/Paul Nicholls
4 Footpad Barry Geraghty/Willie Mullins
5 Lostintranslation Robbie Power/Colin Tizzard
6 Thistlecrack Tom Scudamore/Colin Tizzard

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