Paul Nicholls: Clan Des Obeaux and Frodon 'the two to beat' in King George

Paul Nicholls has already won the King George VI Chase 12 times yet he believes he could have his strongest ever team at Kempton on Sunday for what he believes could be "as good a race as it's been for a long time".

Clan Des Obeaux will be bidding for his third success in the Ladbrokes-sponsored Grade 1, which Nicholls won for the first time with See More Business in 1997, and he is joined by last year's winner Frodon plus new recruit Saint Calvados, who finished fourth in 2020.

The Ditcheat squad face a powerful Irish challenge in the shape of Gold Cup winner Minella Indo and the promising Asterion Forlonge and Nicholls said: "It looks as good a race as it's been for a long time and my view is that Clan and Frodon are the two to beat. They've won the race, they're the two champions in effect and they're the two to beat."

"We have two previous winners in the race and a horse who ran so well last year."

Frodon beat Minella Indo at Down Royal last month and Nicholls added: "I think Cheltenham suits Minella Indo very well, three and a quarter round there is very different to three at Down Royal or Kempton. Obviously if you win a Gold Cup you're a smart horse but Kempton and Cheltenham are two different tracks.

Bryony Frost celebrates winning last year's King George VI Chase on FrodonCredit: Edward Whitaker

"I wouldn't want to be taking him on at Cheltenham in the Gold Cup, and we certainly won't with either horse, but Kempton is a different ball game. It's a home game for us."

Asterion Forlonge was going easily when he unseated his rider in the John Durkan Chase at Punchestown and Nicholls said: "He looked like he was travelling well the other day but he does make plenty of mistakes and in a race like the King George you can't be making mistakes – you've got to have everything go right for you.

"But he's a bit of an unknown in the race and he looks very talented and if he puts it altogether he's going to be a threat to everybody."

Ladbrokes King George VI Chase racecard and betting

Most bookmakers are unable to split Minella Indo and Clan Des Obeaux, who are general 11-4 joint favourites. Frodon and Chantry House are not far behind at around 9-2 closely followed by Asterion Forlonge, who is an 11-2 shot with the sponsors.

"I suppose it's Clan Des Obeaux's form at Aintree and Punchestown and he's a dual winner, that was always probably going to make him favourite," said Nicholls.

"There's nothing between the two of them at their best. Frodon has always been quite a big price, I'm surprised he was as big as he was earlier in the week. He's last year's winner, he won well at Down Royal. But they don't know what price they are."

'He'll jump out and go a nice gallop'

Bryony Frost made all on Frodon in the King George last year and Clan Des Obeaux, who will be partnered by Harry Cobden, has also run his best races from the front, but Nicholls is not worried about tactics.

"You know Frodon's going to jump out and go a nice gallop and I dare say Harry will follow him," he said. "He won't want to be out the back door like we were last year.

"They'll both run on their merits and we'll ride them accordingly. They're going to be going forward, Clan made all in his last two races and Frodon likes to make all, but Clan is quite happy with a good lead."

King George VI Chase
Ladbrokes: 11-4 Clan Des Obeaux, Minella Indo, 9-2 Frodon, Chantry House, 11-2 Asterion Forlonge, 9 Lostintranslation, 14 Saint Calvados, 20 bar

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