Talk of Cue Card retirement as Tizzard maps swansong tour for popular veteran

Whisper has been given the thumbs-up to contest the 32Red King George VI Chase at Kempton on December 26 but his rivals will almost certainly not include Cue Card, who will end his brilliant career after three runs in the spring.

Whisper’s trainer Nicky Henderson had been leaning towards a shot at the Grade 1 after lambasting the handicapper for giving the nine-year-old “the most almighty clobbering” after he finished second in the Ladbrokes Trophy at Newbury last month.

Revealing the decision on Friday to run at Kempton, Henderson said: “What else do we do? The handicapper has put him through the roof, so he can't win a handicap.

"I spoke to Dai [Walters, owner] this morning and we decided if the King George is where the handicapper thinks he belongs, that's where he should run."

Bookmakers, who already have the Henderson-trained Might Bite as the 11-8 favourite for the King George, cut Whisper to a general 12-1, and as short as 10-1 in places, from 16-1.

Henderson added: "We know what happens when he takes on Might Bite but we also know with Might Bite you don't always get what you predict!"

While Whisper will make the journey to Kempton, Cue Card will not be seen until the Ascot Chase in February, the first of three runs trainer Colin Tizzard has marked out for his 11-year-old before he retires at the end of the season.

Cue Card: three runs in the springCredit: Alan Crowhurst

Winner of the King George in 2015, Cue Card is set to miss the race this year with connections wanting to skip what they feel could be a “red-hot race” on Boxing Day.

Instead, Tizzard plans to bring to an end the career of a horse who has captured eight Grade 1s and established himself as one of the most popular competitors of recent times.

Speaking at Cheltenham on Friday, the trainer said: "We probably won't run Cue Card at Kempton. I've spoken with Jean [Bishop, owner] and we want to mind him a bit. The King George looks red hot and he had a hard race at Haydock [in the Betfair Chase].

"I think we'll give him three runs in the spring and then retire him. I'll have him as my hunter after that. He could go to the Ascot Chase, then the Gold Cup or Ryanair Chase, and then Aintree."

Politologue powers away from the final fence of the Tingle CreekCredit: Alan Crowhurst

Trainer Paul Nicholls has a more immediate target for Politologue, who could yet appear at Kempton over Christmas after bouncing out of his Tingle Creek Chase success in top form.

Writing in his Betfair blog, Nicholls said: "Politologue has come out of his race at Sandown in such good form that I'm considering running him at Kempton on December 27 in the Desert Orchid Chase.

"Originally I planned to keep him for the Clarence House Chase at Ascot in January ahead of his main target, the Queen Mother Champion Chase at Cheltenham. But after talking to his owner John Hales I'm going to enter him at Kempton, where we feel he'd have a very good chance of winning."

32Red King George VI Chase card and betting

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