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Stone Very Much the King George Dark Horse
25/11/11

Kauto Stone, half-brother to the outstanding four-time race winner Kauto Star, could well be the joker in the pack for the Grade 1 King George VI Chase at Kempton Park on Boxing Day having put up a tremendous display on his debut for Paul Nicholls when routing useful opposition in Grade 2 company at Down Royal earlier this month, writes Elliot Slater.

Paul Nicholls
© Racehorse Photos

Paul Nicholls

It was hard not to be impressed by the near foot-perfect round of jumping from the five-year-old who only arrived at Nicholls' Ditcheat yard from his native France a matter of just four weeks earlier and who demonstrated significant aptitude for the winter game over here in much the same manner he had proved himself in Grade 1 company at Auteuil at the end of last season.

Nicholls was quick not to heap too much expectation on the horse with such an illustrious sibling, but it is worth remembering that Kauto Star was, (like Kauto Stone) just a five-year-old when winning the Tingle Creek Chase at Sandown back in 2005 so it is clear that this family mature very quickly and that the Down Royal winner has the potential to go very close to the top of the jumping tree at a relatively young age. There was little doubt that the very experienced Paul Carberry was very impressed with the horse and hinted that it would not surprise if he went some way towards matching the achievements of his half-brother. Anyone looking to bet on King George VI Chase should remember this.

Bookmakers are in something of a muddle with regard to the 'King George' ante-post market with Kauto Stone far from being a definite runner, but a number are taking no chances and cut him to as low as 14/1 after his victory in Northern Ireland, whilst others go as big as 25/1, and even 33/1 in places.

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