Allaho, Gerri Colombe and last year’s winner Bravemansgame are among eight confirmations for the Ladbrokes King George VI Chase at Kempton on Boxing Day.

Willie Mullins sprang a surprise in the race two years ago with Tornado Flyer but that was his first triumph in the race since Florida Pearl in 2001 and in Allaho he has strong claims of a second success in three years.

A dual Ryanair Chase winner, Allaho was being aimed at the three-mile contest last year but picked up an injury which ruled him out of the whole campaign. He returned to action with a win in the Clonmel Oil Chase.

Gerri Colombe has only met with defeat once in his career, at last season’s Cheltenham Festival behind The Real Whacker, and the two are on course to clash again.

Only a short head separated them there but their fortunes have differed wildly since, with Gerri Colombe winning two Grade Ones at Aintree and Down Royal, while The Real Whacker was pulled up in the Paddy Power Gold Cup – having struck into himself.

Paul Nicholls’ Bravemansgame has yet to win a race since his victory 12 months ago. He went out on his shield in the Cheltenham Gold Cup but has been surprisingly beaten in the Charlie Hall and Betfair Chase this season.

He will be joined by stable companion Frodon, winner of the race in 2020.

Shishkin is the unknown quantity in the field after refusing to start at Ascot recently. He proved his stamina for three miles at Aintree in the spring but the lack of a recent run is a concern for his trainer Nicky Henderson.

Shark Hanlon’s Hewick and Venetia Williams’ Royal Pagaille, winner of the Betfair Chase, complete the eight.

Constitution Hill will face a maximum of five rivals in the Ladbrokes Christmas Hurdle.

The best National Hunt horse in training will be making his seasonal bow, with his intended comeback in the Fighting Fifth frozen off before Henderson deemed the ground too soft a week later when it was rearranged at Sandown.

His stablemate First Street, Black Poppy and Nemean Lion, both trained by Kerry Lee, Nicholls’ Rubaud and the veteran Sceau Royal are his only possible rivals.

The Ladbrokes Kauto Star Novices’ Chase is due to feature the UK debut of Il Est Francais, trained by Noel George and Amanda Zetterholm in France.

However, he faces far from an easy task, with Nicholls’ Hermes Allen, Gordon Elliott’s Imagine, the Mullins pair of Grangeclare West and Klassical Dream and Lucinda Russell’s Giovinco all potential rivals among nine entries.

Allaho will bid to provide Cheveley Park Stud with another big-race victory at Kempton on Boxing Day after being confirmed an intended runner in the Ladbrokes King George VI Chase.

While better known as a major force on the Flat, the owners have enjoyed huge success over jumps in recent years, with the Gold Cup triumph of A Plus Tard the obvious highlight of several winners at the Cheltenham Festival.

The Willie Mullins-trained Allaho is a dual winner at Prestbury Park, having twice dominated his rivals in the Ryanair Chase, while he proved his stamina for the three-mile distance of the King George with another sensational performance in the 2022 Punchestown Gold Cup.

The nine-year-old missed the whole of last season through injury – but having proved his well-being with a comeback win in the Clonmel Oil Chase last month, Cheveley Park Stud director Richard Thompson is looking forward to seeing him line up in one of National Hunt racing’s most prestigious races.

“That (King George) is the plan and has been the plan for a while. I said to Willie to do whatever he thinks and it’s his decision,” said Thompson.

“He was obviously off the track for a year and a half. He’s been a brilliant horse for us and you’d hope that he’s going to be in good enough shape to compete and do a decent job.

“He’s been a fantastic horse, it will be great to be there and it’s very exciting.”

Thompson admits Allaho’s comeback victory over just two rivals at Clonmel was more solid than spectacular and is keeping his fingers crossed he can show his true brilliance in the King George.

He added: “He won the Ryanair in 2021, the Ryanair in 2022 and the Punchestown Gold Cup in 2022, and in between times he put in that performance in the John Durkan in 2021, which I think it’s fair to say was a bit workmanlike.

“He wasn’t the Allaho that he was in either of the Ryanairs or in the Punchestown Gold Cup that day, but he still won another Grade One.

“Who knows what will happen at Kempton, but it’s great to be in the race. I appreciate every single one of our Grade Ones, especially the amazing Grade Ones, and the King George is definitely one of those.

“There are Grade Ones and there are Grade Ones – and this is a proper Grade One.”

Trainer Noel George described Ile Est Francais as “the best horse I’ve had anything to do with” ahead of his planned British debut in the Ladbrokes Kauto Star Novices’ Chase at Kempton on Boxing Day.

A Grade One-winning hurdler last year when officially trained by George’s British-based father, Tom, the five-year-old has made a fine start to his career over fences with successive victories at Auteuil.

As Ile Est Francais carries the familiar colours of part-owner Richard Kelvin-Hughes, George and his training partner Amanda Zetterholm are keen to test his powers on UK soil, and he is now being readied for a festive trip across the Channel.

“Because he’s owned by Richard Kelvin-Hughes, who has half of him, we are obviously going to want to compete in the UK at some stage,” said George.

“I thought it would be best for him to run over English-style fences early on his career so he’s learnt before he has too much of a tendency to jump like a real French chaser.

“I think the track at Kempton will suit him very well and he’s obviously still a novice, so hopefully it should be a nice opportunity.”

With Ile Est Francais having been campaigned almost exclusively at Auteuil so far, he will have a number different questions answer at Kempton, where James Reveley will ride.

George, though, is unconcerned about a step up to three miles, the possibility of better ground or travelling abroad, while he will also have the opportunity to school over English-style fences before the big day.

He added: “The ground was very soft last time and Kempton never gets very, very soft. He’s got a very high cruising speed and a slick jumping style, which I think will definitely suit the track and I don’t think the trip should be an issue at all.

“France Galop built us three made to measure English fences on the grass and he’s going to school over them next week. There’s two plain fences and a ditch, so he’ll have seen them all. I would have been happy going without doing it, but he’ll be going there having seen it.

“He’s very straightforward and he’s travelled a lot to go away for grass gallops. There’s always a little bit of a question mark about the travelling, but he’s very professional and has got got a companion going with him, so he should be very settled and I don’t think it should be an issue.

“I think we’ve chosen the closest track to the Channel tunnel, so he doesn’t have to go too far!”

Having seen his father saddle numerous big-race winners over the years, George admits it would be a special achievement if he can secure Grade One success of his own on home turf.

“It would be a complete dream. His main target this year is the French Gold Cup in May, but this is very much a prestigious race on Boxing Day at Kempton – one of the biggest days of the year,” said George, speaking on a Jockey Club press call on Wednesday.

“We had to discuss it between us because you have to bear in mind there are two different owners’ opinions. We want him to win on the big stage for both of the owners and I think, hopefully, he’s capable of doing it.

“I talk to dad every day and he gives me lots of advice. He worked for Francois Doumen when The Fellow and horses like that were coming over, so he was saying how he thought we should approach coming over to the UK. I think we’re doing it at the right time for the horse.”

The George-Zetterholm partnership has already saddled a couple of runners in Britain this season without success, but it is clear expectations are significantly higher for their latest challenger.

George said: “He’s the best horse I’ve had anything to do with – he’s unbelievable.

“He’s very much going there with a French flag. Even though we’re not French, he’s trained in France and he’s a French horse.

“When we’ve got the level of horse that we think can compete on the big stage we’ll definitely bring them over to the UK.

“We’ve had a couple of runners already, but this is our first proper big gun coming over, flying the flag. He’s our best horse, so fingers crossed he can show us what he’s made of.”

Gerri Colombe appears increasingly likely to travel across the Irish Sea over the festive period to contest the Ladbrokes King George VI Chase at Kempton on Boxing Day.

So impressive when scoring at Aintree in the spring, Gordon Elliott’s charge made a successful reappearance with a last-gasp win in the Ladbrokes Champion Chase at Down Royal last month.

The leading Cheltenham Gold Cup contender has the option of remaining on home soil for the Savills Chase at Leopardstown on December 28, but Elliott is currently favouring the trip to Sunbury.

“He’s going to work Friday morning and if everything is okay, he’s going to go to Kempton,” the trainer said at Punchestown on Tuesday.

Gerri Colombe is the 11-4 second-favourite for the King George with the sponsors, who make last year’s winner Bravemansgame their 2-1 market leader despite suffering back-to-back defeats so far this season.

The Willie Mullins-trained Allaho is next on the list at 11-2, with Nicky Henderson’s Shishkin a 6-1 shot to claim victory on what will effectively be his seasonal debut, having refused to start at Ascot last month before subsequently missing potential outings at Newcastle and Sandown.

Royale Pagaille, who beat Bravemansgame in last month’s Betfair Chase at Haydock for Venetia Williams, is also a single-figure price at 8-1, as is Patrick Neville’s stable star The Real Whacker.

Alan King has identified the Silviniaco Conti Chase at Kempton as a possible next port of call for Edwardstone following his admirable defence of the Tingle Creek on Saturday.

The nine-year-old was a brilliant winner of the Sandown showpiece last season and returned to the Esher track to defend his crown over the weekend.

Edwardstone had plenty on his plate as he looked to turn the tables on Jonbon following their clash in last month’s Shloer Chase at Cheltenham – and while he again came off second best, he did at least close the gap on Nicky Henderson’s star chaser.

King immediately ruled out an appearance over three miles in the King George VI Chase on Boxing Day, but the Barbury Castle handler is keen to step his charge up in trip on his next start.

“He ran very well and has come out of it well and we’ll probably look to step him up to two-and-a-half in the new year,” he said.

“He’s definitely not going for the King George, but there is the Silviniaco Conti Chase at Kempton in January. We’ll have a look at that and, whether he goes there or not, I think his next run will be over two-and-a-half, as it will give us an idea what we’re doing with him.”

With the Queen Mother Champion Chase already shaping up to be a straight shootout between Jonbon and his formidable Irish rival El Fabiolo, the Ryanair Chase could end up being Edwardstone’s Cheltenham Festival target if he can prove his stamina in the meantime.

King added: “You’ve obviously got Jonbon and the horse in Ireland and you wouldn’t really look forward to taking those two on.”

Impressive Cheltenham scorer Broadway Boy will have his sights raised in his next outing, with connections eyeing either Sandown or Kempton next month for their star staying novice.

Trained by Nigel Twiston-Davies, the five-year-old went into plenty of notebooks when making a low-key fencing bow at Worcester, before performing encouragingly in defeat behind Flooring Porter in October.

Returning to Prestbury Park for Listed action during the November Meeting, he confirmed the promise of his early chasing endeavours with a destructive display, making all as he romped to a 20-length victory over well-regarded stablemate Weveallbeencaught.

The talented young chaser is now in line for a step up in class with Sandown’s Betfair Esher Novices’ Chase on December 8 or a Boxing Day tilt at Kempton’s Grade One Ladbrokes Kauto Star Novices’ Chase both options for his next start.

“He’s come out of Cheltenham amazingly well,” said Willie Twiston-Davies, who in his role as assistant to his father plays a key part in readying Broadway Boy.

“I’m a bit unsure where we are going to run him as the horse will tell me when he’s fresh and well again, but he seems to have come out of Cheltenham brilliantly.

“I suppose we will enter for Sandown on December 8 for the Esher Chase, the Grade Two on Tingle Creek weekend. If not we will probably wait for Kempton and go there.”

Although having one eye on the Cheltenham Festival in March, the Twiston-Davies team are keen to strike while the iron is hot when their talented operator is ready for action, with nothing among the UK staying novice ranks giving connections many sleepless nights.

“There is no rush and the owner Mr Proos is really laid back,” continued Twiston-Davies.

“We’ve obviously got one eye on March, but we realise there is plenty of prize-money and races to be won on this side of the pond at the minute.

“Stay Away Fay was impressive, but I don’t think many will have the improvement Broadway Boy has probably got. He’s only five and already running to a high rating so early on in his career. I don’t think we’ve seen the best of him yet.”

Broadway Boy’s Cheltenham victory saw him introduced into the betting for the two staying novice events at the Festival in March and although a shade shorter at a general 16-1 for the longer National Hunt Chase, connections are certain he will be sticking to the three-mile route, with the Brown Advisory Novices’ Chase the aim for March.

Twiston-Davies added: “Dad and I had a big discussion about it after he won at Cheltenham. He’s only five now and will be six at the time, so I don’t think we want to be running over four miles and we would like to think he has a bit more class than just being a four-mile slogger at this stage of his career – he’s not slow at all.

“I think he’s a very classy animal and I don’t think we need to be going four miles just yet.”

The younger Twiston-Davies cut a delighted figure after Broadway Boy’s Cheltenham success, racing to the top of the shoot to congratulate winning rider and good friend Tom Bellamy.

And although admitting he should not have favourites, it is clear Broadway Boy holds a special place in the former jockey’s affections having been involved with the horse from the very moment he was purchased for just £22,000.

“I bought him and broke him in and have sort of ridden him every day,” said Twiston-Davies.

“You don’t sort of have favourites but you do get attached to some horses and this is just one of those I’ve been fortunate enough to ride every day and I deal with David Proos the owner very closely.

“It’s more chance than anything, but luckily he has turned into a very nice horse.”

The Silviniaco Conti Chase at Kempton is next on the agenda for Laura Morgan’s Paddy Power Gold Cup runner-up Notlongtillmay.

The seven-year-old won his first three starts over fences last season before outrunning odds of 40-1 when second to Stage Star in the Turners Novices’ Chase at the Cheltenham Festival.

Having made a promising return when fourth at Prestbury Park in October, Notlongtillmay was well fancied for one of the season’s feature handicaps earlier this month – and while he was again no match for the impressive Stage Star, the Malinas gelding was comfortably best of the rest.

Morgan considered sending her stable star back to Cheltenham for next month’s December Gold Cup, but will instead keep her powder dry for the new year.

“He seems to have come out of the race well. He bumped into one a bit better than him, but he’s run really well and we’re all delighted to have a horse to take us to these big days,” she said.

“I entered him for the December race and then I pulled him out because I just thought I’d be too tempted to run him.

“He had a hard enough race, I felt, at Cheltenham, so I thought we’d maybe wait and go to Kempton for the Silviniaco Conti Chase on January 13.

“Whether we step him up in trip after Kempton, I’m a bit undecided on that. The Ryanair Chase, I would say, would be the plan.

“It’s so hard to find horses like this, even for the bigger trainers. It’s great for a small yard like ours to have a horse to go to the big days and be competitive as well.”

Morgan also saddled Whistleinthedark to finish eighth in the Paddy Power Gold Cup.

A progressive chaser last term, the eight-year-old is now being readied for a step up in trip.

Morgan added: “I thought he ran a lovely race, it was obviously his first run back and I don’t think he quite went on the track.

“I think we’ll probably keep him to a flat, galloping track in the future, but he ran well, especially after making a howler of a mistake four out – I don’t know how Kevin (Brogan) stayed on him, to be honest.

“I think he’ll go to Doncaster on December 16 for a 0-150 handicap chase over three miles. Hopefully he’ll go well, as I think he should be better over the longer trip.”

Nicky Henderson has identified the Ladbrokes King George VI Chase as the primary objective for Shishkin, with the Betfair Chase at Haydock a potential port of call en-route to Kempton.

The former star two miler successfully stepped up to an extended three miles in the Aintree Bowl in the spring and looks set to be campaigned over staying trips this season.

Following a pleasing racecourse gallop at Windsor last week, Henderson feels the nine-year-old is right where he wants him ahead of a potential comeback at Haydock on November 25.

“The whole objective for Shishkin is one day after Christmas and that is the King George,” said the Seven Barrows handler.

“After that race, we will decide where we go from there. He has had a racecourse gallop and the plan is to go to the Betfair Chase first, then onto the King George. He was super in the racecourse gallop and I was thrilled with him. Nico (de Boinville) rode him and he was great.

“He is most definitely a stayer. We started last season at two miles, then we went up to two miles five furlongs at Ascot and he looked good.

“You would have to say we were a little bit disappointed at Cheltenham in the Ryanair Chase, but then we upped him to three miles one furlong at Aintree and that was a good, solid, staying jumping performance.

“His win at Aintree showed that he stays three miles, but now we have got to confirm that. The ground at Haydock does frighten you a little bit, but we have got to go there, as he is not entered in the Charlie Hall and you have either that or the Betfair Chase before the King George.”

Shishkin is one of 15 possible contenders for the Betfair Chase, with last year’s winner Protektorat and the 2021 victor and former Gold Cup hero A Plus Tard also in the mix.

Bravemansgame, Gerri Colombe and L’Homme Presse are other notable names among the hopefuls for the Merseyside feature.

A Plus Tard aside, all of the above are also on a list of 19 initial entries for the King George, along with the likes of Allaho, last season’s Gold Cup winner Galopin Des Champs and The Real Whacker.

Hollie Doyle’s appeal against a seven-day suspension will be heard by a British Horseracing Authority disciplinary panel next week and is set to determine if she can ride at the Breeders’ Cup.

Doyle incurred the ban aboard the Jonathan Portman-trained Rose Light in the Unibet More Boosts In More Races Fillies’ Handicap at Kempton on Monday evening, with the rider found to have cut across a number of rivals in the early stages of the 11-furlong contest.

The stewards report on the night read: “Doyle was suspended for seven days for careless riding as she allowed her mount to shift right-handed when insufficiently clear of Flying Circus on her inside, causing (Neil) Callan to take a significant check to avoid clipping heels which resulted in Sindri, Page Three and Typical Woman to all be tightened for room and lose their respective racing positions on the inside.”

Doyle’s ban is currently due to run from October 30 to November 4, plus November 6 as there is no Flat racing in Britain on November 5.

If she is successful in having the punishment reduced to five days or less, she would then be free to ride Bradsell in the Breeders’ Cup Turf Sprint at Santa Anita on November 4.