Paul Nicholls believes there are “plenty of ifs, buts and question marks” about the field for the Ladbrokes King George VI Chase at Kempton on Boxing Day.

The champion trainer targets the Christmas highlight like no one else and will be seeking his 14th success in the race as he saddles last year’s winner Bravemansgame in the Grade One contest.

See More Business was his first winner in 1997 and he regained the title two years later. Kauto Star then dominated, eclipsing Desert Orchid’s four victories by winning five between 2006 and 2011, before Nicholls sent out two more dual winners in Silviniaco Conti and Clan Des Obeaux.

The Ditcheat handler also runs 2020 big-race hero Frodon, but it is Bravemansgame who has Nicholls dreaming of more glory, despite two defeats already this term, in the Charlie Hall at Wetherby and the Betfair Chase at Haydock.

While that puts a slight mark against the defending champion, Nicholls feels the case for favourite Allaho is not totally clear, while Shishkin is on a retrieval mission after refusing to start on his seasonal bow at Ascot.

“We got outstayed at Haydock by Royale Pagaille, but he has run well there (Kempton) before and it suits him well,” said Nicholls.

“Allaho came back and won the other day from his time off, but is he as good as he was? There are plenty of ifs, buts and question marks, but we are very happy with Bravemansgame.

“I think he has got a great chance there is no doubt about it. The previous year’s winner of the race is always the one to beat and he has definitely taken a step forward since Haydock.”

Harry Cobden will be on board again and he told Planet Sport: “The track just really suits him and seems to bring out the best in him. He’s a very strong traveller and his jumping really keeps him in the race. If he can reproduce what he did last year, he’ll definitely take a bit of beating.

“Allaho looks the main danger to me. He’s a very smart horse and Willie (Mullins) doesn’t send them over for nothing. He jumps a little bit left which wouldn’t be ideal around Kempton and with Frodon in the race, he won’t have an easy time of it. Hopefully that will play into our hands.”

Ireland’s champion jockey Paul Townend has his first ever ride in the race on Allaho

“I can’t wait to ride in a Ladbrokes King George VI Chase. It is a very prestigious race which I haven’t been to before so it is all new and I am looking forward to it,” he told Ladbrokes.

“Allaho is as good a chance I will get of winning a King George. It’s a class race without it being a massive field. You can make a case for everything in it.

“My horse is a dual Ryanair winner, along with a Punchestown Gold Cup winner, so we are hoping he stays and that the track suits him. Obviously, I am disappointed to be missing some very big rides at Leopardstown, but having a crack on Allaho in this race makes up for it.”

Nicky Henderson retains full faith in Shishkin’s ability as he tackles a staying trip for just the second time under rules.

Winner of the 2021 Arkle, Shishkin won the Aintree Bowl over three miles and a furlong at the end of last season, but his refusal to race at Ascot means he comes into the King George without a prep run – and slightly under the radar, in his trainer’s opinion.

“When he won the Supreme he was a very good horse, and he is still a very good horse,” said Henderson.

“It has taken us a bit longer than it should have done to make us realise he is a three-miler not a two-miler, but if you win the Supreme, not surprisingly, you are thinking along the two-mile route, not three.

“He has proven what he can do over three miles, so let’s stick to it. He is the sort of forgotten person in the race and no one has mentioned him.

“The only thing I would say is don’t judge him on this, because I think it is very unfair coming into a race like this without a run. It doesn’t mean there aren’t bigger and better things to come. He might run very well and not quite get home.

“Kempton is not a stamina track, except in the King George you have got to stay and be fit because this is the one race where there is no hiding place.”

Patrick Neville’s The Real Whacker is the only horse who has managed to beat Gerri Colombe to date, but he was pulled up on his return to action in the Paddy Power Gold Cup when he went lame.

He will be ridden by Sam Twiston-Davies again and he told William Hill: “Among many, his biggest asset is his jumping and at Kempton the jumps come quick and thick.

“Paddy Neville is really happy with him and says he’s in good form at home despite bits and pieces going against him at Cheltenham last time.

“You can put a line through that as it didn’t really happen for him that day, but he seems to have turned a real corner since then so we’re looking forward to seeing what he can do, especially now he’s got a run under his belt.”

Man of the moment Gavin Sheehan is keen to see if his Ladbrokes King George VI Chase mount Hewick has the required class to shake up the big guns at Kempton.

Sheehan has seen his career gather momentum following his link with Jamie Snowden and the pair have teamed up this season to win the Coral Gold Trophy through Datsalrightgino, with Sheehan also landing the December Gold Cup on Richard Hobson’s Fugitif.

Shark Hanlon’s Hewick was ridden to Galway Plate and American Grand National glory by Jordan Gainford, but he is currently on the sidelines with injury and while Rachael Blackmore partnered him to win at Sandown in April she is riding at Leopardstown.

After surveying his options for a few days, Hanlon sided with Sheehan and the jockey is looking forward to another big opportunity.

“He’s a nice ride to pick up. You are up against very good horses, but we are there to take our chance,” said Sheehan.

“He’s very much a people’s horse now isn’t he, and I’m looking forward to him.

“He’s got a little bit of toe, he’s run around a sharp, right-handed undulating track so a sharp flat track shouldn’t bother him and he’s got stamina as well.

“It’s just whether he’s got that class, that is what we need to find out.”

He added: “Shark is bullish, but he always is! He said the horse is in great form, he did a piece of work the other day and really surprised him.

“It’s a big race on a big day and a big ride for me – I’m looking forward to it.

“Things are going well, but you can’t count your chickens before they are hatched in this game – you just take each day as it comes.”

Ante-post favourite Allaho heads a field of six for the Ladbrokes King George VI Chase at Kempton on Boxing Day.

Willie Mullins’ runner has won eight of his 13 chase starts to date, including two wide-margin Ryanair Chase verdicts and a similarly impressive Punchestown Gold Cup win in 2022.

He made a satisfactory return to action after a 561-day absence at Clonmel last month and is short price for the Christmas highlight.

Last year’s victor Bravemansgame returns to defend his title for Paul Nicholls, although his campaign has not gone to plan so far this term with the eight-year-old having suffered odds-on defeats in both the Charlie Hall at Wetherby and the Betfair Chase at Haydock.

Frodon, winner of the race in 2020, gives Nicholls a second string to his bow, with regular partner Bryony Frost taking the ride.

The Nicky Henderson-trained Shishkin is also on something of a redemption mission as he makes his seasonal bow. He refused to start at Ascot last month while a planned Fighting Fifth Hurdle prep was scuppered by testing ground at Sandown.

The Real Whacker, winner of the Brown Advisory at Cheltenham last term, and Shark Hanlon’s Hewick complete the line up, with Gerri Colombe and Royale Pagaille absentees as expected.

Constitution Hill is the headline act in the Ladbrokes Christmas Hurdle, which also has six contenders.

Henderson’s two-mile champion is long odds-on to extend his unbeaten run over obstacles, with the Nicholls-trained Rubaud the next best on ratings, albeit some 26lb behind.

The favourite will be joined by stablemate First Street, with Kerry Lee potentially double-handed with Black Poppy and Nemean Lion. Alan King’s Sceau Royal is the other runner.

Il Est Francais represents France in the Ladbrokes Kauto Star Novices’ Chase.

Trained by Noel George and Amanda Zetterholm, Il Est Francais has been a dominant force at home and has five rivals at Kempton, led by Nicholls’ Hermes Allen.

Giovinco, Kilbeg King, Marble Sands and Tightenourbelts also line up, with no Irish representation after Mullins and Gordon Elliott did not declare Grangeclare West, Klassical Dream or Imagine respectively.

Gerri Colombe will sidestep the Ladbrokes King George VI Chase on Boxing Day in favour of a run at Leopardstown.

Gordon Elliott’s charge has won five of his six starts over fences to date, with his only defeat coming when edged out by a short head in the Brown Advisory Novices’ Chase at the Cheltenham Festival back in March.

The seven-year-old was a narrow winner on his return in last month’s Champion Chase at Down Royal and had been among the leading lights for Kempton’s Christmas feature.

However, with the ground at the Sunbury track currently described as good to soft, good in places, connections are concerned conditions may not suit and have decided to stay closer to home, raising the prospect of a stellar field for the Savills Chase on December 28.

Reigning Cheltenham Gold Cup champion Galopin Des Champs could represent Willie Mullins in Leopardstown’s Grade One contest, with the Martin Brassil-trained Fastorslow – who has beaten Galopin Des Champs on his last two starts – another in the mix.

Elliott said: “The ground is just drying up a bit in Kempton and we’re just a bit worried about bringing him over on too good a ground, so we’ll keep him at home and run him at Leopardstown.

“It looks a good race at Leopardstown.”

Paddy Power make Gerri Colombe an 11-4 chance for the Leopardstown race, with Galopin Des Champs the 6-4 favourite and Fastorslow next best on 5-2.

The same firm has the Mullins-trained Allaho as the 11-8 market leader for the King George, ahead of Paul Nicholls’ defending champion Bravemansgame at 2-1.

Gavin Sheehan is set to partner Hewick for the first time in the Ladbrokes King George VI Chase at Kempton on Boxing Day.

Trainer Shark Hanlon was on the lookout for a new rider for his stable star, with his regular partner Jordan Gainford sidelined by injury.

Rachael Blackmore stepped in to steer the eight-year-old to victory in the Grade Two Oaksey Chase at Sandown in the spring, but is set to be in action at Leopardstown over the Christmas period, while Brian Hughes was on board Hewick on his latest outing in the Galway Plate but is also unavailable.

Hanlon has therefore turned to one of the most in-form jockeys in the weighing room in Sheehan, who won last month’s Coral Gold Cup at Newbury on Datsalrightgino and last week produced a similarly brilliant ride when guiding Fugitif to a last-gasp victory in the December Gold Cup at Cheltenham.

“We’re just after sorting it this (Thursday) morning – Gavin Sheehan is going to ride,” said Hanlon.

“I know he had the chance of a good book of rides somewhere else, so I wasn’t sure if he’d ride him or not, but he came back this morning and said ‘the horse has as good a chance as any other horse in the race and I’d love to ride him’, which is great.

“He’s a jockey in great form, he knows the track and he knows the English horses, so it’s great to have him on board.”

Hewick has enjoyed a fairytale rise through the ranks, winning the bet365 Gold Cup, the Galway Plate and the American Grand National during a whirlwind 2022 campaign.

He was well beaten when last seen in action defending his Galway Plate crown in August, but Hanlon is delighted with his condition ahead of his festive return.

He added: “He went to the local point-to-point track this morning as the ground is beautiful and he jumped 12 fences. All the work is done, I just need to get him there now.

“I’ve been on to the shipping crew, who tell me the winds are due to die down on Friday night, so we’re booked on the boat on Saturday morning.

“He’s in right good form. It’s his first run of the season, which you’re always afraid of, but he runs well fresh so fingers crossed.

“Allaho is the one they all have to beat. It looks like there’s a few in there that like to make the running – I’d say there’ll be savage pace in it – but the great thing about our horse is we can ride him however we want.”

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.”

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.

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.