King George VI Chase: Spillane’s Tower, Grey Dawning and Il Est Francais top Kempton field
The six-year-old, trained by Jimmy Mangan for owner JP McManus, was a dual winner at the top Grade One level last season and was added as a supplementary entry last week along with last year’s fourth-placed finisher The Real Whacker and French contender Juntos Ganamos.
Spillane’s Tower, who will be ridden by Mark Walsh, was second to Fact to File on his return to action at Punchestown last month with double Cheltenham Gold Cup winner Galopin Des Champs in third.
McManus also has the Emmett Mullins-trained Corbetts Cross, who will be ridden by amateur Derek O’Connor, in the race which is set to have its biggest field since 2009.
The Dan Skelton-trained Grey Dawning – the Betfair Chase runner-up and a winner at last season’s Cheltenham Festival – leads the British hopes while French challenger Il Est Francais is also strong in the betting market.
The horse is trained in France by Noel George and Amanda Zetterholm and won the Kauto Star Novices’ Chase over course and distance 12 months ago but was pulled up at Auteuil last time out.
Last year’s winner Hewick has not been declared and will instead run over hurdles at Leopardstown, although Joseph O’Brien’s Banbridge and Henry de Bromhead’s Envoi Allen, who will be ridden by Paul Townend and Rachael Blackmore respectively, will travel from Ireland.
The 2022 winner Bravemansgame bids to regain his crown and provide trainer Paul Nicholls with a record-extending 14th victory in the race.
The field is completed by L’Homme Presse, who makes his first appearance since finishing fourth in last season’s Cheltenham Gold Cup for Venetia Williams.
Meanwhile, former champion hurdler Constitution Hill could meet rising star Lossiemouth in the Christmas Hurdle at Kempton (13:55 GMT).
Constitution Hill has been off the track with a variety of issues since winning at Kempton 12 months ago but has been declared in a four-strong field.
