Just had my first AP for the Jumps

Al Ferof?

I am not sure it will be SC's target either.Why didn't he run in it last year??Though I think Nicholls was intending to run Al Ferof in King George before he got injured.
I presume he will start off in the Betfair chase again and Nicholls may well not run him after that until the Gold Cup again.

I can remember Nicholl's saying Kempton wasn't an ideal track for Conti even though he ran well there behind Grans Crus in the Feltham.

I remember Al Ferof winning at Sandown before he was injured and Ruby saying "this is a King George horse".

Pretty sure I heard Nicholls quoted as saying Kempton wouldn't suit him. I could see him possibly going for the Lexus. The Pillar looks the perfect race for Al Ferof to me, find out if he stays 3 miles there on a course he loves. Something tells me that Nicholls ego will ensure he has a King George representative though.

neill d - do you mean Nicholls said Kempton would not suit Silviniaco Contil or Al Ferof ? .........and I agree ref the Pillar Chase for Al Ferof 3m tester.

Silviniaco Conti, I'n nearly sure he said the time Grands Crus beat him and Bob's worth in the Feltham that he didn't handle the track that well, he was coming back at the Pipe horse at the line.

Re: Silviniaco Conti

Nicholls revealed he may not even run again between now and next March.
"I said if he won today we'd go for the Gold Cup and that is the plan. You couldn't leave him in his box on Gold Cup day after that performance," he said.
"I'm not going to rush him and I might go straight to the Gold Cup with him.
"He wants to be fresh and I'm not going to run him through the winter in the mud.
"He definitely won't run in the King George, I don't think Kempton is his track. He won't run anywhere over Christmas.
"We could give him a run in something like the Aon but I certainly wouldn't be worried about going straight there with him.
"He could be really interesting, come Cheltenham.

From last year obv^

Cheers BJG, knew I'd heard it somewhere.

I know Nicholls said all this LAST YEAR. But as he is thin on staying chasers (will AF be fit again) Neill d is spot on. His ego will ensure he has runners in high profile races and SC will, I'm sure, run in the race.

Even if Silviniaco Conti should run - he won't beat Cue Card on decent ground.

cue card don't stay 3 miles imo

Hopefully we shall find out this December.
Should be a cracking race in any event!

ridden like he was at Cheltenham and Aintree and on (much) better ground than last year's KG, I like Cue Card's chances.

He is my favourite horse in training though so my assessment might not be particularly objective.

Just hope the rain stays away this year, most years it`s goodish ground to give the 20 furlong horses a chance.

It looks a cracking line up. Simonsig for me however.

I am very keen on dynaste and simonsig is very good also but until he wins at the trip dynaste has to be the bet

Cannot see SC running in the KG,same as last year imo.