Bravemansgame leads King George Chase field at Kempton

Bravemansgame heads nine horses still in contention for the Ladbrokes King George VI Chase at Kempton on St Stephen's Day.

Paul Nicholls' charge has been a leading fancy for the race ever since winning the Kauto Star Novices' Chase on the corresponding card 12 months ago and he certainly did nothing to dampen expectations with a straightforward win in the Charlie Hall Chase at Wetherby on his only outing this term.

Nicholls has two other very strong strings to his bow in Hitman and Frodon, with the Venetia Williams-trained L'Homme Presse, winner of the Brown Advisory Novices' Chase at Cheltenham in March, a major rival.

As long as the ground is considered soft enough next week, he is expected to line up.

Sam Twiston-Davies has come in for the ride on Hitman with Harry Cobden on Bravemansgame and he will be hoping for the same outcome as when Cobden chose Cyrname over Clan Des Obeaux in 2019.

Twiston-Davies told William Hill: "I've been lucky for the owners before, winning both the King George and the Punchestown Gold Cup with Clan Des Obeaux, and it's very kind of them to carry on supporting me, so I'm very grateful for that.

"I thought he was impressive at Haydock. He jumped fantastically and that looks to be one of his biggest assets.

"Yes, he's a young horse who's yet to tackle this trip, but he's really going the right way and I'm excited for it."

Previous winner Frodon will be ridden by Bryony Frost after she was given the green light to return from a recent spell on the sidelines with a broken collar bone.

Ahoy Senor will be having his second run at Kempton on Boxing Day, having chased home Bravemansgame 12 months ago, if he is allowed to take his chance by Lucinda Russell.

Envoi Allen is the sole Irish challenger for Henry