Kauto Star (pictured) won the King George VI Chase five times.

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A MAXIMUM field of 16 runners will contest the Ladbrokes King George VI Chase at Kempton Park on Boxing Day after acceptances were revealed this week.

The Gordon Elliott-trained Gerri Colombe narrowly heads the betting from last year’s winner Bravemansgame for the feature race of the year at Kempton Park.

Gerri Colombe impressed on his comeback with a tenacious victory in the Champion Chase at Down Royal in November and is generally available at 5-2, ahead of Bravemansgame whose two runs this term have resulted in second placed finishes in the Grade 2 Charlie Hall Chase and Grade 1 Betfair Chase.

Gordon Elliott said: “There’s nothing confirmed as of yet with Gerri Colombe and we’ll keep all options open. With the way things are working out over in Britain, the King George could be a possibility.

“He has plenty of options between Kempton, the Savills Chase at Leopardstown and the Cotswold Chase at Cheltenham in January. We’ll wait and see and we won’t be making a decision until closer to the time.”

Coral’s David Stevens added: “With Bravemansgame [second] and Shishkin [refused to race] fluffing their lines over the weekend, the King George market opened up quite a lot, and that may have increased the chances of Gerri Colombe making the trip to Kempton.”

King George VI Chase 2023 acceptors: Allaho; Bravemansgame; Edwardstone; Galopin Des Champs; Gerri Colombe; Hewick; L’Homme Presse; Midnight River; My Drogo; Pic D’Orhy; Protektorat; Royale Pagaille; Shan Blue; Shishkin; The Real Whacker.

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