Wise men following a star is supposed to be how this whole Christmas caper got started in the first place, but the faithful will be flocking to Kempton Park once more.

The object of their adulation will be Kauto Star as he attempts an unprecedented fourth consecutive victory in the William Hill King George VI Chase. The great Desert Orchid won the race four times, from six starts, but Kauto Star comes to this year’s renewal  unbeaten in three starts at Kempton and with 13 victories and three seconds from his last 17 starts spread over four seasons.

However, his last start did not allow Kauto Star the same measure of superiority as his position in the ante-post markets might indicate. The official winning margin over Imperial Commander in the Betfair Chase at Haydock Park last month was a nose. Make that more like a half-inch and Imperial Commander’s trainer, Nigel Twiston-Davies, has said that he is relishing a re-match.

“Imperial Commander ran very well at Haydock and obviously had him in great shape for that day,” Paul Nicholls said in an interview for BHA Xtra “but I think he enjoyed the soft ground more than we did and you could make a case that Imperial Commander isn’t as good going right-handed.”

Part of that case may stem from his performance behind Kauto Star in last year’s race, when he finished 72 lengths behind in sixth. However, that came in a period when Twiston-Davies managed just two winners in December and January, but it is open to question whether the slightly faster ground and a sharp track like Kempton really plays to his strengths.

On his form when winning the Racing Post Chase at Kempton last February, Nacarat would be a contender and the same applies to Madison Du Berlais when he beat Denman by 23 lengths at Kempton two weeks previously. True, Denman was not at his best but Albertas Run was another 25 lengths back in third, but both need to produce career-best runs to win.   

Albertas Run and Our Vic have been runner-up to Kauto Star in the last two runnings of the King George and there is little reason to believe that they can turn that around if Kauto Star runs up top form. Albertas Run was beaten by eight lengths last year and, last time out finished 11 lengths third to Deep Purple in the Peterborough Chase at Huntingdon two weeks ago (where Tartak was six lengths second and Racing Demon a total of 46 lengths away in fifth).

A literal interpretation of that form looks very suspect but Deep Purple could make the places along with Barbers Shop, who did not appear to stay the three and a quarter miles in the Hennessy Gold Cup, where he finished fourth to Denman, but should not be far away from Imperial Commander judged on their form in last season’s Paddy Power Gold Cup. Then Barbers Shop finished two and three quarter lengths second but was conceding 3lbs.

The williamhill.com Christmas Hurdle offers the unusual sight of a Go Native having to concede the position as race favourite to Binocular despite having the recent winning form in the “Fighting Fifth” Hurdle at Newcastle last month.

The race turned into something of a mess, with no real pace, although that does not fully explain why Binocular failed so dismally to pick up and he makes little appeal at what are prohibitive odds, especially as his trainer, Nicky Henderson, has yet to find a reason for that lack-lustre performance.

Go Native is likely to be held up for a late run, but so will Starluck who travels well and, given enough early pace, can be played very late. There is no-one better than Timmy Murphy at producing a horse to lead on the line, which is what will be required.

Henderson’s yard is still in flying form and he has a 33% strike-rate for this two-meeting over the last four seasons. He also has an enviable strength in depth with his novice chasers judging by his decision over which horse to run in the williamhill.com Feltham Novices’ Chase. Henderson could have picked Punchestowns (the ante-post favourite for the RSA Chase at the Cheltenham Festival in March) but instead chose to rely upon Long Run. Considered one of the best young hurdlers in France, when trained by Guillaume Macaire, he did nothing to dispel that estimation with three wins from four starts over fences and, as a four-year-old, Long Run will be receiving 7lbs from the rest of the field.

By comparison, the nine-year-old Wogan will be trying to make up for lost time in the williamhill.com Novices’ Handicap Chase, a race that Henderson has won this race four times in the past eight years.  A lightly-raced horse he was a 125-rated hurdler at his best he gets into this race on a mark of 117.

Paul Wheeler