Spillane’s Tower is favourite to deliver his trainer Jimmy Mangan another big success in Britain in next week’s Ladbrokes King George VI Chase at Kempton.
Owner JP McManus paid out €5,500 to supplement Spillane’s Tower into the prestigious Christmas highlight on Friday and the horse was quickly made a 4-1 favourite to continue recent Irish good fortune in the race.
Last year’s winner Hewick, now officially trained by Tara Lee Cogan due to Shark Hanlon’s licence suspension, is also in the mix as are Banbridge, Envoi Allen and another McManus hope, Corbetts Cross. Final declarations are on Monday.
Having had a 16-year gap between King George victories, Irish-trained horses have won twice in the last three years. Willie Mullins’s outsider Tornado Flyer sprang a 28-1 surprise in 2021.
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Considerable Irish interest this time will centre on Co Cork-based Mangan, a popular stalwart of the Munster point-to-point scene for decades who memorably pulled off Grand National glory with Monty’s Pass at Aintree in 2003.
McManus opting to put Spillane’s Tower in training with Mangan has helped rejuvenate his big-race fortunes with a pair of Grade One successes as a novice last season.
A hugely encouraging first run in senior company, when edged out by another of McManus’s Gold Cup candidates, Fact To File, in last month’s John Durkan, has underlined the horse’s potential.
“The horse worked very well during the week and it’s fair to say we’re dreaming a little bit with him,” said Mangan on Friday. “As long as the ground is safe, he’ll run.”
Ground conditions at Kempton are good to soft, a description that would also suit the other Irish hopefuls should it be maintained until St Stephen’s Day.
Also supplemented into the King George was one of the French hopes Juntos Gamanos and The Real Whacker. Il Est Frances is the other likely French runner in a cosmopolitan prospect that has Dan Skelton’s Grey Dawning leading the home defence.
French horses enjoyed a King George purple patch during the 1990s but haven’t been successful since First Gold in 2000.
The mouth-watering prospect of a festive clash between Lossiemouth and Britain’s favourite, Constitution Hill, remains on the cards after both were left in Kempton’s Christmas Hurdle at Friday’s acceptance stage. Constitution Hill’s trainer Nicky Henderson has also left in Sir Gino.
“If everything goes according to plan with Constitution Hill, then he will run in the Christmas Hurdle. He didn’t make it to Newcastle and Sir Gino stepped in, but recently everything is going well.
“He looks really good, super in his skin, his work has been good, so if we get the following wind, we might well get there, which will surprise everybody as nobody believes me!” Henderson said.
Lossiemouth tops Champion Hurdle betting lists on the back of her impressive seasonal debut in the Hatton’s Grace at Fairyhouse earlier this month. Her trainer and owner, Willie Mullins and Rich Ricci, landed the Christmas Hurdle back-to-back in 2014-15 through Faugheen.
The final Grade One contest before Christmas takes place in Ascot on Saturday where a quartet of Irish raiders will attempt to become the first winner of the Howden Long Walk Hurdle from this country.
They are topped by Gordon Elliott’s The Wallpark who will have his first start in JP McManus’s colours. The improving six-year-old has won his last fours starts and will be ridden by Mark Walsh for the first time.
Darragh O’Keeffe is on duty for Henry de Bromhead’s Hiddenvalley Lake while Charles and Philip Byrnes team up for Shoot First. Outsider Eagle Fang is the other Irish hope.
Last year’s winner Crambo is back again but the one to beat looks to be Strong Leader who has thrived since being extended out in distance.
“He’s trained really well. He hasn’t won going right-handed, but I don’t think that should be an issue. He’s got Grade One form, he’s got no penalty and I wouldn’t swap him, albeit it’s a very competitive race,” said Strong Leader’s trainer Olly Murphy.
“I know he’s been a bit hit and miss during his career, but at the trip he hasn’t. I think he’s a worthy favourite, I’m under no illusions that it’s a very competitive race, but he’s in really good form and I’ve got no excuses — win, lose or draw.
“I’m not saying my lad’s a certainty, but if you said I could swap for another horse in the race, I don’t think I would. It’s very easy to make an excuse before you get going but he’s trained well, the horses are in good nick, he’s unexposed at the trip and we’re really looking forward to Saturday,” he added.
Ascot’s Ladbrokes Handicap Hurdle has Danny Gilligan travelling to team up with the Cian Collins-trained Impero, winner of his last three starts.
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