Kauto Star must wait for history bid at Kempton Park

Kauto Star’s bid to land a record fifth successive William Hill King George VI Chase has been put on ice.

Paul Nicholls’s brilliant chaser will have to wait until Kempton’s next jumps meeting on Saturday, January 15 to go one better than Desert Orchid, who won the Boxing Day feature four times (1986, 1988-90).

The relevant parties acted quickly to save the King George and the Christmas Hurdle after both days of the festive fixture fell foul of the big freeze.

The Sunbury track, with the help of the British Horseracing Authority (BHA), sponsors William Hill and the Levy Board, managed to reschedule the two contests.

Kempton’s managing director Amy Starkey said: “We are naturally bitterly disappointed to have lost the William Hill Winter Festival to the severe weather.

“Everyone at the racecourse did all that they could to get racing on, but the elements defeated us.

“However, we – and all of our partners within racing – are delighted that the two major races will be held on William Hill Lanzarote Hurdle day.

“Though it has not taken place at Christmas as we expected, the whole of racing can now start looking forward once again to Kauto Star’s bid to win a record-breaking fifth William Hill King George VI Chase at Kempton Park.

“We will be making all the necessary arrangements for January 15 and will make announcements about race times and admission prices this week.”

The BHA will confirm the finalised details for both races in the next few days.

Kempton had done their best to stage yesterday’s card but like the Boxing Day programme, had to admit defeat to the weather.

Clerk of the course Barney Clifford said: “The temperature got down to minus 7 Celsius overnight, a degree worse than we had been forecast.

“However, whereas we were forecast 1C and 2C during Sunday, it hasn’t got above minus 2C and was still minus 5C in the middle of the morning.

“Not only are the protective covers still frozen to the grass, there is now frost in the ground because of the longevity of these conditions.

“We would need daytime temperatures tomorrow (today) to be above zero quite early in order for the covers to be removed in time for the 11.50 a.m. start, but that just isn’t going to happen.

“Milder temperatures are not arriving in time, so even a contingency of considering racing on Tuesday (today) isn’t possible.”