LONDON: Allaho bids to give legendary Irish trainer Willie Mullins a third win in an intriguing renewal of the prestigious King George VI Chase at Kempton Park on Tuesday.
Allaho missed all of last season but returned to win the Clonmel Oil Chase this term setting him up for a tilt at the race considered only second to The Cheltenham Gold Cup over jumps.
He faces just five rivals, including defending champion Bravemansgame and the sublimely talented but unpredictable Shiskin described as a “bit of a plonker” by his venerable trainer Nicky Henderson. Allaho sat out last season — after winning a second successive Ryanair Chase at the Cheltenham Festival in 2022 — with a rare spleen complaint.
Mullins, 67, was happy enough with the horse’s performance in winning in November to aim him at the King George, a race the trainer won with Florida Pearl in 2001 and Tornado Flyer in 2021. His son Patrick, who is his assistant, says they expect a big run from the favourite although he added a caveat. – AFP
