Racehorse trainer Nicky Henderson has vowed to have his horse Long Run primed to the max in order to defend his crown in the William Hill King George VI Chase at Kempton on Boxing Day.
In a report by the British Horseracing Authority, the Seven Barrows trainer felt the six-year-old was “a bit fresh” for his first run since winning the Cheltenham Gold Cup when beaten by Kauto Star in a Betfair Chase at Haydock last Saturday.
Henderson is said to be looking forward to the rematch in the Christmas cracker and expects Long Run to improve for the outing. He told At The Races: “I thought his jumping for the first circuit was better than it’s ever been. It was exemplary.” The trouble was he was doing a little bit too much. By the time they got to the last after a circuit, he jumped upsides Kauto Star and got racing there. That’s not what we normally do.
He continued: “He was just a bit fresh at that stage and his jumping was that good that he was getting up there. He’d done plenty of work. I don’t think he necessarily blew up. I just think there was a bit of rustiness about it and a few things to learn from it.
“Nothing changes our plan and we will head for Kempton and take [Kauto Star] on again. We’ve just got to get him ready for Kempton, and he will be.”
Will you be betting on Long run, or you more of a Kauto Star kinda guy?
