Kauto Star is the name on everyone’s lips in the 3.00 from Kempton as the popular horse bids for an epic fifth win in a row in the King George VI Chase.

The ten-year-old French-bred racer is the 8/11 favourite to beat the record of four race victories he holds jointly with Desert Orchid.
Owner Clive Smith says “to win five would be a fantastic record and would suit his standing in the world of National Hunt racing.”
Injured jockey Ruby Walsh will be replaced by Tony McCoy, who will be riding Kauto Star at Kempton for the first time.
The King George VI Chase was due to be run on Boxing Day but was postponed because of a frozen track, while the going is expected to be good to soft for the field of nine runners for the £102, 618 purse.

The race will be screened live on Channel 4 and the bookies have Long Run earmarked as the top opposition to halt Kauto Star’s winning sequence.

He is 6/1 at Bet365 to pull off a surprise, while Kauto Star’s stablemate The Nightingale has seen his odds cut from 16/1 to 9/1 at some bookies as he looks to make a challenge.

Nacarat is 10/1 at Blue Square with Forpadydeplasterer 12/1 at SportingBet.

Planet of Sound and Riverside Theatre are at around 16/1 while you can get best odds of 40/1 on Madison Du Berlais with Blue Square.

Alberta’s Run is 25/1 with Sporting Bet but there should be no surprises in this race.

Kauto Star will be shining bright again tomorrow.