Ahead of the King George VI Chase and rescheduled Christmas Hurdle at Kempton on Saturday, all eyes were directed at four-time winner, Kauto Star and bookies’ second favourite, Starluck. Neither horse, however, managed to achieve first place.

On the back of four consecutive wins at the King George – a record tally shared by Desert Orchid – Kauto Star was the hot favourite to take a fifth win at Kempton. Riding Kauto Star in public for the first time, Tony McCoy could have been forgiven for expecting a relatively comfortable ride to first place, however, the Nicky Henderson-trained Long Run, installed as the bookies’ second favourite for the King George, romped home to an impressive victory. Kauto Star finished well back from the surprise six-year-old winner, crossing the line third.

Long Run proved to be one of five winners for Nicky Henderson at Kempton Park this weekend, with Binocular surprising many critics and pundits to succeed in the rescheduled Christmas Hurdle. Starluck had been expected to defeat Binocular at the event, but the bookmakers’ favourite triumphed over the field with relative ease.

As for Kauto Star, bookies have given the veteran winner odds of 8-1 to win the Cheltenham Gold Cup in March. Long Run has been installed as the 6-1 second favourite behind last year’s winner, Imperial Commander, at 3-1. Kauto Star’s trainer, Paul Nicholls, admitted his charge might not make the event, having stated: “I’ll sit down and have a talk with Clive but if he’s sound and well there is no reason why he can’t run in this year’s Gold Cup”.