EDREDON`S TRAINER BEGINS TO FEEL THE PRESSURE

Henrietta Knight is beginning to feel the strain as the build-up continues to Boxing Day`s Pertemps King George VI Chase at Kempton Park.

Her stable star Edredon Bleu was among nine horses declared for the #150,000 contest this morning.

Miss Knight could not bear to watch the gelding race when he landed the Queen Mother Champion Chase at Cheltenham in March and will be taking a similar approach on Tuesday. 'He`s very well and in good spirits,' Miss Knight said.

'I`d say he is in a great deal better spirits than the trainer but he doesn`t know what`s ahead of him!

'At this stage of proceedings I`ve become very pessimistic - as I usually do.

'He`s up against some top-notch three-milers and I worry that he`s out of his depth. Beau will probably make the running and my horse likes to be near the front.

'It will be an exciting race but certainly not one I`d watch!

'I know where I`m going to go, I know a little spot, and I`m looking forward to a week today when it`s all over.'

The good news for Edredon Bleu, who is unproven over three miles, is that the going report of good to soft, soft in places is unlikely to worsen before the big race.

Miss Knight added: 'The going is probably as good as we could have hoped for at this time of the year.

'It`s better than one could have hoped for two weeks ago.'

Clerk of the course Brian Clifford reported no change in the going from Thursday`s report. He said: 'The going on the chase course is good to soft, soft in places and on the hurdle course soft, good to soft in places.

'There`s no change.

'I think there`s only so much that ground can improve and I think it has improved quite a bit in two days.

'There are spits and spots of rain about on Christmas Day and I`m sure that will keep it as we are now.

'For the amount of rain we`ve had I think good to soft, soft in places is a great going report for this time of year.'

See More Business is as short as 6-5 favourite to add to his 1997 and 1999 victories in the Grade One contest.

The Paul Nicholls-trained gelding, the mount of Mick Fitzgerald, will be joined by stablemate Double Thriller.

He will face stiff opposition from the Francois Doumen-trained First Gold, who would be the French trainer`s fifth winner of the three-mile prize.

And Florida Pearl, trained by Willie Mullins, will be trying to give Ireland their first winner of the race since Captain Christy in 1975.

A high-class field also includes Whitbread Gold Cup hero Beau, last year`s runner-up Go Ballistic, Thomas Pink Gold Cup winner Lady Cricket and Bellator.

Timmy Murphy will ride Go Ballistic in the absence of both Tony Dobbin and Richard Johnson, who both have commitments to ride elsewhere.

As expected Marlborough was not among today`s declarations while Tote Silver Cup winner Legal Right also misses the race.

Direct Route, touched off by Edredon Bleu in the Champion Chase, bypasses Kempton in favour of a crack at the Castleford Chase at Wetherby.

Pertemps King George VI Chase betting: Ladbrokes bet: 5-4 See More Business, 9-4 First Gold, 5-1 Florida Pearl, 11-1 Edredon Bleu, 12-1 Beau, Lady Cricket, 25-1 Go Ballistic, 50-1 Bellator, 66-1 Double Thriller. Tote bet: 5-4 See More Business, 5-2 First Gold, 6-1 Florida Pearl, 9-1 Edredon Bleu, 10-1 Beau, Lady Cricket, 25-1 Go Ballistic, 40-1 Bellator, 66-1 Double Thriller. William Hill bet: 6-5 See More Business, 9-4 First Gold, 11-2 Florida Pearl, 10-1 Edredon Bleu, 12-1 Beau, Lady Cricket, 25-1 Go Ballistic, 50-1 Bellator, 66-1 Double Thriller.