High Hopes For Dancer Reverse Connections of Exotic Dancer are hoping their horse can find the necessary extra to finally turn the tables on Kauto Star in the Stan James King George VI Chase.The seven-year-old finished eight lengths adrift of the subsequent Gold Cup winner in Kempton's Boxing Day showpiece 12 months ago and has failed to beat him in any of their three other meetings.However, the Jonjo O'Neill-trained Exotic Dancer got within half a length of Paul Nicholls' champion at Haydock last time, leaving the impression the gap between the two could be closing.'Jonjo tells me he is fit and well,' said Barry Simpson, racing manager to owner Sir Robert Ogden.'The stable has been under a bit of a cloud but he is happy with him, he has progressed well since his last race and we'll look forward to Kempton on Boxing Day.'I think last time out at Haydock was his best performance to date, so we have to take that as a very positive view.'It is as near as we have been to Kauto Star so we will look forward to the encounter again.'Despite winning last year's renewal, Nicholls admits the sharp three-miles around Kempton does not play to Kauto Star's strengths.'I see there are eight entries but I don't know how many of them will run,' said Nicholls.'I think this is the track where he is the most vulnerable. It is right-handed and it is a pretty sharp track.'I know he won the race last year though and I'm sure he will give a good account of himself and he will be hard to beat,' he told At The Races.Not content with saddling the red-hot favourite, Nicholls also has a Grade One winning second-string in Taranis.He claimed the James Nicholson Chase at Down Royal but he was only fourth in a handicap hurdle on his most recent outing.'Taranis is very well and if the ground isn't too soft that will suit him. He won very well at Down Royal earlier in the season,' he continued.'He's a Ryanair Chase winner and the track will suit him but he has a fair bit to find just on handicap ratings alone.'(C) PA Sport
