Kingscliff Dethrones Cheltenham Champion

They came to see one ´King´ and left having seen another when Kingscliff powered home in front of a bumper crowd at Haydock to put himself in line for a #1 million payout.

Last year´s champion chaser Kicking King was sent off the 4-5 favourite to land the #150,000 betfair Chase, the first leg of the Betfair Million bonus scheme.

But he had no answer to the relentless gallop of the Robert Alner-trained winner.

And connections of the eight-year-old will claim the #1million cheque from the sponsors if he goes on to take the Stan James King George VI Chase at Sandown and the totesport Cheltenham Gold Cup in March.

However, after seeing the 8-1 chance run out a length-and-a-quarter winner over Beef Or Salmon, Alner was playing down his chances of being able to win all three contests.

'Last year we were too focused on the Gold Cup and we didn´t get there, which was a big disappointment,' he said.

'This year we decided to go race by race with him and to run him whenever the horse is right.

'It is going to be very hard to keep him in good form for six months and I think winning the #1 million bonus is going to be almost impossible.

'But you have got to be in it to win it and now we are the only ones who can win it, we will be giving it our very best shot.

'The King George being run at Sandown this year instead of Kempton is definitely in his favour. He ran well at Kempton last year but three miles is a minimum for him and the uphill finish will suit him at Sandown.

'As for the Gold Cup, let´s just get to March and if he and Kicking King are both there then they will answer all of the questions.'

Kingscliff had finished second to Ollie Magern on his seasonal reappearance in last month´s Charlie Hall Chase at Wetherby, but Alner said he had been confident of reversing the placings this time.

'Ollie Magern is quite a handy type of horse and looked fit that day but Kingscliff is a massive horse and no matter how fit you get him, you would expect him to improve for his first run,' explained the trainer.

'He has been out this week doing a bit of drag-hunting which is something we did with Cool Dawn before he won the Gold Cup. They are working without realising it and helps to keep them fresh for when it matters.

'He is eight, going on nine, which is the perfect age for a chaser and this is probably the first time we have had a good, clear run as he has always had niggly problems in the past.'

Alner paid tribute to the winning rider Robert Walford, who has worked for the stable for the last seven years, edging his way through the ranks as amateur and conditional before gaining by far his biggest success in the saddle here.

'Robert rode him fantastically - nobody could have done a better job,' said Alner.

Walford kept the Robert Alner-trained gelding close to the pace throughout as first Ollie Magern and then Keen Leader made the early running.

Kicking King looked the danger in the home straight as he drew alongside to make a challenge under Barry Geraghty.

But Kingscliff pulled out more and repelled the late challenge of Beef Or Salmon, who came from well off the pace under a determined Paul Carberry.

Kicking King was ridden confidently by Geraghty but started to send out distress signals after the second last and could only manage a one-paced third, the first trio clear of Keen Leader.

Ollie Magern never looked particularly happy and dropped away to finish some distance behind.

Walford said: 'I am absolutely delighted. It was hard work but stamina is his forte and the ground helped.

'I wanted to give him as much light as possible at his fences so we kept to the outside and he was always doing what I wanted. He travelled much better than he had at Wetherby.

'Mr Alner had told me if I kept him thereabouts and kicked on off the home turn, he wouldn´t stop galloping and that´s how it worked out.

'I could hear Beef Or Salmon coming but I wasn´t sure how far away he was so I put my head down and kept kicking.'

Walford did pick up a two-day ban though, for using his whip with excessive frequency, and will be out of action November 30 and December 1.

Kingscliff is quoted at no less than 12-1 to win the Betfair Million by bookmakers Paddy Power, while Coral and Bet365 both offer 5-2 about him winning the King George.

In the Gold Cup, Kicking King still holds sway as favourite to retain his crown but Kingscliff was cut to 4-1 by Ladbrokes and Totesport and to 7-2 with Coral.

? PA Sport