Top-class entry for King George

A sparkling Pertemps King George VI Chase looks on the cards after a high-class entry was unveiled today for the Kempton showpiece on Boxing Day.

Last year`s French-trained winner First Gold and previous dual-victor See More Business are among 27 possibles for the three-mile Grade One contest, which carries Stg#150,000 of prize money.

First Gold, trained by Francois Doumen, beat Florida Pearl and Bellator in last year`s event - and both those rivals could reoppose this year.

See More Business, from the Paul Nicholls yard, was a beaten favourite when finishing fifth last year but won the King George in 1997 and 1999.

The 11-year-old represents champion owner Sir Robert Ogden, whose possibles also include Whitbread Gold Cup winner Ad Hoc, Fadalko, and the classy Marlborough, who could miss the race after being ruled out of Saturday`s Hennessy Cognac Gold Cup because of a trapped epiglottis.

Other notable entries include the Henrietta Knight-trained Best Mate, who wasbeaten by Wahiba Sands under a massive weight in the First National Gold Cup at Ascot on Saturday after earlier scoring in the williamhill.co.uk Haldon Gold Cup at Exeter.

Sackville, from the Frances Crowley yard, is another possible along with Lord Noelie, who fell in the Peterhouse Group Charlie Hall Chase at Wetherby won by the Irish raider.

The Nicholls-trained Montifault, who scored in the Badger Brewery Handicap Chase at Wincanton, is another entry.

More should emerge about his chances following the Hennessy, for which Montifault is currently favourite, and a number of the other King George entries are also runners.

Pertemps King George VI Chase: Ad Hoc, Bacchanal, Bellator, Be My Manager, Best Mate, Celibate, Commanche Court, Exit To Wave, Fadalko, First Gold, Florida Pearl, Go Ballistic, Hindiana, Legal Right, Lord Noelie, Marlborough, Micko`s Dream, Montifault, Native Upmanship, Paris Pike, Rince Ri, Sackville, See More Business, Sleeping Night, Toto Toscalo, Upgrade and What`s Up Boys.