The Jukebox Man can lead them a merry dance in vintage King George

There is a case to be made for seven of the eight runners in what promises to be a memorable renewal of the King George VI Chase, but the horse with the most appealing profile going into the Boxing Day showpiece is Ben Pauling’s The Jukebox Man (2.30), the fourth-favourite in the betting at around 6-1.

The strongest recent form on offer in Friday’s race is undoubtedly the thrilling contest between the Willie Mullins-trained pair Gaelic Warrior and Fact To File, the top two in the King George betting, in the John Durkan Chase at Punchestown in late November. Gaelic Warrior raced into a clear lead before being closed down by Fact To File going to the second-last, then stayed on again to win by a neck.

While it was a candidate for race of the season, however, it was also an unusually punishing return to action for both horses, with a timefigure close to Gold Cup-winning standard. Whether either will run to the same level over an extra half-mile just 33 days later has to be a concern at the available odds.

Jango Baie, last season’s Arkle Trophy winner over two miles, has attracted plenty of support in recent days and looked to have improved further over the summer as he cantered home in a Grade Two at Ascot last month.

But he will be stepping up to three miles for the first time on Friday, in an unusually strong renewal, while The Jukebox Man has already shown his aptitude for both track and trip in the Kauto Star Novice Chase on the same card 12 months ago.

The seven-year-old also enjoyed a much less demanding warm-up than Gaelic Warrior and Fact To File in a graduation chase at Haydock in mid-November, form that was franked when Iroko, the runner-up, went in at Ascot on Saturday.

The Jukebox Man has something to find with several rivals on ratings, but Friday’s race will be just his fourth start over fences, he is already a superb and assured jumper, and a high-class, strongly run King George could well be the ideal scenario to take his form to a new level.

Kempton 12.45 Noble Park has been hiked 11lb for a wide-margin win last time and James Owen’s progressive Secret Des Dieux is an interesting each-way alternative at around 10-1.

Aintree 1.05 Willie Mullins has a host of lightly raced novice hurdlers entered up over the festive period but, as things stand, Dan Skelton’s Mydaddypaddy is the ante-post favourite for the Supreme Novice Hurdle in March. He led on the bridle on the run to the last before powering seven lengths clear at the line, posting a very strong timefigure in the process, and it will be a major surprise if he fails to follow up with a first Grade One success.

Kempton 1.20 Jamie Snowden’s Wendigo was much improved for a step up to two-and-a-half miles last time and, with further progress likely over an extra four furlongs, he shades the vote over Kitzbuhel, the likely favourite, who did not get home on his sole try at this trip over hurdles.

Wetherby 1.35 Just five runners – the smallest field this century – for the Rowland Meyrick, and the progressive Konfusion will be tough to beat if he is anywhere close to his winning form in the Rehearsal Chase at Newcastle last time.

Kempton 1.55 With Nicky Henderson still pondering his next move with Constitution Hill, the winner of this race for the last three seasons, he could hardly wish for a better sub off the bench than the unbeaten Sir Gino.