NICKY HENDERSON could saddle the King George Chase favourite – as money pours in for his Arkle winner Jango Baie.
Willie Mullins’ awesome Gaelic Warrior has been the long-time market leader for the Boxing Day Grade 1.
And while he remains at the head of the market for now, Coral reported a surge of cash for in-form Henderson’s top stayer.
Jango Baie has finished outside the top two only once in ten career starts.
That came when he finished third to Mullins’ Impaire Et Passe in last April’s Manifesto Novices’ Chase at Aintree’s Grand National meeting.
A stunning winner of the Arkle before that, Henderson said he would never run over two miles again.
And Jango Baie proved himself every inch a top stayer when he destroyed runner-up Gidleigh Park by nine lengths on his season return in the Grade 2 1965 Chase at Ascot last month.
Seven Barrows boss Hendo confirmed the King George at Kempton would be his target after that.
And as we draw closer to the race the money hasn’t stopped coming for the Grade 1-winning monster.
So much so that Coral have eased Gaelic Warrior – who saw off Fact To File in a thrilling John Durkan last month – at the head of the betting.
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Jango Baie is now 2-1 from 9-2 while fellow former Arkle winner Gaelic Warrior is 7-4 from 13-8.
The firm’s David Stevens said: “Although Willie Mullins landed his first big prize of the UK season in Saturday’s Tingle Creek, punters haven’t been rushing to back his Gaelic Warrior for the King George, with Jango Baie more popular right now.
!It would be no surprise to see the Ascot winner join or even replace the Irish raider at the head of our Kempton betting.”
Henderson hasn’t won the King George since Might Bite’s 2017 success.
While Mullins last won it in 2021 with big outsider Tornado Flyer.
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