Bookies running scared as massive King George gamble gathers speed

PUNTERS clearly think Christmas has come early after a huge King George gamble continued to gather pace.

Gerri Colombe produced a remarkable performance to win the Champion Chase at Down Royal last month.

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It was a fourth Grade 1 victory for Gordon Elliott's star and after a weekend of freak results, punters can't get enough of him for Boxing Day's King George at Kempton.

Lee Phelps, spokesperson for William Hill, said: “The King George market has really been shaken up by last weekend’s results.

"We can report some serious money has arrived in the last 24 hours for Gerri Colombe to win the Boxing Day showpiece, with his odds tumbling from 10/1 to just 11/4.

“Gordon Elliott’s seven-year-old is now only marginally behind favourite Bravemansgame, who has drifted out to 5/2 from 6/4 following his defeat at Haydock on Saturday.”

Bravemansgame became a drifter following his second defeat of an already disappointing season.

Last year's King George winner was left in the dust by Royale Pagaille in Saturday's Betfair Chase, following on from his Charlie Hall defeat on reappearance.

Shishkin's refusal to race at Ascot on the same day further complicated the market before Galopin Des Champs' Punchestown flop blew it wide open.

Although far from a certain runner, Galopin Des Champs defeat to Fastorslow in the John Durkan further showed how open the staying division is.

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That success for Martin Brassil's Fastorslow shot him into 4-1 for the Cheltenham Gold Cup with Boylesports, the same price as Gerri Colombe.

The market is still headed by last year's winner Galopin Des Champs, though he was a drifter to 3-1 (from 2).

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