Frodon at 20-1 gives Nicholls 12th King George victory

KEMPTON, England (AP) — English racehorse trainer Paul Nicholls won the King George VI Chase for a record-extending 12th time when Frodon delivered a masterful front-running performance at odds of 20-1 on Saturday.

Ridden by Bryony Frost, Frodon — one of Nicholls’ four runners — dictated the pace of the 3-mile (4.8-kilometer) jumps race at Kempton after going out in front early and jumped excellently throughout.

Clan Des Obeaux, another horse trained by Nicholls, was going for a third straight victory in the race and moved to challenge Frodon with two fences left.

But Frodon finished strongly and reached the finishing post about three lengths clear of Waiting Patiently, a 12-1 shot. Clan Des Obeaux was third.

“I wasn’t expecting that,” said Nicholls, who has won half of the last 24 editions of the King George.

“I just said to Bryony, ‘Go as quick as you can and keep galloping.’”

Kauto Star and Silviniaco Conti are among the other Nicholls-trained greats to have won the King George.

There were no spectators present at Kempton because of the coronavirus pandemic for a race which usually attracts about 20,000 fans.

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