Royale Pagaille to sidestep King George after ‘minor hold-up’

Royale Pagaille will not run in the Ladbrokes King George VI Chase at Kempton on Boxing Day.

The fragile 10-year-old showed all his ability still remains intact when winning a second Betfair Chase at Haydock last month.

He beat Dan Skelton’s Grey Dawning, who is among the favourites for the Christmas highlight, but crucially the ground was very soft there.

As tends to happen to Royal Pagaille after a run, he has subsequently had a minor hold-up and red-hot trainer Venetia Williams would rather wait an extra few weeks and take him back to his favourite track on Merseyside, where he will bid for a third win in the Peter Marsh Chase.

Williams, fresh from another major Saturday winner with Victtorino at Ascot, will still be represented in the King George by L’Homme Presse.

She said: “L’Homme Presse runs, I don’t think we’re going to take Royale Pagaille.

“He’s had a minor hold-up and I think we’d be cutting it too fine, plus he won’t get his ground anyway.

“He’ll go straight to the Peter Marsh and that’ll be far more up his street and give us another three weeks.”