Racing: Senor unlikely to be in the hunt at Kempton

Senor El Betrutti, who earned a 16-1 quote for the King George VI Chase on Boxing Day after winning the Tripleprint Gold Cup at Cheltenham on Saturday, is unlikely to tackle the Kempton feature.

His trainer, Susan Nock, said yesterday: "It is less than 50-50 he will go to Kempton. I think it will come a bit quick - 13 days isn't a long time. He may go hunting next Saturday.''

If Senor El Betrutti does bypass Kempton, he is likely to return to Cheltenham for the Pillar Chase over three miles on 31 January. "We have got to try him at three miles again but I am not sure the King George is the time to do it. I want to look after the horse's best interests."

Rough Quest, second to The Grey Monk at Haydock on Saturday, could be an opponent in the Pillar Chase or may run in the King George. "He certainly likes Kempton," his trainer, Terry Casey, said yesterday. "He won the Racing Post Chase there and the ground was too firm when he was second in the King George last year."