Tony Calvin: Tea For Two a tasty each-way pick for the King George at 20/1

Tony Calvin
06 December 2016

Does Tea For Two have what it takes to compete with Cue Card in the King George VI Chase?

Join

View market

Twitter

Facebook

Tony Calvin is back 'fresh' from the Horserace Writers and Photographers awards yesterday and has more than a few thoughts on the King George...

"I’d be disappointed if Tea For Two is not ridden more prominently and forcefully at Kempton than he was last weekend."

The weekend will look after itself on Friday but what has been interesting me since Sunday afternoon is the King George - and Tea For Two to be precise.

But before we get on to the betting, just a quick word on the Horserace Writers and Photographers Awards on Monday afternoon.

Now, I am not saying that the winners of the main awards were not deserving, far from it, but there is something not quite right when what most would surely consider to be the sport's most outstanding journalist of 2016, the Guardian's Chris Cook, draws a blank.

It wouldn't surprise me if Cook got due recognition at the wider Sports Journalism Awards - by the way the bookmaker on my table pricing up the awards made Cook a 1/2 chance for both of the "gongs" he was up for, and he had a skinner on both winners - but I am sure he doesn't need the recognition of his peers to know what outstanding stuff he has churned out this year.

Perhaps if he got a proper haircut, he may have won (and an honourable mention must also go to fellow nominee Kevin Blake's new bouffant, grown from scratch in under a month, here as well) but that's probably just envy on my part. Well, nothing probable about it, really.

Anyway, Boxing Day, King George, Kempton, Tea For Two, 20/1, each way. Discuss.

Well, for starters, an admission. I would have much preferred to be writing this on Sunday afternoon when he was 25/1 - and 33/1 with Paddy Power - but I'm not, and the 20/1, each way, available about Tea For Two with the Betfair Sportsbook still makes a lot of appeal.

The shape of the race screams absolute hell for bookmakers.

We have a rock-solid favourite in the shape of last year's winner Cue Card, who is a very fair price at 2.6213/8, but after that the picture gets a fair bit murkier.

And it is entirely plausible that that the next three in betting won't turn up, so bookmakers may well be labelling you as a dirty, no good, each-way thief if you take my advice. Let them.

Cue Card's stablemate Thistlecrack is probably only 50-50 at best to run in the big race instead of the Feltham on the card; connections of the third favourite Coneygree may not fancy a re-match with his Betfair Chase conqueror and may instead head to the Lexus; and, across the Irish Channel, who knows if the likes of Douvan and Vroum Vroum Mag will rock up, let alone the Gigginstown sextet of Valseur Lido, Don Poli, Outlander, Roi Des Francs, Road To Riches and Sub Lieutenant? I am betting not many, if any.

Ar Mad is also being considered for the race after his excellent fourth in the Tingle Creek on Saturday - a pretty remarkable performance given the mistakes he made - but he is obviously unproven at the trip and needs to be supplemented.

I have never seen a big race that has the potential to cut up so much, so all roads lead me to Tea For Two.

I am not for one minute suggesting that he has the ability to beat a peak-form Cue Card - or indeed a Cue Card running to within 10lb of his best - but horses disappoint and the place part of the each-way 20/1 punt is very enticing.

I think connections had one eye firmly on the King George when he finished second to Josses Hill over 2m4f in the Peterborough Chase at Huntingdon on Sunday.

The winner is a very smart tool on his day, and an underrated one too, but I'd be disappointed if Tea For Two is not ridden more prominently and forcefully at Kempton than he was last weekend.

He will undoubtedly need to jump better too, but at least in backing him we know we are getting on an intended runner and a seven-year-old with the scope for major improvement, too.

And one that put up his best performance to date when beating Southfield Royale and Native River in the Feltham over course and distance at this meeting last year.

To be honest, I don't think he will beat an on-song Cue Card in a month of Sundays but never underestimate the ability of racing to surprise, and in Tea For Two I think we have a young horse who will benefit greatly for the return to Kempton and three miles, and who I expect a career-best from on Boxing Day.

It may not be good enough but he has far better place claims than 20/1 each-way quotes imply.

Go on. Be a dirty, thieving, each-way merchant. It feels good.