IT is good news that it is happening - that the King George duel is on. It is good news that Thistlecrack has stepped into the space that was vacated by Coneygree because, if he hadn’t, we would probably have been looking at a lap and a half of honour as opposed to a fascinating encounter: the established champion against the up and coming potential superstar.

Kauto Star v Denman they are saying, and you can see the similarities. Both high-class staying chasers, both hailing from the same yard, Colin Tizzard’s this time as opposed to Paul Nicholls’. But there the similarities end really.