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Supplemented Santini heads opposition to Nicholls-trained big guns.
Stable companions Clan Des Obeaux and Cyrname are two of nine runners declared for the Ladbrokes King George VI Chase on Boxing Day.
Clan Des Obeaux proved much too strong for Cyrname when successfully defending his crown in the Kempton showpiece 12 months ago and is on course to complete the hat-trick under Sam Twiston-Davies.
However, Cyrname looked back to his best when making an impressive start to the current campaign in the Charlie Hall Chase at Wetherby and appears set to make more of a race of it for the rematch. As last year, Harry Cobden takes the ride.
Frodon (Bryony Frost) and Real Steel (Daryl Jacob) complete a four-pronged assault for trainer Paul Nicholls as he bids to add to his record haul of 11 King George victories.
Nicky Henderson is represented by Cheltenham Gold Cup runner-up Santini (Nico de Boinville), who was a surprise addition to the race after being supplemented on Monday.
The Colin Tizzard-trained Lostintranslation (Robbie Power) failed to fire in last year's King George and again has something to prove, after finishing a well-beaten third in the Betfair Chase at Haydock last month.
There were fears Power would miss the ride after travelling to Ireland last weekend, but despite a change in travel restrictions between the two countries, he is set to return to Britain.
Joe Tizzard, assistant to his father, said: "I was worried for no more than two seconds as I spoke to Robbie and he said he had sorted it.
"Jonjo O'Neill Jnr would have probably been re-routed, but we never had to cross that bridge."
Power is hopeful Lostintranslation will show his true colours, saying: "I'm looking forward to riding Lostintranslation in the King George and The Big Breakaway in the Kauto Star Novices' Chase – they're two good rides to have.
"Lostintranslation has got to bounce back, but it won't be the first time he's had to bounce back – he bounced back to finish third in the Gold Cup last year.
"I think the ground is the key to him and it looks like we're going to have some nice ground in Kempton.
"He was probably a bit flat going into the race last year on the back of running at Carlisle and Haydock.
"He's got to put a disppointing run at Haydock behind him this year, so hopefully he can do that."
Ruth Jefferson's long-absent stable star Waiting Patiently (Brian Hughes), Tom George's Black Op (Tom Scudamore) and Saint Calvados (Gavin Sheehan) from Harry Whittington's yard complete the field.
The only horse not declared was Henry de Bromhead's Monalee, who is unable to make the journey to Kempton.
