Champion trainer Paul Nicholls believes Clan Des Obeaux and Frodon are the best two entries in this year's King George VI Chase at Kempton. 

The Boxing Day showpiece is once again one of the highlights of the festive sporting calendar and nine runners have been declared.

Among them are Nicholls' pair Clan Des Obeaux and Frodon, who are both expected to challenge for victory, and the trainer, who has won the King George 12 times in the past and triumphed in each of the last three renewals, is excited about what is in store. 

Frodon won the race 12 months ago, while Clan Des Obeaux was third, and Nicholls, who also has last year's fourth place, Saint Calvados, in the mix, believes he has a very strong hand in the big race. 

He said: "It's up there with the strongest we've had, but it looks as good a race as it has for a long time. 

"My view is that Clan and Frodon are the two to beat, they've won it before and they are the two champs. 

"Frodon is A1, he's had good prep. He had a quiet month after Down Royal but he's done a lot of work since. He's schooled well, looks great, he's fresh." 

Nicky Henderson, meanwhile, has Chantry House and Mister Fisher set to run but he also believes last year's winner Frodon could be the one to beat.

And he believes Henry De Bromhead's Cheltenham Gold Cup winner Minella Indo should also be feared by the field. 

Henderson said: "I think the Gold Cup winner is the horse we have to watch and we all know Frodon is a tough old devil, he's very hard to beat. It's a great race on paper." 

In what looks like a highly-competitive line-up, Willie Mullins has two in the shape of Asterion Forlonge and Tornado Flyer, while Colin Tizzard's Lostintranslation, who returned to form with victory at Ascot in November, makes up the field.