McCoy and Kauto Star: a Boxing Day marriage

Two great sporting stars will come together on Boxing Day if - and it's a big if - subzero temperatures don't return to the Kempton Park racetrack over Christmas. Tony McCoy, newly crowned BBC Sports Personality of the Year, will for the first time ride Kauto Star, one of the greatest steeplechasers of recent times.

The race is the famous King George VI Chase, which Kauto Star (above) has won four years in a row. On Sunday, the horse who has already won more than £2m in prize money, is favourite to win it for a record fifth time.

Kauto Star was due to be ridden by the jockey Noel Fehily. But after he sustained a wrist injury, trainer Paul Nicholls turned instead to the man of the moment, McCoy.

"I'm very excited, it's every jockey's dream to ride a horse like Kauto Star," McCoy told BBC Radio 5 Live. "What he has achieved, winning four King Georges and two Gold Cups and many other races as well, you can't not look forward to riding him."

McCoy was due to ride another horse in the race, Albertas Run. He revealed that Trevor Hemmings, who owns Albertas Run, had kindly allowed him to take the offer of riding Kauto Star instead.

Now it's all down to the weather and the 22,000 race fans expected on Boxing Day will have their fingers crossed through Christmas. The Kempton course has been protected by frost covers during the recent freeze, but any further subzero temperatures could close the racetrack.

Clerk of the course Barney Clifford told Radio 5 Live on Wdednesday: "Based on the forecast I received tonight I give us a great chance, but I'm afraid I still have to go 50/50." ·