Direct Route will be among tomorrow's confirmations for the Pertemps King George VI Chase at Kempton on Boxing Day.

However, trainer Howard Johnson has warned that his stable star will not travel south from his Crook base unless the ground is ''genuinely good'' at the Sunbury track.

Johnson said last night: ''I couldn't tell whether he will run at Kempton and we'll just have to wait and see what the weather does.

''He'll be confirmed for the race and we'll have a look.

''But we'll not go down unless it's genuinely good ground.''

Soft ground and problems on Johnson's gallops caused by the recent wet weather delayed Direct Route's return to action this season.

The nine-year-old eventually reappeared in the Tingle Creek Trophy at Cheltenham where he finished fifth behind Flagship Uberalles.

The gelding is a 20-1 chance for the King George with Ladbrokes.

l Trainer Ian Williams and owners The Winning Line had a day to remember at Fakenham yesterday landing a double courtesy of Cardiff Arms and Damus.

The former put a disappointing performance at Cheltenham last time behind him in division one of the Colkirk Crown Novices' Hurdle.

However, Tony McCoy's mount, the 4-6 favourite, had to work a little bit harder than expected to land the spoils, seeing off Mansa Musa by a length.

Williams was happy with the performance, telling the Racing Channel: ''Cardiff Arms did it well.

''He's a funny horse two out he was going to win very, very easily but he got to the front and was probably just a little bit idle.

''He has jumped well today. He was a little bit keen early on and we probably need to find a race with plenty of pace early on.

''We'll keep him to the smaller tracks at the moment and build on his experience and maybe have a target at Liverpool later on in the season.''

Andrew Thornton gave up the rest of his rides following the race after his mount Anamore took a heavy fall in the early stages.

Promising conditional rider David Dennis wore The Winning Line's silks as he made all aboard 9-4 chance Damus in the Fakenham Crown Hotel Novices' Chase

''Damus has been a revelation,'' Williams said. ''He did quite well over hurdles for us in the beginning of last season.

''We waited until after April to run him in chases and he's only been beaten once over fences on ground that was a bit fast for him.

''Today he has jumped well under a confident ride from David Dennis.

''He jumped from fence to fence and had them at it quite early on in the race.''

Damus may make a quick reappearance over the Christmas period. Williams added: ''It's possible if he comes out of this all right, and he didn't seem to have too hard a time today, we might take him to Kempton on Boxing Day for the two-mile chase there.''

Kadarann has his quirks but justified even-money favouritism in impressive style in the Roy Wilson Memorial Juvenile Hurdle.

Nicky Henderson's charge came home 11 lengths clear of newcomer Tantalus.

Winning jockey Mick Fitzgerald said: ''He jumped brilliantly all the way round, that's the horses's strong suit.

''He has got a suspect temperament but we managed get him off today no thanks to the stewards.

''I wanted to go straight to post but they forced me to go up and back.

"Fortunately I managed to keep him going down to post and he got away with them no problem. Once he jumps off he's got plenty of ability.''

Henderson and Fitzgerald completed a 6-1 double when Hooded Hawk saw off Reflex Courier by five lengths in the Wensum Lodge Handicap Chase.

l Poor visibility caused the abandonment of yesterday's meeting at Southwell.

The all-weather fixture was due to get under way at noon but with the course blanketed in fog the stewards put the start of racing back until 1.00pm.

However, after a 12.50pm inspection and with no improvement in visibility the officials abandoned the meeting.

Stewards' secretary Geoff Forster said: ''It wasn't touch and go. There is no improvement and no propects. We've allowed as much time as possible.''

l Gingembre will attempt to put a poor run at Ascot on Saturday behind him in the Pertemps Great Yorkshire Chase at Doncaster next month.

The six-year-old, second to King's Road in the Hennessy Cognac Gold Cup at Newbury last month, was pulled up in the Tote Silver Cup over the weekend.

l Wetherby's Christmas programme provides prize money in excess of £126,000, with The Castleford Chase and The Rowland Meyrick Handicap Chase across Boxing Day and Wednesday, December 27..

Acknowledged as a major trial for The Queen Mother Champion Chase at the Cheltenham Festival in March, The Castleford Chase is a Limited Handicap Grade 2 contest for steeplechasers over the minimum distance of two miles. With an increased total prize fund of £35,000, the 'Castleford'has been won in recent years by horses of the calibre of Viking Flagship, Katabatic and Waterloo Boy.

The principal race on Wednesday, The Rowland Meyrick Handicap Chase over three miles and one furlong, now has £25,000 added to stakes (an increase of £5,000 over last year) and is held in memory of a former clerk of the course, who officiated between 1919 and 1947.

The George Gregory Novices' Chase over two miles remembers a former senior clerk of the scales and respected racing official, while The Tony Dickinson Novices' Handicap Chase (extended two miles, four furlongs) commemorates the former Dunkeswick trainer, whose son, Michael, is now a leading trainer in the United States.

Racing on Boxing Day begins at 12.30 pm, while the action on Wednesday starts at 12.50 pm