Horse Racing Tips
King George VI Chase Betting Preview: Runner-By-Runner Guide
Staged over three miles, the Grade One King George VI Chase is the highlight of the Christmas racing period and is always an eagerly anticipated betting contest.
Eight horses have been declared for the big race at Kempton Park and here is your runner-by-runner guide to this year’s Boxing Day renewal:
Banbridge
Banbridge mastered Il Est Francais in this race last year and returns as the reigning champion, however retaining his crown will be no easy task.
His comeback run over 2m at Cork last month told us absolutely nothing, but he has the class in the locker to bounce back.
Djelo
After becoming the first back-to-back winner of the Peterborough Chase in 18 years, Djelo’s priced tumbled in our horse racing betting for this King George VI Chase bid.
Venetia Williams believes the seven-year-old deserves to take his chance in the race and I am inclined to agree with her.
Fact To File
The eight-year-old was a brilliant winner of the Ryanair Chase at the Festival last March and all but collared Gaelic Warrior at Punchestown when we last saw him run.
Fact To File could well end JP McManus’ near 50-year wait for an elusive King George VI Chase triumph on Boxing Day, given the excellent form of the horse.
Gaelic Warrior
Gaelic Warrior’s all-the-way John Durkan victory was nothing short of brilliant, and it makes you wonder whether Willie Mullins will ask Paul Townend to adopt the same kind of tactics at Kempton Park?
However, we all know what happened to Il Est Francais after he tried to make all last year, but something tells me Gaelic Warrior will still have something left in the tank as they round the home turn.
Il Est Francais
Il Est Francais seeks to better his King George VI Chase second of 12 months ago despite his comeback flop at Ascot last month.
A switch from France to Britain hasn’t lit him on just yet, making him somewhat of a risky sports betting proposition in this year’s renewal.
Jango Baie
Jango Baie registered an impressive reappearance win in the 1965 Chase over 2m4f at Ascot last month and he is very much in the mould of Nicky Henderson’s former King George winners in Might Bite and Long Run.
He may be unproven over three miles, but that has not stopped horses with similar profiles lifting this trophy before.
Master Chewy
A decent winner of the Wayward Lad Novice Chase at this meeting two years ago, “Chewy” hasn’t really come on since then, and he would be a shock scorer in this Grade One affair.
The Jukebox Man
A fluent win from the front at Haydock last month put him right into the King George picture, especially as he gave 3lb’s that day to the smart Iroko, who has subsequently franked the form at Ascot.
The seven-year-old is a major player for the extremely in-form stable of Ben Pauling.
King George VI Chase selection: Djelo @ 12 E/W
*Odds subject to change – prices accurate at the time of writing*
