Horse Racing Tips

King George VI Chase Tips 2024: Runner-By-Runner Guide

9 months ago

| BY Steve Mullington

The King George VI is the mid-season race that draws the biggest names in National Hunt racing.

The race itself is the centrepiece of the Christmas jumps programme in Great Britain, Ireland and France, and showcases Kempton Park on its traditional Boxing Day slot.

Here is your runner-by-runner guide to the 2024 renewal:

Banbridge (Joseph O’Brien)

Landed the Grade 2 Silviniaco Conti Chase here earlier in the year and looks like he should be able to handle the step up in trip. He was giving Energumene a race of it in the Hilly Way until an untimely unseat.

Bravemansgame (Paul Nicholls)

Winner of this race in 2022 and the runner-up last year, Nicholls’ charge looks well overpriced at 20/1 for a horse that clearly thrives at this racecourse. Should be good for a place but winning this again is another matter.

Corbetts Cross (Emmet Mullins)

An impressive winner of the National Hunt Chase at the Cheltenham Festival back in March, and possesses plenty of staying power which is essential in a race of this nature. He ranks as a big player.

Envoi Allen (Henry De Bromhead)

Envoi Allen has been dining at the top table for many a season, racking up sixteen victories with nine of those coming in Grade 1 affairs. Looked at good as ever in the Ladbrokes Champion Chase and commands plenty of respect.

General En Chef (N.George/A.Zetterholm)

Third in the Grand Steeple-Chase de Paris earlier this year, but will be an unknown quantity to many UK punters, hence his large odds. Victtorino stamped the Newbury form the other day, so he’s no forlorn hope.

Grey Dawning (Dan Skelton)

Excelled over fences last season with the culmination coming in the Grade 1 Turners Novices’ Chase at the Cheltenham Festival. Had a really hard race in the Betfair Chase and this race may have come too soon?

Il Est Francais (N.George/A.Zetterholm)

Perhaps not in the same class as the previous French raiders – The Fellow and Nupsala, but a useful sort nevertheless. Dominated last year’s Kauto Star Novices’ Chase and expectations will be high.

Juntos Ganamos (David Cottin)

Stayed on well in the Grade 1 Prix la Haye Jousselin at Auteuil last time out and the five-year-old could well pick up the pieces late should there be a pace collapse up front.

L’Homme Presse (Venetia Williams)

The ten-year-old has won first time out in each of his last four reappearances, so punters shouldn’t feel too worried about his 286-day absence. The stable is in cracking form too.

Spillane’s Tower (James Mangan)

The six-year-old stayed on strongly to split Fact To File and Galopin Des Champs when second in the John Durkan which is an exemplary piece of recent form, and probably the best on show here.

The Real Whacker (Patrick Neville)

After a spell in the doldrums, The Real Whacker jumped them silly from the front in the Charlie Hall Chase at Wetherby. Expect the same tactics to be adopted on him on Boxing Day.