The sight of four terrific steeplechasers flying over the last fence all in with a shout in an illustrious like the King George VI Chase is a sight to behold.
It’s jumps racing at its marvellous best.
The Jukebox Man prevailed by a nose from last year’s runner-up Banbridge, Gaelic Warrior was a further nose back on the inside in third and Jango Baie was fourth despite only going down by half a length.
It was a surreal sight that after three miles of Grade One jumping that half the field were split by only half a length at the finishing post.
On paper, The Jukebox Man had plenty to find.
Owned by Harry Redknapp, the kind of personality the sport craves to elevate it on to a mainstream audience, trained by Ben Pauling and ridden superbly by Ben Jones edged a thriller by rallying over the last fence.
Gaelic Warrior, The Jukebox Man, Banbridge and Jango Baie (left to right) after the last
Redknapp and Jones with the King George VI Chase trophy at Kempton
The top three drive for the line with The Jukebox Man prevailing (middle) by a nose
At one point, he looked booked for fourth down the home straight but he surged in between rivals to get up. The Jukebox Man was ultimately in the right place when the music stopped.
No horse was beaten turning for home in a slowly-run race that was dictated from the front by Il Est Francais. Yes, he weakened out of it very sharply but jockey Harry Cobden controlled the race and it probably caught out the well-fancied Irish pair Gaelic Warrior and Fact To File.
Most observers would have expected the free-going Il Est Francais to blaze a trail and it would be a case of ‘catch me if you can’ just like last year. But that did not materialise. The finishing speed of the race from three out was 111 per cent. The track record lowered on the account of fast ground and a sprint finish.
The Jukebox Man and Banbridge were in the box seat tracking the pace. Paul Townend was well-positioned down the inner on Gaelic Warrior but he took a fierce grip and the lack of pace made it difficult for the long-term ante-post favourite to really settle.
One wonders whether Townend would have been more forceful given another shot at the race. Dropping his whip late on would have also been costly given the margin of defeat and he’d have no doubt liked more emphasis on stamina on softer ground. It was a missed opportunity.
The other theory is that Gaelic Warrior underperformed slightly and Fact To File dramatically as a result of the pair’s major dust-up in the John Durkan Memorial Chase at Punchestown on their seasonal reappearance last month. For all the thrills at the finish line, this might be form to tread carefully going forward.
They were big efforts and the bounce factor may have played its part, certainly with Fact To File. He was in position Z the whole way, never travelled and forced out wide. Mark Walsh was nudging away at him and after losing the battle in the John Durkan he may have felt the effects of that race more than anticipated.
It could be a case of trainer Willie Mullins freshening up Fact To File for Cheltenham and giving him a break after two hard races. Even then, he wasn’t completely done with until the second last fence.
The Jukebox Man team celebrate a famous triumph at Kempton
Jango Baie backed off the second last and was outpaced at a key point in the dash for home but he powered home the best out of the lot to only lose out by half a length.
Nicky Henderson’s horse was the one to take out of the race from a Cheltenham Gold Cup perspective, with the uphill finish and extra quarter mile looking to be in his favour on that evidence.
Just like Fact To File, he was poorly positioned for the most part but did make a good mid-race move to give himself a chance.
Joseph O’Brien proved that he’s one of the best target trainers in the business. Banbridge looked a horse on the downgrade after doing next to nothing after winning the 2024 King George.
O’Brien made him peak again for a Kempton assignment that suits him down to the ground.
Three miles on a sharp, right-handed track on fast ground is precisely want Banbridge wants and he ran a corker to finish second. But he bumped into an unexposed and brave rival in The Jukebox Man.
The fantastic four jump the last in unison
The joint-lowest rated horse in the race had plenty to find but he was an unexposed challenger coming up into the big league who was unbeaten over fences and he handled the test beautifully.
The slow, early tempo probably played into the 7-1 shot’s strengths early on. There was no prospect of a culture shock, here.
Jones had him prominent and he jumped efficiently. He proved he’s not slow either as he maintained the sprint to the line the longest to clinch a first open Grade One for Pauling and the biggest thrill in racing that Redknapp has experienced.
This was billed as a King George for the ages under a curious backdrop of Kempton’s uncertain future. If there’s any hope in saving a venue that has such significance for the British National Hunt scene, then this dramatic finish was surely it.
Throw in the excellent Sir Gino victory in the Christmas Hurdle and Kitzbuhel’s extravagant jumping display in the Kauto Star Novices’ Chase for what it’s worth.
It would be a great shame if the plug was pulled on this great place. Let’s hope The Jukebox Man and Co have at least a couple more hits to play at Kempton.
