Ladbrokes King George VI Chase
Grade 1, Kempton Park 14:30
£250,000 guaranteed,
4yo plus,
3m, Class 1  
Friday 26th December 2025

All the leading actors have kept their names in the hat, setting the scene for a tantalising second showdown of the season between Willie Mullins’ stablemates Gaelic Warrior and Fact To File.

Their first encounter came in the John Durkan at Punchestown, a race run at a relentless tempo set by Gaelic Warrior, who looked momentarily spent when headed approaching the final fence, only to rally with real determination and claw his way back to victory.

Gaelic Warrior now steps back up to three miles, a distance that holds no fears after his emphatic Bowl success at Aintree in April, while Fact To File returns to the trip once more having found it just beyond him on his last two attempts, both times behind the formidable Galopin Des Champs. His Cheltenham Ryanair performance was authoritative, but a return to two miles at Punchestown failed to play to his strengths.

This is no simple match, though. Nicky Henderson’s Arkle hero Jango Baie adds real depth to the contest and shaped on his reappearance at Ascot as though a searching three miles would bring about further improvement.

Ben Pauling has had this race in mind for The Jukebox Man ever since his Kauto Star Novices’ Chase success at this meeting a year ago. Injury has limited his appearances since, but a Haydock victory confirmed he retains both ability and promise.

Last year’s protagonists Banbridge and Il Est Francais return once more, though without quite the same momentum as twelve months ago, while Venetia Williams’ Djelo arrives in excellent heart after victories in both the Charlie Hall and the Peterborough Chase. Croke Park and Master Chewy complete a confirmed field of nine.

Harry Cobden is set for a new association on Boxing Day, booked to partner Il Est Francais for the first time.

Now seven, Il Est Francais announced himself at the very top level when making every yard to land the Kauto Star Novices’ Chase over this course and distance two years ago. He returned last season with a major chance of repeating the feat in the King George itself, only to be caught close home by Banbridge after another bold display.

James Reveley has been the man for the big days throughout most of the horse’s career, steering Il Est Francais to nine of his 10 wins, but connections have decided on a change as he bids to recapture that earlier brilliance.

“Harry Cobden is going to ride him in the King George,” trainer Tom George told the Press Association.

“Since the horse has been in England, Harry has put a lot of work into him. He’s been in riding him quite a bit and knows him from schooling him. It (decision to change rider) is nothing to do with James at all, the horse is based in England now and we’ll see how we go.”

Form has been harder to come by since last year’s King George, and Il Est Francais was pulled up on his first start after moving from France, in the 1965 Chase at Ascot last month. However, his trainer is hopeful that a return to Kempton, a track that clearly brings out the best in him, can spark a revival.

He added: “We’ve changed a few things with him and have done a lot of schooling with him, as he was just a bit lacklustre at Ascot.

“He’s been very, very sharp in his schooling. Actually Noel (George, former trainer) rode him this morning and said ‘you can’t do more than you have’. He was very happy with how he felt – he said he feels absolutely brilliant – so we just have to hope everything comes right on a track we know he likes.

“Kempton has lit him up and he is very fresh and sharp now. We just hope we see him back to where he was last year and the year before, that’s all we can say.

“Even though Ascot didn’t go to plan, he’s had a good preparation and it is a fascinating race this year.”

Ladbrokes King George VI Chase
£250,000 guaranteed, 4yo plus, 3m, Class 1
8 runners
Going: Good to Soft, Good in places

NO. FORM HORSE AGE WGT TRAINER JOCKEY
1 U17-44 Banbridge 9 11-10 Joseph O'Brien Sean Bowen
2 176-11 Djelo 7 11-10 Venetia Williams Charlie Deutsch
3 231-42 Fact To File 8 11-10 W P Mullins Mark Walsh
4 2311-1 Gaelic Warrior 7 11-10 W P Mullins Paul Townend
5 261-3P Il Est Francais 7 11-10 Tom George Harry Cobden
6 1213-1 Jango Baie 6 11-10 Nicky Henderson Nico de Boinville
7 156-24 Master Chewy 8 11-10 Nigel & Willy Twiston-Davies Sam Twiston-Davie
8 2/11-1 The Jukebox Man 7 11-10 Ben Pauling Ben Jones

horse racing