A field of 11 runners go for the King George VI Chase of 2024 at Kempton Park on Boxing Day. Last year’s winner Hewick isn’t among them, but four other Irish raiders head over from the Emerald Isle. Joining those are three horses crossing the Channel from France.
An international flavour to the King George comes against a backdrop of the race’s recent domination by the home team. Hewick scoring 12 months ago and success for Tornado Flyer in 2021 apart, every other edition of the 3m Grade 1 steeplechase has gone to a British-based horse after 2005.
Paul Nicholls has farmed the King George with an incredible 11 wins since then (and 13 in total). The 2022 winner Bravemansgame, runner-up to Hewick last year, returns for a third run in the race, but hasn’t got his head in front for 24 months now.
Also running for the home team is Dan Skelton’s Betfair Chase second Grey Dawning, who has a sounder surface to contend with at Kempton than he did when chasing home Royale Pagaille at Haydock last month. Venetia Williams keeps on winning big races, meanwhile, so tries to add another King George to her CV with the reappearing L’Homme Presse.
Completing the British quartet in the race is Charlie Hall Chase scorer The Real Whacker. Patrick Neville’s charge ran fourth 12 months ago, but does arrive at Kempton in better form on the back of that Wetherby win this time.
Spillane’s Tower & Banbridge Head Irish Opposition in King George VI Chase 2024
Traders on leading horse racing betting sites clearly feel the King George could be for export this time, however. Leading Irish owner JP McManus boasts a very strong hand of staying steeplechasers this season, so keeps his big guns apart over Christmas.
While John Durkan hero Fact To File and progressive Inothewayurthinkin stay in the Emerald Isle for the Savills Chase at Leopardstown on 28 December, he has two King George runners. Chief among those is supplemented Punchestown Champion Novice Chase winner Spillane’s Tower.
This horse’s exploits have helped put trainer JJ Mangan back in the spotlight. Victories in the Fairyhouse Gold Cup at Easter, then the Punchestown Festival when upped to this trip catapulted Spillane’s Tower to stable stardom. His John Durkan second to Fact To File augurs well for going back over this distance.
McManus also calls on last term’s National Hunt Chase hero Corbetts Cross. Emmet Mullins was bold enough to pitch him into open company off the back of his Cheltenham Festival success with a decent third in the Aintree Bowl. Corbetts Cross should strip fitter for his reappearance second under a welter burden around Wexford.
Unlike the other Irish King George runners, Banbridge knows what it takes to win at Kempton and steps markedly up in trip after unseating at the final fence around in Cork’s Hilly Way Chase earlier this month. Joseph O’Brien can feel a little aggrieved as his charge got carried right when throwing down a challenge.
Banbridge beat Ascot specialist Pic D’Orhy in the Silviniaco Conti Chase over extended 2m 4f here in January. Paul Townend is an eye-catching jockey booking too. Rachael Blackmore has returned to saddle recently and she rides Envoi Allen for Henry De Bromhead, who brought this horse over in 2022 but he didn’t fire.
Il Est Francais on Comeback Trail
Noel George and training partner Amanda Zetterholm base themselves in France, but aim two horses at the King George VI Chase of 2024. Of those, last year’s impressive Kauto Star winner Il Est Francais is back at Kempton. The six-year-old has only landed one of three subsequent starts on his side of the Channel, however.
It could be that Il Est Francais likes travelling, but pulling up on his prep race ahead of a tilt at this is a worry. The same stable also run Coral Gold Cup fourth General En Chef in the King George. Connections try first-time cheekpieces on him after he tired in the Newbury home straight at the end of last month.
Completing the French challenge and line-up in this race is the supplemented youngster Juntos Ganamos. Trainer David Cottin isn’t afraid to cross the Channel with his horses and saddled a winner at Cheltenham’s December Meeting.
Juntos Ganamos is a five-year-old with a good strike rate over fences at 2m 6f. Equating French form to their Anglo-Irish counterparts is always tricky, though. The forecast sound surface is a question mark for all of cross-Channel raiders apart from Il Est Francais, who handled conditions over course and distance just fine 12 months ago.
King George VI Chase 2024 Verdict
With very little rain around in the pre-Christmas weather forecast, good ground looks likely at Kempton and that won’t suit every horse. BANBRIDGE is best on this going, however, and has often won his races over shorter by staying. Spillane’s Tower is one to fear after five consecutive top two finishes in graded company.
With ground concerns for Grey Dawning, whether the trip is far enough for Corbetts Cross and the in-and-out nature of Il Est Francais’ performances, ratings topper L’Homme Presse, who goes well fresh, could have a say in the finish. Don’t rule out Bravemansgame from hitting the frame either.
