Kempton Set to Host Hot Renewal of King George VI Chase

    By
    Jonathan Thomas
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    The King George VI Chase, run at Kempton Racecourse, just 13 miles outside of Central London, is one of the most prestigious races on the National Hunt calendar in the UK. This year’s contest has attracted a strong field at the latest entry stage.

    Kempton is a racecourse that many horse racing fans in London enjoy travelling to. The Greater London venue first opened in 1878, and their feature race has been won by some of the best chasers in history, including Desert Orchid and Kauto Star.

    Gaelic Warrior Heads Impressive Team from Ireland

    The horse racing odds for the 2024 King George VI Chase are headed by Gaelic Warrior, who is 11/4 to give Champion Trainer Willie Mullins a second success in the race. He is part of a strong travelling team from Ireland.

    As the racing results show, Gaelic Warrior won one of the leading novice races at the 2024 Cheltenham Festival, prevailing in the Arkle Trophy. The exciting six-year-old is considered one of the leading Cheltenham Gold Cup contenders this season.

    Fastorslow is another horse expected to make the trip across the Irish Sea for this year’s King George VI Chase. He is a winner of three Grade One races in Ireland, including last season’s Punchestown Gold Cup, where he beat Cheltenham Gold Cup winner Galopin Des Champs.

    Martin Brassil’s runner made his seasonal reappearance in the John Durkan Memorial Chase at Punchestown. He had to settle for fourth place, but his trainer said after the contest that he expects his horse to improve for the run.

    The British camp is set to be represented by Grey Dawning in the Kempton feature. Dan Skelton’s horse was one of last season’s leading novice chasers. The Lodge Hill based trainer will have been pleased with his opening performance of the campaign when he was a close second behind Royale Pagaille in the Lancashire Chase at Haydock.

    Highlight Of Festive Period in The Sport

    With no UK horse racing on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day, the King George VI meeting on Boxing Day marks the return of the sport. Many racegoers look forward to this fixture more than any other across the horse racing calendar, as it attracts the best horses, jockeys and trainers over the festive period.

    Success on King George VI Day can have a big impact on the Jockeys’ Championship and Trainers’ Championship, as there is a lot of prize money up for grabs on the day. The winner of the King George scoops £142,000, making it one of the most lucrative National Hunt races of the season.

    Huge Crowd Expected for Festive Fun

    A bumper crowd is expected to descend on Kempton on Boxing Day this year. Just over 20,000 racegoers attended the meeting in 2023, and that number is expected to be matched this year for the festive fixture.

    Kempton also stage racing on the 27th of December, with the Grade Two Desert Orchid Handicap Chase being the highlight of the day.

    Tickets remain available for King George Day on Kempton’s official website, with details also available on timings and directions to the racecourse.