Ladbrokes King George VI Chase |
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| Grade 1, Kempton Park 14:30 £250,000 guaranteed, 4yo plus, 3m, Class 1  |
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1 Banbridge 7/1
2
Il Est Francais 9/2
3
L'Homme Presse 14/1
11 ran Distances: 1¾l, 10l, 5½l
Time: 5m 55.20s (slow by 1.20s)
Does he stay? You bet he does! 👊
— Kempton Park Racecourse (@kemptonparkrace) December 26, 2024
Banbridge runs down long-time leader Il Est Francais, with the pair a long way clear, to win the @Ladbrokes King George VI Chase.
Congratulations @JosephOBrien2 and @PTownend 👏y pic.twitter.com/G2KBSJhEYW
Banbridge ran down long-time leader Il Est Francais in a dramatic finish. The French raider, trained by Noel George and Amanda Zetterholm, put in a spectacular display of jumping under James Reveley, extending his lead to around 10 lengths turning into the straight. However, Paul Townend on the Joseph O’Brien-trained Banbridge was making rapid ground and closed in on the tiring front-runner.
Il Est Francais, who had been spectacular on this card 12 months ago, got in too tight to the last, giving Banbridge a chance. Meeting the fence on a long stride, Banbridge landed with all the momentum, going on to win by a length and three-quarters. Given the way Il Est Francais had set the pace, some very good horses, including Spillane’s Tower, Envoi Allen, and Grey Dawning, who made an early blunder, never got involved.
L’Homme Presse, having his first run of the season, fared best of the rest in third, with The Real Whacker justifying the decision to supplement him by finishing fourth for a second successive year.
O’Brien expressed his delight, saying, “It’s a special win. I’m delighted for Ronnie (Bartlett, owner) and the team. He’s been a special horse for us over the last number of years. To win a race like the King George is dream stuff.”
Bartlett added, “We made a plan in the autumn and we always thought he needed further. Joseph said how do you feel about Kempton and I said ‘love it’. The horse was healthy and in great order and the rest is history now.”
Ladbrokes King George VI Chase
£250,000 guaranteed, 4yo plus, 3m, Class 1
11 ran
Going: Good, Good to Soft in places
POS. DIST HORSE AGE WGT TRAINER JOCKEY SP
1 Banbridge 8 11-10 Joseph O'Brien Paul Townend 7/1
2 1¾ Il Est Francais 6 11-10 Noel George & Amanda Zetterholm James Reveley 9/2
3 10 L'Homme Presse 9 11-10 Venetia Williams Charlie Deutsch 14/1
4 5½ The Real Whacker 8 11-10 Patrick Neville Gavin Sheehan 14/1
5 shd Spillane's Tower 6 11-10 James Joseph Mangan Mark Walsh 11/4F
6 3¼ Corbetts Cross 7 11-10 Emmet Mullins Mr Derek O'Connor 17/2
7 7 Juntos Ganamos 5 11-10 D Cottin Felix De Giles 16/1
8 ½ Bravemansgame 9 11-10 Paul Nicholls Harry Cobden 14/1
9 12 General En Chef 8 11-10 Noel George & Amanda Zetterholm Benjamin Gelhay 25/1
PU
Grey Dawning 7 11-10 Dan Skelton Harry Skelton 13/2
UR Envoi Allen 10 11-10 Henry De Bromhead Rachael Blackmore 14/1
